Luminescent properties and energy transfer of color-tunable Sr3Y2(SiO3)6:Ce3+, Tb3+ phosphors

Phosphors with controlled emission spectra are of great interest due to their application for white light emitting diodes. Herein, a new class of Sr3Y2(SiO3)6:Ce3+, Tb3+ phosphors were synthesized by a facile sol-gel combustion method. The phase structure, morphology, and luminescence properties of the phosphors were characterized by using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra, respectively. The results on luminescence properties indicated that co-doped Ce3+ ions served as UV-light sensitizers with excitation energy partially transferred to Tb3+ ions, leading to green emission from Tb3+. Particularly, the corresponding emitting colors of the phosphors could be well-tuned from deep blue (0.16, 0.05) to green region (0.25, 0.45) by adjusting the molar ratio of Ce3+/Tb3+.

Graphical AbstractSol-gel-combustion synthesis of Sr3Y2(SiO3)6:Ce3+, Tb3+ phosphors with energy transfer from Ce3+ to Tb3+ (The noble phosphors with continuously tunable emission from deep blue to green region)Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide