Preparation and luminescence of a new violet blue phosphor derived from proton-type zirconium phosphate

A violet blue phosphor was prepared by thermal treatment of HZr2(PO4)3 at 700 °C in a reducing atmosphere and its PL was investigated. The phosphor shows violet blue emissions at around 392 nm when excited by 254 nm UV light. Its absorptivity, internal and external quantum efficiency are found to be 43, 41, and 18%, respectively, at room temperature when excited at 254 nm. Analyses using non-dispersive infrared absorption, X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction suggest that such an emission originates from the formation of hydrogen and oxygen vacancies in the phosphor during the thermal treatment of HZr2(PO4)3.