Synthesis and effect of Sr substitution on fluorescence of new Ba2−xSrxZnS3: Eu2+ red phosphor: Considerable enhancement of emission intensity

A series of 0.5 mol% Eu2+-activated Ba2−xSrxZnS3 phosphor materials were synthesized using precursors prepared by the polymerizable complex method and their fluorescent properties were studied for the first time. It was found that Sr substitution for Ba leads to the considerable improvement of internal quantum efficiency and emission intensity in these materials compared to Ba2ZnS3, while emission peak wavelength exhibits a blue shift from 680 to 660 nm. Rietveld refinement of crystal structure of sample with x=0.7 suggests that Sr ions preferentially occupy one of two Ba sites in this compound. Such a structural re-arrangement might be responsible for the observed quantum efficiency dependence on Sr concentration.