Synthesis, structure and luminescent properties of Eu3+ doped Ca3LiMgV3O12 color-tunable phosphor

A new vanadate Ca3LiMgV3O12 and its Eu3+-doped counterparts were synthesized. Rietveld confinement result of Ca3LiMgV3O12 host indicates that it belongs to cubic space group Ia-3d with parameters of a = 12.4300 Å, V = 1920.49 Å3, Z = 8. Under UV excitation, pure Ca3LiMgV3O12 exhibits a bluish-green broadband emission at 490 nm, while Eu3+ doped Ca3LiMgV3O12 shows one bluish-green broad band with a series of red sharp peaks, which originate from the V5+-O2- charge transfer and the Eu3+ intra-4f transitions, respectively. The occurrence of VO4→Eu3+ energy transfer is confirmed by decay lifetime analysis and time-resolved emission spectra. It is found that emitting color varies from bluish-green to orange-red with increasing Eu3+ concentration. VO4 bluish-green and Eu3+ red emission shows different thermal quenching response with increasing temperature, due to their different activation energy.