Synthesis of Eu3+-doped calcium and strontium carbonate phosphors at room temperature

Red phosphors CaCO{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} and SrCO{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} have been prepared by co-precipitation with ammonium bicarbonate (NH{sub 4}HCO{sub 3}) at room temperature. Pure calcite CaCO{sub 3} can be obtained by prolonging the reaction time at 220 deg. C and it decomposes to cubic CaO at 1000 deg. C. Trivalent Eu{sup 3+} acts as a luminescent probe to determine both the calcite and the mixed phase of calcite and vaterite phase of CaCO{sub 3} host and to analyze its decomposition process. High temperature sintering improved both the crystallization and luminescence of SrCO{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} in aragonite phase.