Solid-state synthesis and lanthanide photoluminescence of doped yttrium molybdo-antimonites, Y2−nAnMo4Sb2O18 (A=Pr, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, and Er; n=0.02-2) solid solutions

Y2−nAnMo4Sb2O18 (A=Pr, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, and Er; n=0.02-2) solid solutions were synthesized by a solid-state method and studied for their lanthanide photoluminescence. They show concentration dependent lanthanide photoluminescence and existence of concentration quenching phenomenon. The emission intensity and the fluorescence-lifetime are found to be highest for an optimum concentration of a given lanthanide ion in the solid solution series studied. The neat photoluminescence of A2Mo4Sb2O18 (A=Pr, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, and Er) compounds involves partial concentration quenching.