Development of bluish green-emitting Ca2-xEuxSiO4 phosphor: A novel approach using silica nanoparticles as precursor

Abstract

Development of inorganic phosphors architecture is of immense concern for the growth of solid-state lighting technology. The current work focuses on the development of bluish green-emitting, silica nanoparticles assisted Ca2SiO4: Eu2+phosphors that are made via a two-step high-temperature wet-solid phase reaction technique. The optimized Eu2+ doping concentration in both the silica nanoparticles assisted Ca2SiO4: Eu2+and conventional silica assisted Ca2SiO4: Eu2+ has been calculated and found to be 5 mol%. Systematic studies viz morphology, crystal phase and photoluminescence were carried out on all the phosphor materials and their efficiencies were compared. The emission spectrum recorded at RT (Room Temperature) of the phosphor showed two prominent emission band centred at 490 and 525 nm under the excitation of 335 nm. The impregnation of silica nanoparticles in phosphors with the tailorable emissive properties has been extensively studied for their potential application in white LEDs. Finally, a prototype model of white LEDs has been fabricated using the optimized silica nanoparticle as well as conventional silica assisted Ca2SiO4: Eu2+ phosphors and their efficiencies were studied. The CIE coordinates, correlated colour temperature (CCT) and colour rendering index (CRI) were also calculated from the emission spectra of the fabricated proto-type white LED.