Broad blue-green-red emissions of SnO2/Pr3+ co-doped phosphate glasses

Abstract

The photoluminescence properties of SnO2/Pr3+ co-doped strontium phosphate glasses (75P2O5-25SrO) are studied. An ultrabroad emission band covering blue, green and red is observed in co-doped glasses. In co-doped samples, three downward peaks appear in blue emission region, these coincide with Pr3+ excitation peaks, indicating the energy transfer through cross-relaxation between SnO2 and Pr3+. The mechanism has been detailed based on the energy level diagrams of SnO2 and Pr3+. The chromaticity coordinates of the co-doped samples with varying doping ratio of SnO2 to Pr3+ are calculated. The result demonstrates the possibility of generating white light in the SnO2/Pr3+ co-doped phosphate glasses.