Luminescence of Ce3+ in aluminophosphate glasses prepared in air

Control of activators in solid state matter is the most important focus for phosphor applications. However, melt-quenching from an inert atmosphere is restricted by the constraints of a purged electric furnace. Here, we have examined the optical and emission properties of Ce-doped 25Al2O3−75P2O5 glass, which is the stoichiometric chemical composition of the Al(PO3)3 crystal, prepared in an air atmosphere. The decay constant (τ1/e) and the internal quantum yield of the Ce-doped glasses depend on the Ce concentration. The Ce LIII-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis shows that the Ce3+/(Ce3+ + Ce4+) ratio increases with increasing Ce concentration, which indicates that the starting material, Ce(OCOCH3)3·H2O, affects the redox state during air melting. Although the glass was prepared in air, the Ce3+/(Ce3+ + Ce4+) ratios and the internal quantum yields of the glasses were found to be at least 65% and ~60%, respectively.