White LED Applications Research Articles

Unlocking Full-Spectrum Brilliance: Dimensional Regulation in Lead-Free Metal Halides for Superior Photoluminescence.

Lead-free metal halides with tunable structures have emerged as a new class of optoelectronic materials. The arrangement of metal halide polyhedra defines their structural dimensionality and serves as a key factor influencing their optical properties. To investigate this, we synthesized four different antimony (Sb)-doped indium (In)-based metal halides, all of which possess zero-dimensional (0D) electronic structures but exhibit 3D, 2D, 1D, and 0D structural dimensionality at the molecular level. With a decreasing of structural dimensionality, their self-trapped exciton (STE) emission shows a red shift with peak position from 496 to 663 nm. We revealed that the red shift is caused by increased distortion of [SbCl6]3- octahedra as the structural dimensionality decreases, leading to lowered energy levels of STE and a corresponding red shift. The tunable STE emission makes these metal halides promising for anticounterfeiting and white LED applications. These findings provide a new strategy for tuning STE emission in lead-free metal halides.

Emergent updates and future directions on white light emitting diodes based on luminous lead-free halide perovskites

Lead halide perovskites possess exceptional optical and electrical properties, yet their inherent toxicity and instability present significant challenges for practical application in white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) for displays and lighting. Alhough, techniques such as reduced dimensionality, transition metal doping, and protective encapsulation have shown some success in enhancing stability. These advancements remain limited and do not fully meet the requirements for real-world WLED devices. This featured letter delves into the emerging advancements in lead-free halide perovskite WLEDs includes color-conversion WLEDs, and single-emissive-layer WLEDs. Despite significant advancements, issues with stability, efficiency, and scalable fabrication still exist. Future approaches centre on methods to enhance these features, opening the door for lead-free perovskite WLEDs to become commercially viable and bringing in a new age of environmentally friendly lighting options. Additionally, this featured letter provides a comprehensive review of the current advancements and future possibilities in white light-emitting diodes based on lead-free halide perovskites materials. This letter serves as an invaluable resource for researchers, scientists, and engineers dedicated to advancing this field.

A novel red-emitting InScW3O12:Eu3+ phosphor with anti-thermal-quenching performance for high-power WLED applications

A series of red-emitting InScW3O12:Eu3+ (ISWO:Eu3+) phosphors with anti-thermal-quenching performance were successfully synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction. The phase structure and luminescent properties of ISWO:Eu3+ were systematically studied. The photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectrum showed that ISWO:Eu3+ phosphor can be effectively matched with commercial ultraviolet (UV), violet and blue light chips. The main emission peak of the phosphor was located at 613 nm, which was attributed to the electric dipole transition 5D0 → 7F2. Under the optimal excitation, the prepared ISWO:0.08Eu3+ phosphor showed excellent anti-thermal-quenching performance, its photoluminescence (PL) intensity at 180 °C reached 157.4 % of initial intensity at room temperature. At 465 nm excitation, it also exhibited the anti-thermal-quenching property and the PL intensity remained 115.1 % at 150 °C of that at room temperature. In situ XRD analysis revealed that the lattice contraction resulting in an increase in structural rigidity as the temperature rising, which caused the change of Eu3+ local environment and improved the PL intensity. Finally, a series of warm white LED devices under varying power density conditions with stable output were prepared using the red ISWO:0.08Eu3+ phosphor, indicating that the ISWO:Eu3+ phosphor with excellent anti-thermal-quenching performance has potential application prospects in high-power white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs).

Spectral Investigation of Enhanced Orange Emission in Eu3+ Activated LaPO4 Nanophosphors Through Codoping With Na+ and Bi3+ Ions.

Lanthanum phosphate is a well-known potential host for rare earth activators for phosphor-converted white LED application. Na+ and Bi3+ codoped Eu3+ activated LaPO4 nanophosphor is successfully synthesized using citrate-based hydrothermal method at ambient condition and confirmed by XRD, EDS and XPS analysis. The excitation spectra of the sample exhibit sharp f-f characteristics peak of Eu3+ at 393 nm that is found to be the most dominant. The comparative photoluminescence studies of La1-xPO4:xEu3+(x = 0.10), La1-x-y PO4:xEu3+, yNa+(x = 0.10, y = 0.05), and La1-x-y-zPO4:xEu3+, yNa+, zBi3+ (x = 0.10, y = z = 0.05) reveal a progressive enhancement of the orange emission from Eu3+ as Na+ and (Na+, Bi3+) ions are incorporated into the LaPO4 matrix. The dominance of 5D0-7F1 magnetic dipole transition contributing a major part of orange luminescence of the nanophosphors and the symmetric site occupancy of Eu3+ was justified from the observed trend of in the Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters. The CIE studies confirm the improvement in color purity of emission from 32.5% to 90.6% due to the presence of Na+ and Bi3+ions.

Reconstructing the Surface of K2SiF6:Mn4+ Phosphors toward Enhanced Moisture Resistance for White LED Applications.

The K2SiF6:Mn4+ (KSFM) phosphor featuring efficient ultranarrow red emissions is an outstanding candidate for white light-emitting diode (WLED) applications. However, poor moisture resistance seriously affects its application performance. In this study, a two-step surface reconstruction strategy is proposed to dramatically enhance the moisture resistance of commercially available KSFM phosphors, involving treatment with H2NbF7 and subsequent hydrothermal treatment. The modified KSFM phosphor exhibits a high internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of 98.9% after the two-step surface treatment. Meanwhile, nearly 100% of the initial emission intensity is retained for the modified KSFM phosphor even after aging in high temperature (85 °C) and high relative humidity (85% RH) environments for 6 days, in sharp contrast to only 18.6% retention for the original KSFM phosphor. The relative emission intensity of the modified KSFM remains at 98.9% even after being immersed in water for 6 h. Additionally, the phosphor-converted LED fabricated with the modified KSFM phosphor demonstrated excellent long-term stability, retaining up to 97.9% of initial luminous efficacy after aging under 85 °C and 85% RH conditions for 500 h. The moisture-resistance mechanism is elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis as well as structural and compositional characterization of the phosphor surface layer, which can be attributed to the formation of a robust Mn4+-rare shell with high crystalline quality following this two-step surface treatment. The findings contribute to the performance improvements of KSFM phosphors for industrial applications.

Cutting-edge applications of oleic acid-modified CdSiO3: Ce3+ phosphors: Artificial intelligence enhanced latent fingerprint detection, anti-counterfeiting and optical thermometry

A series of (1–11 mol%) Ce³⁺ doped CdSiO₃ phosphors are synthesized via a solution combustion method, and the sample with the optimal doping concentration underwent surface modification with oleic acid (OA). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of high-purity, well-crystallized CdSiO3:Ce3+ phosphors. Upon 347 nm UV excitation, the phosphor exhibited intense blue emission at 400 nm, with an optimized Ce³⁺ concentration of 5 mol%, attributed to dipole-dipole interactions. The OA-modified phosphor demonstrated significantly enhanced properties, achieving a color purity (CP) of 97.2% and Internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of 82.5%. The phosphor also exhibited excellent thermal stability, retaining 93.0% of its emission intensity at 423 K and a thermal quenching temperature exceeding 483 K, with a high activation energy (Eₐ) of 0.384 eV. In practical applications, the OA modified phosphor showed exceptional performance in latent fingerprints (LFPs) detection and anti-counterfeiting (AC) across different substrates, offering high resolution, contrast, and minimal background interference. MATLAB based analysis yielded a matching score of 94.52%, surpassing conventional benchmarks, underscoring the phosphor's potential for advanced fingerprint identification. These results demonstrate that the CdSiO₃:5Ce³⁺ phosphor is a promising candidate for applications in white light-emitting diodes (w-LEDs), optical thermometry, forensic analysis and AC technologies.

First-Principles Linear Combination of Atomic Orbitals Calculations of K2SiF6 Crystal: Structural, Electronic, Elastic, Vibrational and Dielectric Properties.

The results of first-principles calculations of the structural, electronic, elastic, vibrational, dielectric and optical properties, as well as the Raman and infrared (IR) spectra, of potassium hexafluorosilicate (K2SiF6; KSF) crystal are discussed. KSF doped with manganese atoms (KSF:Mn4+) is known for its ability to function as a phosphor in white LED applications due to the efficient red emission from Mn⁴⁺ activator ions. The simulations were performed using the CRYSTAL23 computer code within the linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) approximation of the density functional theory (DFT). For the study of KSF, we have applied and compared several DFT functionals (with emphasis on hybrid functionals) in combination with Gaussian-type basis sets. In order to determine the optimal combination for computation, two types of basis sets and four different functionals (three advanced hybrid-B3LYP, B1WC, and PBE0-and one LDA functional) were used, and the obtained results were compared with available experimental data. For the selected basis set and functional, the above-mentioned properties of KSF were calculated. In particular, the B1WC functional provides us with a band gap of 9.73 eV. The dependencies of structural, electronic and elastic parameters, as well as the Debye temperature, on external pressure (0-20 GPa) were also evaluated and compared with previous calculations. A comprehensive analysis of vibrational properties was performed for the first time, and the influence of isotopic substitution on the vibrational frequencies was analyzed. IR and Raman spectra were simulated, and the calculated Raman spectrum is in excellent agreement with the experimental one.

Structure development and photoluminescence properties of high-purity greenish-yellow emitting LaGaO3:Dy3+ phosphors

This study investigates the structure development and photoluminescence properties of high-purity greenish-yellow emitting LaGaO3 phosphors doped with dysprosium ions Dy3+. The phosphors were synthesized using a high-temperature solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of a single-phase LaGaO3:Dy3+ structure and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed uniform particle size and morphology. The phosphor exhibits the capability of being efficiently excited by ultraviolet 350 nm exhibiting the characteristic greenish-yellow emission with two strong peaks at 478 nm (cyan) and 572 nm (yellow), ascribing to the transitions of 4F9/2 → 6H15/2 and 4F9/2 → 6H13/2, respectively. The electronic transition mechanism is direct exchange interaction between activators, contributing to the concentration quenching. The phosphor was able to retain 67 % of its intensity without significant color change at an elevated temperature up to 25 °C to 150 °C. The CIE chromaticity coordinates of the emitted light were calculated and found in the desired greenish-yellow region. The electroluminescence performance of the LaGaO3:0.06Dy3+ phosphor was investigated using 365 nm LED chips to check their applicability in the field of white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs). The synthesized phosphors demonstrated high thermal stability, making them suitable for white-LED applications. The study highlights the potential of LaGaO3:Dy3+ phosphors in enhancing white-LEDs' color quality and efficiency.

A novel high-brightness red phosphor Ca4Nb2O9: Eu3+ for WLEDs

In this study, new phosphors Ca4Nb2O9 doped with Europium (Eu3+) ions were created using a high-temperature solid-state method. Characterizations with X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rietveld refinement, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and elemental mapping revealed successful doping and uniform elemental distribution. The band gap is 4.17 eV for Ca4Nb2O9 and 3.73 eV for Ca3.7Nb2O9: 0.3Eu3+, which is shown that the band gap decreases with increasing concentration. Subsequently, the samples underwent photoluminescence (PL) spectra testing, revealing that the Ca4Nb2O9: Eu3+ phosphors exhibited intense red emission when excited at 395 and 465 nm. Meanwhile, the principal emission peak resided at 613 nm, and the ideal doping concentration of Eu3+ was determined to be x = 0.3. In addition, at 420 K, the luminous intensity of Ca3.7Nb2O9: 0.3Eu3+ under 395 and 465 nm excitation is 60 % as well as 82 % of its strength at 300 K, respectively, indicating excellent thermal stability. Furthermore, the phosphor exhibits a relatively high quantum efficiency, reaching 45.47 % when excited with 395 nm light and 58.17 % when excited with 465 nm light. Finally, a white light-emitting diode (WLED) device with a Ra value of 86.3 and correlated color temperature (CCT) of 4450 K was fabricated. The results suggest that the prepared phosphor, in combination with a near-ultraviolet (NUV) light-emitting diode (LED) chip, has the potential for application in white light-emitting diodes.

Synthesis, Structure and Luminescence Properties of Mn-doped MgAl2O4 Red-Emitting Phosphors with Varying Sintering Temperature.

Oxide matrix red-emitting phosphors are deemed as excellent color converters for white light emitting diodes (WLEDs) and laser diodes (LDs). Manganese-doped MgAl2O4 powder was synthesized by a solid-state reaction method at different sintering temperatures. Microstructure shows that grain size is mainly in the range of 0.2-5μm, and grain agglomeration occurs with increased sintering temperature. XPS analysis indicates that the doped Mn ion exhibits a valence state of + 4 within the MgAl2O4 matrix. The diffraction peak of the phosphors is shifted by the sintering temperature, which affects lattice constant. Upon excitation by 300nm ultraviolet light, the samples emit asymmetric broadband red light within the range of 620-720nm, attributed to Mn4+ ion's transition from 2Eg to 4A2g states. With the increasing temperature, the main emission peak shifts from 677nm to 650nm, ascribed to the change in energy level (2Eg) resulting from the reduction of Al2O3 phase. Crystal field theory confirmed that Mn4+ ions are within a strong crystal field environment created by MgAl2O4 matrix. By affecting particle size and crystallinity, the sintering temperature influences the fluorescence lifetime of the Mn4+ ion. Notably, these red-emitting phosphors exhibits remarkable thermal stability as their emission intensity remains approximately at 58% of initial intensity even at elevated temperature (435K). Consequently, Mn4+: MgAl2O4 red-emitting phosphors with high thermal stability render them promising candidates for WLED applications.

Comprehensive analysis of chemical composition, electronic, luminescent, and electrical properties of amorphous graphite-silicon carbide thin films: A comparative study of as-deposited and post-annealed states

Graphite/SiC (GSC) thin films were synthesized on silicon substrates via a spray method, depositing a Si-graphite solution on preheated silicon samples at 350 °C, followed by annealing at 800 °C for 4 h. A systematic approach was employed to ensure the effective incorporation of graphite into the SiC material during solution preparation. Various analytical techniques, including XPS, UPS, Reflection Energy Electron Loss Spectroscopy (REELS), PL, AFM, and Hall effect measurements, were employed for comparative analysis of the chemical composition, morphological, electrical, and optoelectronic properties of as-deposited and annealed GSC films. XPS analysis revealed the presence of Si—C and graphitic bonds in the as-deposited GSC, with a significant compositional shift to oxygen-rich graphite oxide/oxycarbides after annealing. REELS demonstrated increased bandgap and bulk plasmon energy due to surface oxidation, while UPS highlighted a high electronic density in the as-deposited film, diminishing after annealing. AFM revealed a tendency of as-deposited GSC grains to form smaller, sharper structures after annealing, resulting in smoother and more homogeneous surface morphology. Phase AFM confirmed graphite incorporation at grain boundaries and within the bulk, forming a composite structure. PL spectra of the as-deposited film exhibited a broad visible emission with distinct sub-peaks linked to SiC bandgap transitions and carbon-rich defects. Chromaticity diagrams indicated suitability for white LED applications. Hall effect measurements showed excellent electrical properties of the as-deposited GSC film, with high carrier density and mobility, which reduced significantly after annealing, transitioning the material to a more insulating state. These findings collectively provide a comprehensive understanding of GSC thin films’ properties and their potential applications.

Synthesis and properties research of Dy3+-Eu3+ co-doped BBiBaZ luminescent glass for white LED applications

A series of BBiBaZ luminescent glasses with different concentrations of Dy3+ doping and Dy3+-Eu3+ co-doping was planned by the high-temperature melt method. Their structure, chemical stability, glowing properties, energy transfer, and temperature-dependent emission spectra were also investigated. Under various monitor wavelengths, the visible emitted spectrum of the Dy3+-Eu3+ co-doping luminescent glass was obtained. The presence of Dy3+→Eu3+ energy transfer in the glass was demonstrated by emission spectra and fluorescence decay curve analyses. At the excitation of 384 nm, better white color emitting was noticed in BBiBaZ glass doped with Dy2O3 doping concentration of 0.75 mol% and doped with 0.4 mol% Eu2O3 with a CIE of (0.3306, 0.342), and the glass has an ΔE of 0.221 eV, which suggests that the synthesis glass has the prospective to be applied in white light solid-state lighting. In addition, the Dy3+-Eu3+ co-doped BBiBaZ glass could achieve tunable emission moving from cooling white to heating white to an orange-red light under 390 nm excitation. The adjustable range of the glass’s CCT values has been expanded, allowing for arbitrary tuning between approximately 2004–6380 K, which adapts to different application fields.

Sm3+ activated Ba3LaNa(PO4)3F fluorophosphate phosphor: Synthesis, characterization and their photoluminescence investigation for warm WLEDs

In this present research report, the series of Ba3LaNa(PO4)3Fphosphor doped with Sm3+ was successfully synthesized by using a high-temperature solid-state reaction method. The phase purity was examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), which confirmed a pure phase of prepared material after sintering the sample at 700 °C. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra showed absorption bands corresponding to the stretching and vibrational modes of PO4 in phosphate. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images displayed the morphology of sample and agglomerated structure of micron-sized particles. Photoluminescence excitation (PLE) and emission spectra of the Ba3LaNa(PO4)3F: Sm3+ phosphors were studied. When excited with near-UV light, the phosphor showed three prominent peaks at 567, 604, and 643 nm. The emission spectra for different concentrations of Sm3+ ions were also measured to find the optimal dopant concentration. The highest intensity was observed at a 2.0 mol% concentration of Sm3+ ions at 604 nmwith concentration quenching occurring beyond this point. The CIE chromaticity coordinates for the different concentration phosphor were located in the orange-red region, indicating its characteristic light emission. So therefore, these results suggested that the synthesized reddish-orange light-emitting Ba3LaNa(PO4)3F: Sm3+prepared phosphor is promising for applications in white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs).

Novel Tm3+/Dy3+ co-doped CaMoO4 transparent glass-ceramic phosphor for white LED applications

To develop new inorganic luminescent materials, a set of Dy3+/Tm3+ co-doped molybdate precursor glasses (PGs) were manufactured using the conventional melting method, and a novel CaMoO4 transparent fluorescent glass-ceramic (GC700-2 h) was achieved via controlled crystallization of PG at 700 ℃ for 2 h. The luminescent color of the glass phosphor was facilely modulated by varying the doping levels of Dy3+ and Tm3+. The glass phosphor with optimal doping concentration of 0.6Dy3+ and 0.6Tm3+ exhibits a color coordinate of (0.3334, 0.3107). Compared with PG, the luminous intensity and quantum yield of GC700-2 h sample is obviously increased, and GC720-2 h sample displays the color coordinate (0.3292, 0.2852), belonging to the standard white light region. Moreover, GC720-2 h sample possesses good thermal stability in fluorescence property. The white LED lamp encapsulated with GC720-2 h exhibits color temperature of 7564 K and color rendering index of 75.3. These results clearly show that the 0.6Dy3+/0.6Tm3+ co-doped glass and CaMoO4 glass-ceramic could be used as potential candidate material in the field of white light-emitting diodes.

Mixed former effect in barium borophosphate glasses on the red (Eu3+)-blue (Eu2+) emission for LEDs

The synergistic mixing of P2O5 and B2O3 glass formers at a constant concentration of BaO as a glass modifier plays a vital role in generating a single-phase phosphor doped with Eu2O3 for white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs). Herein, a glass system of nominal composition xP2O5∙(50-x)B2O3∙49.5BaO∙0.5Eu2O3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 50 mol%) was prepared using a melt-quenching technique under normal atmospheric conditions. While the XRD patterns demonstrated the amorphous nature, the SEM micrographs proved the formation of cluster structures. Structural characterization using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy revealed the presence of main vibrational structural units associated with borate and phosphate glass formers, including BO3, BO4−, P=O, PO2−, and PO32−. The IR spectra at x = 0 and 50 mol% exhibit characteristic metaborate and metaphosphate absorption peaks, respectively. In contrast, the mixing of both B2O3 and P2O5 at equal concentrations (x = 25 mol%) has resulted in the absence of absorption peaks assigned to the BO3 and P=O units, thus indicating the mixed structural effect. This is assigned to the formation of B-O-P bonds, with the BO4−, PO2−, and PO32− as the main structural units. These structural changes affect the reduction process of Eu3+ to Eu2+, as demonstrated by the corresponding photoluminescence spectra and observed by the cathodoluminescence micrographs. Photoluminescence studies showed tunable emission from red (Eu3+) to white light (Eu2+ and Eu3+) under UV excitation, with the P2O5 content rising from 0 to 50 mol% due to the growing Eu2+ population formed by the reduction of Eu3+. The optical basicity was observed to decrease with the P2O5 content, favouring the reduction process. The demonstrated tunable single-host white phosphor makes this an attractive system for energy-efficient WLED applications.

Investigation on luminescent characteristics of Tb3+/Dy3+co-doped boro-phosphate glass for cool white LED and radiation shielding applications

The Tb3+/Dy3+ co-doped Boro-Phosphate Glass (BPANZDyTb) was produced (40 B2O3 + 39P2O5 + 5 Al2O3 + 5 NaF + 10 ZnO + 0.5 Tb2O3 + 0.5 Dy2O3) using melt-quenching technique. X-ray diffraction measurements, Raman, and Fourier Transform Infrared were used to evaluate the structural behavior of the prepared glass. Powder-XRD spectra, in the 10–90° range showed that the prepared glass was amorphous. FTIR analysis reveals that the network contains a variety of structural groups, including B-O-B, BO4, BO, P-O, PO2, P-O-B, and PO4 units. The UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy was used to record and study the optical linear properties of Tb3+/Dy3+ co-doped Boro-Phosphate Glass (BPANZDyTb). The photoluminescence excitation peak was obtained at 348 nm. The emission peaks were located at 484 nm (4F9/2 → 6H15/2 → blue), 576 nm (4F9/2 → 6H13/2 → yellow), and 662 nm (4F9/2 → 6H11/2 → red). Tb3+ ions are located at 412 nm (5D3 → 7F5), 441 nm (5D3 → 7F4), 546 nm (5D4 → 7F5), and 625 nm (5D4 → 7F3). The result of CIE 1931 chromaticity coordinates indicate that the prepared glass is suitable material for cold white light emitting diode applications due to its color coordinates x = 0.3106 and y = 0.3240 and correlated color temperature (CCT) values about 6768 K. The gamma-ray parameters such as half-value layer (HVL), mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ), mean free path (MFP), and effective atomic number (Zeff) of the BPANZDyTb glass were studied using Phy-X software. The results of the gamma-ray parameter show that the Dy3+ ions and Tb3+ ions co-doped BoroPhosphate glass is an appropriate material for radiation shielding applications.

Highly saturated red-emitting novel europium doped yttrium calcium borate (Eu3+: Y2CaB10O19) phosphor materials for eco-friendly solid-state lighting applications

Optical parameters like low correlated color temperature (CCT), color rendering index (CRI), color purity, thermal stability and etc. are crucial parameters for the practical applications of white light emitting diode applications. High color purity around 100 % red emitting novel europium doped yttrium calcium borate (Eu3+: Y2CaB10O19) phosphors were harvested by conventional solid-state synthesis technique. The novel host material possesses monoclinic crystal structure with no observable shift in the diffraction lines with varying dopant concentrations. FTIR studies revealed the presence of BO3 and BO4 networks in the host lattice responsible for structural rigidity and good thermal stability. The phosphor materials synthesized xEu3+: Y2CaB10O19 (x = 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07 and 0.09), are sensitive to both 250 nm (UV) and 393 nm (Near UV/blue LED) for excitation that can produce deep orange (594 nm) emission along with red emission (612 nm). The optimum Eu3+ ion concentration was fixed at 5 mol% of dopant ions to prevent the concentration quenching. As prepared optimal phosphor material possesses high color purity around 100 %, CCT of 1214 K defines its applicability in WLED applications. The synthesized phosphor materials pertain excellent switching response, thermal stability and the fabricated P-i-G possesses desired photometric parameters for its practical applications.

Investigation of red-emitting CaMoO4: Eu3+ phosphor by partitioning of substitutional PO4 3- ions via solid-state reaction method.

To investigate the impact of PO4 3- anionic groups, the trivalent europium ion-doped calcium molybdate (CaMoO3-PO4:xEu3+, where x = 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5mol%) phosphors were synthesized using the solid-state reaction method. The detailed study of the phosphor materials was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), optical diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The XRD results indicate that the substitution of PO4 3- anion and Eu3+ dopant ion did not affect the crystal structures of the CaMoO4 phosphors. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption analysis revealed the change of absorption edge of both un-doped and Eu3+-doped CaMoO4-PO4 phosphors. Under the 394 nm UV-excitation, the recorded PL spectra showed an intense peak at 615 nm corresponding to the Eu3+: 5D0 → 7F2 transition. The results of the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) diagram reported that the color of the emissions lies in the red color zone and there is no change in the CIE coordinates of the overall emission for Eu3+-doped CaMoO4-PO4 as Eu concentration changes. Thus, these observations led to finding the best red components for white light-emitting diode applications.

Exploring γ and UV irradiation responses on thermoluminescence and optical thermometry studies on Y4Al2O9:Ho3+ nanophosphor

A series of green emitting Ho3+ (1–9 mol%) doped Y4Al2O9 nanophosphors (NPs) are synthesized via solution combustion technique. Photoluminescence (PL) studies shows emission peaks recorded at ∼ 522 nm (5F3→5I8), 545 (5F4, 5S2→5I8), 659 (5F5→5I8) and 730 (5F4→5I7) upon excited at 460 nm wavelength. With a tremendous potential for application in white light-emitting diodes (w-LEDs), the phosphors show a bright green emission under 460 nm excitation. They also have a notable activation energy (0.31 eV), high color purity (98.2 %), and a remarkable quantum yield (87.1 %). Most astonishingly, even at temperatures as high as 420 K, YAO:5Ho3+nanoparticles retain 88.9 % of their initial fluorescence intensity. Using the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) method, the temperature sensing potential is also investigated. Thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves of γ (1 kGy) and UV (1 h) irradiated YAO:Ho3+(1–9 mol%) NPs exhibit two glow curves and highest intensity is recorded for YAO:5Ho3+NPs. TL characteristics of 5 mol% Ho3+ doped YAO NPs are subjected to γ (1 Gy-5 kGy) and UV (0.25–6 h) irradiation. Two glow curves recorded at 475 K (major peak) and 567 K (shouldered peak) for γ irradiation. However, for UV irradiation two glow curves at 478 K (major peak) and 575 K (shouldered peak) are recorded utilizing a 5 °C per minute heating rate. TL intensity varies with γ and UV exposure is recorded for optimized NPs and major glow peaks showcase linear response for both γ and UV irradiations, indicating that the prepared phosphor can be used in TL personal dosimetry. Furthermore, compared to γ-irradiated phosphor, UV-irradiated phosphor shows greater fading. The overall results clearly demonstrate that the optimized phosphor has proven to be an outstanding candidate for multifunctional applications.

Substitutional effects of the anionic group systems [BO33−], [PO43− ], and [SO42−] on the down-conversion photoluminescence properties of Y2O3:Er3+ nanophosphors

A series of Y2O3, Y2O3: Er3+ (1 %) and Y2O3-AG: Er3+ (1 %) (where AG = BO33−, PO43−, and SO42−) nanophosphors were prepared via a chemical combustion technique. The primary X-ray powder diffraction results showed that the Y2O3:Er3+ phosphor materials crystallized into a cubic standard structure, while the Y2O3-AG: Er3+ phosphor materials transformed to hexagonal and tetragonal structures for the [PO43−] and [BO33−]-based phosphors, respectively. However, no changes were observed for the [SO42−]-based phosphor materials. The scanning electron microscope micrographs revealed that the particles were formed in the nanometre range with different sizes and shapes. The fourier-transformed infrared spectra showed the presence of various structural groups in the pure Y2O3 and Y2O3-AG: Er3+ phosphors. In addition to that, the optical bandgap energy values were obtained using the diffuse reflection spectra (DRS) spectra and Kubelka-Munk function theory. Under UV-379 nm excitation for the Y2O3-AG: Er3+ phosphors, the Y2O3–SO4: Er3+ emitted the most intense green light at 563 nm wavelength. The Commission Internationale de l'Elcairage colour coordinates and correlated color temperature values indicated that the Y2O3:Er3+, Y2O3-PO4:Er3+, and Y2O3–SO4:Er3+ phosphor materials are potential candidates for producing enhanced green color components in white light-emitting diode (w-LED) applications.