Photoluminescence characteristics of Sm3+ doped Na13Sr2Ta2(PO4)9 as new orange-red emitting phosphors

Abstract

This paper describes the synthesis and properties of a new Sm3+-activated phosphor Na13Sr2(1-x)Ta2(PO4)9:2xSm3+ (x = 0.01–0.12). The crystal structure and the phase purities were characterized, and using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the morphology was investigated. The emission spectra of as prepared phosphors contain some emitting peaks at 560, 595, 650, and 710 nm. The strongest one is 595 nm, resulting from the Sm3+ 4G5/2→6H7/2 transition. In addition, the optimal Sm3+ concentration was determined to be 9 mol%, and we determined that the critical energy transition distance at which concentration quenching occurs is 2.05 nm, suggesting that it is primarily caused by electric multipole interaction. The achievement of this work is to provide a new orange-red phosphor based on a phosphate host lattice.