Luminescence properties of BaMgAl10O17: Mn2+ nanophosphors

Abstract In the present work, ionoluminescence (IL) properties of chemically synthesized Mn2+ activated BaMgAl10O17 (BAM) nanophosphors using swift heavy ions (120 MeV Ag9+) is reported under different ion fluence. X-ray diffraction was performed to reveal the structural information of the prepared materials. The oxidation state of the doped Mn ions in BAM was elucidated by X-ray absorption near edge measurements of Mn K-edge and results show that the Mn ions are in divalent state. Initially, the prepared nanophosphors were subjected to photoluminescence (PL) measurement for different doping concentration. Finally, the pellets of the nanophosphors were subjected to IL measurement at room temperature and at a low temperature about 77 K. The PL/IL spectra show a broad band ranging from 470 nm to 610 nm with centered at 521 nm which is attributed to the luminescence centers activated by Mn2+ ions corresponding to 4T1→6A1 transition, responsible for green emission. The PL/IL intensity increases with increase in the doping percentage of Mn ions up to 5% followed by concentration quenching of the luminescence. On the other hand, IL intensity decreases exponentially with increasing ion fluence for all the doping percentage and saturates at higher fluence. It is also observed that the rate of reduction in in the IL is more pronounced at low temperature.