Red persistent and photo-stimulated luminescence properties of SrCaSi5N8: Eu2+, Tm3+ solid solution

•Nitride phosphor SrCaSi5N8: Eu2+, Tm3+ was synthesized by solid state reaction.•The phosphor showed strong red emission with broad peak half-width.•Excellent persistent luminescence was observed due to suitable traps depth.•Interesting photo-stimulated luminescence with short response time, erasable and rewriting ability were observed.

The red persistent and photo-stimulated luminescent (PSL) nitride phosphor, SrCaSi5N8: Eu2+, Tm3+ solid solution, had been synthesized through conventional high temperature solid-state reaction. The SrCaSi5N8: Eu2+, Tm3+ phosphor shows strong photoluminescence (PL) and weak PSL (λem = 647 nm), both originating from the 4f65d–4f7 transition of Eu2+. Thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves measured at various stimulating conditions (UV excitation, in dark, laser stimulation after UV irradiation) show the same peak positions at 345 K and 360 K but great differences in the intensities. The afterglow decay curve presents excellent long-lasting red phosphorescence with a decay time of 30 min (⩾0.32 mcd/m2) after turning off the activating light. Moreover, the laser stimulated luminescence spectra, which feature sharp rising and falling edges (monitored at 647 nm) as the infrared laser diode (980 nm) excitation was turned on and off periodically, exhibit interesting rapidly responsive, erasable and rewritable abilities.