Crystal structure, electronic structure, and photoluminescent properties of SrMoO4:Tb3+ phosphors

•SrMoO4:Tb3+ phosphor samples were synthesized at different temperatures.•The crystal and electronic structures, and luminescence properties were studied.•The excitation peak shifts to red with increasing the sintering temperature.•The luminescence mechanism of SrMoO4:Tb3+ was suggested.

The experimental and theoretical studies of the optical properties of SrMoO4:Tb3+ phosphors were carried out. The structural, optical, and electronical properties of the phosphors were systematically studied. The phosphor samples were crystallized at different temperatures via a sol–gel method. Excitation spectra of SrMoO4:Tb3+ powder samples exhibited gradual red shift and luminescent intensity changed with increasing the sintering temperature. Such spectral changes depend strongly on the crystallographic properties such as lattice parameters and crystallinity. The shift of the excitation spectra is mainly ascribed to the covalent bond interaction between MoO bonds. An energy band model was demonstrated to describe the luminescence mechanism in the material.

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