Synthesis and photoluminescence studies on YAl3(BO3)4:Tb3+phosphor

Abstract

Terbium (Tb 3+ ) doped yttrium aluminium borate phosphors (YAl 3 (BO 3 ) 4 ) with different compositions such as YAl 3 (BO 3 ) 4 :Tb 3+ , Y 1− x Al 3 (BO 3 ) 4 :Tb x 3+ and YAl (3− x ) (BO 3 ) 4 :Tb x 3+ ( x = 1−8 mol.%) were synthesized using modified solid state reaction technique. The synthesized phosphor was studied using powder X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), high resolution-scanning electron microscope (HR-SEM). Lattice parameters are calculated for the Tb 3+ doped and substituted YAB phosphors using XRD analysis. The phosphor exhibits green emission at 572 nm with 375 nm of excitation. It is found that the Tb 3+ ions substitution in the sites Y 3+ and Al 3+ ions in Y 1– x Al 3 (BO 3 ) 4 :Tb x 3+ and YAl (3– x ) (BO 3 ) 4 :Tb x 3+ leads to overlapping of energy levels which affects the PL intensity of the phosphor significantly. Thus, phosphor synthesized with the composition YAl 3 (BO 3 ) 4 :Tb 3+ , acquires higher photoluminescence (PL) intensity when compared to Y 1– x Al 3 (BO 3 ) 4 :Tb x 3+ and YAl (3– x ) (BO 3 ) 4 :Tb x 3+ phosphors. Temperature dependent PL property (thermal quenching studies) of YAl 3 (BO 3 ) 4 :Tb 3+ was also performed up to 250 °C. Further, it is found that the PL intensity of the studied phosphor is comparable with commercial green phosphor. HR-SEM analysis demonstrates that the phosphors are grown as nanorods with an average diameter of 50–80 nm and length 250–500 nm.