Efficient tunable photoluminescence of Dy3+/Eu3+ co-doped OFSZBS glasses for warm white LEDs

Abstract

A series of oxyfluoride strontium zinc borosilicate (OFSZBS) glasses co-doped with Dy3+/Eu3+ ions was prepared via melt quench method. The structural properties were examined using XRD and scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) on DE2.0 and undoped OFSZBS glasses, respectively. UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy was used to evaluate the direct & indirect energy band gaps. At different excitations (348, 362, 385 and 393 nm), the photoluminescence (PL) spectra were observed with tuned light. Warm white light was generated through the Dy3+ (4F9/2→6H15/2, 6H13/2) and Eu3+ (5D0→7F2) transitions. Dexter Reisfield approximation applied to PL data revealed a dipole-dipole (d-d) mechanism accountable for the energy transfer (non-radiative) between sensitizer (Dy3+) and activator (Eu3+) ions. The energy transfer efficiency in the co-doped glass samples was found between 8% to 50%, depending on the doping. The Inokuti-Hirayama (I-H) fitting of PL decay profiles also confirm the energy transfer mechanism. The CIE chromaticity color coordinates observed for OFSZBSDE2.0 glass also confirm the color tunability. The above findings reveal the applications of as-prepared Dy3+/Eu3+ co-doped OFSZBS glasses excited using n-UV light for warm white LEDs and tuned devices.