Synthesis, characterization, thermoluminescence and optical studies of Eu3+ doped Y2SiO5 phosphor

•Synthesis of Y2SiO5:Eu3+ doped phosphors with variable concentration of Eu3+.•Characterized by XRD PL, TL and CIE.•Photoluminescence studies of Y2SiO5:Eu3+ with variable concentration of europium.•Thermoluminescence studies of Y2SiO5:Eu3+ with variable concentration of europium.

The present paper reports thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves and photoluminescence (PL) studies of europium doped yttrium silicate (Y2SiO5:Eu3+). The samples were prepared by the modified Solid state method which is the most suited method for large scale production. Starting material used for sample preparation was Y2O3, SiO2 and Eu2O3 with variable concentration of europium. A prepared sample was characterized by XRD (X-ray diffraction) and crystallite size found 20–50 nm in size. The PL excitation spectra was found at 265 and 395 nm while the emission spectra was found at 580, 588, 595, 598, 612, 615, 623 and 626 nm, the emission peak at 612 nm was most intense peak for all Eu3+ concentration. The effect of Eu3+ concentration on PL intensity was studied and found that intensity increases with increasing concentration up to 2.5 mol% of Eu3+. Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage co-ordinate (CIE) of this phosphor is (0.65, 0.31) in the red region. TL glow curves were recorded for different doses of UV exposure at a heating rate of 6.7 °C s−1. The kinetic parameters as activation energy “E”, the order of kinetics “b”, and the frequency factor “s” of Y2SiO5:Eu3+ have been calculated by using peak shape method. The sample shows general order kinetics. The effect of Eu3+ concentration on TL intensity was also studied and found that the intensity increases linearly up to 1 mol% and then decreases with increasing concentration of Eu3+. The present phosphor acts as a single host for red emission display devices and light emitting diode (LED) as well as may be used for thermoluminescence dosimetric material under UV exposure.