Electrical and luminescence properties of Er-doped Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 ceramics

•With moderate Er substitution, both the piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties are improved.•BNT-xEr ceramics show the optimal piezoelectric and luminescence properties when x = 0.01.•The green emission of the prepared ferroelectric ceramics after poling is enhanced about 18%.•Poling is an effective way to enhance the luminescence of rare-earth doped ferroelectrics.

The influences of Er content on the dielectric and photoluminescence performances of Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-xEr (x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.015, 0.02, 0.03) ceramics have been investigated. The results show that Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-xEr ceramics with x = 0.01 Er have maximum values of photoluminescence and piezoelectric properties. A bright green emission at 550 nm and enhanced piezoelectric response are achieved in the ceramic Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-0.01Er at room temperature. Furthermore, the photoluminescence performance of the ceramics is significantly enhanced by electric poling.