Morphology control and luminescent property of Y3Al5O12:Tb particles prepared by spray pyrolysis

A spray pyrolysis process was used to prepare spherical yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12:Tb) phosphor particles with enhanced luminescence properties. The aim of the process was to improve the morphology and luminescent intensity of the Y3Al5O12:Tb phosphor particles by modifying the precursor solution. The particles produced from a nitrate aqueous solution were spherical with a hollow structure that was deformed by the post treatment at 1400 °C. To avoid the hollowness, the nitrate solution was modified by the addition of an NH4OH solution so that a polycation solution could be obtained. Compared with the hollow particles prepared from the nitrate aqueous solution, the Y3Al5O12:Tb particles with the spherical morphology and nonaggregated structure, even after the post treatment, were successfully prepared and found to have an improved photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence intensity.