Sol–gel synthesis of long-lasting phosphors CdSiO3: Mn2+, RE3+ (RE=Tb, Eu, Nd) and luminescence mechanism research

Highlights: ► New long-lasting CdSiO{sub 3}: Mn{sup 2+}, RE{sup 3+} (RE = Tb, Eu, Nd) phosphors were synthesized by a sol–gel method. ► The afterglow performance of the CdSiO{sub 3}: Mn{sup 2+}, Eu{sup 3+} phosphor was the best. ► The role of RE{sup 3+} co-doped into the CdSiO{sub 3}: Mn{sup 2+} matrix was discussed in this paper. -- Abstract: Mn{sup 2+} and RE{sup 3+} (RE = Tb, Eu, Nd) co-doped CdSiO{sub 3} orange phosphors were prepared at 1050 °C by a sol–gel method. The phase and crystallinity of the synthesized materials were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The luminescence characteristics were analyzed using photoluminescence (PL) spectra, afterglow decay curves, long-lasting phosphorescence spectra, and thermoluminescence (TL) spectra. Due to the difference in co-doped rare earth ionic radii, it varied greatly in trap density and trap depth caused by the different defects deriving from RE{sup 3+} ions co-doping into the CdSiO{sub 3}: Mn{sup 2+} host. The afterglow intensity and time for these samples increased as follows: CdSiO{sub 3}: Mn{sup 2+}0.2%, Nd{sup 3+}0.8% < CdSiO{sub 3}: Mn{sup 2+}0.4%, Tb{sup 3+}0.8% < CdSiO{sub 3}: Mn{sup 2+}0.4%, Eu{sup 3+}0.3%. CdSiO{sub 3}: Mn{sup 2+}0.4%, Eu{sup 3+}0.3% had the best afterglowmore » properties, which could be due to the proper traps formed by Eu{sup 3+} ions co-doping into the host. The role of RE{sup 3+} co-doped into the CdSiO{sub 3}: Mn{sup 2+} matrix and the possible long-lasting phosphorescence process was also discussed in this paper.« less