Photoluminescence in Multifunctional Ferroelectrics: Pr-doped SrBi_2Ta_2O_9

Pr-doped SrBi2 Ta2 O9(SBTO) bismuth layered ferroelectrics are examined in this work. It is demonstrated that a certain amount of Pr-doped ceramic sample shows a strong red and green photoluminescence with blue excitation at room temperature. Photoluminescence excitation spectra show that the samples have broad blue excitation band. This blue band attributes to the f-f transitions from the 3H4 ground state to the 3PJ(J=0, 1, 2) excited states of Pr3+. Upon this blue excitation the samples show broad photoluminescence emissions, the emission peaks correspond to the characteristic f-f transition of Pr3+ at 3P1 → 3H5(532 nm), 3P0 →3H5(546 nm), 1D2 →3H4(600 nm), 3P0 →3H6(620 nm), 3P0 →3F2(656 nm), and 3P0 →3F4(743 nm), respectively. The photoluminescence with a blue light excitation may make these Pr3+-doped SBTO phosphors suitable for white LED and related devices.