Surface modification of Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ phosphor by hydrofluoric acid wet etching

Abstract

The surface of Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ phosphor prepared by solid-state reaction was modified by hydrofluoric acid wet etching. The SEM pictures show that the edge-angles-rich surface of the phosphor particles becomes smooth and the XRD spectra show that the surface crystallinity is improved after modification for more than 3h. Consequently, the photoluminescence emission from phosphor particles with smooth surface presents a higher quantum yield (increased by 5.5%) than that without modification, and a lower backscattering light by the smoothed phosphor particles is also found, which suggests better surface characteristics of light absorption, transparency and crystallinity.