Structural and luminescence properties of Eu3+-doped magnesium sulfide borate glass and crystal

MgO-SO4-B2O3 (MSBE) doped Eu3+ glass and crystal were prepared by melt quenching and conventional solid state reaction technique respectively. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), emission and excitation spectrum of Eu3+ ion in glass and crystal with the same composition but with different phase were analysed. The FTIR spectra for both glass and crystal reveal the presence of BO4 and B-O-B units and the modes of SO42- were detected in both glass and crystal. The glass presented strong 612 nm red luminescence with excitation at 395 nm. It was observed that europium ion doped MgO-SO4-B2O3 crystal reduced from Eu3+ to Eu2+ using conventional solid state reaction method at excitation wavelength of 395 nm. The emission spectrum of the crystal sample presented intense peak at 544 nm. This difference is happening due to local structure around Eu3+ ion in the crystals and glass. The emission of Eu3+ is important for developing fluorescence display, new color light source and cathode ray tube. Hence, the rigid tetrahedral network structure of crystal plays an important role in stability of Eu2+.