A novel red long lasting phosphorescent (LLP) material β-Zn3(PO4)2:Mn2+, Sm3+

A novel red long lasting phosphorescent materials {beta}-Zn{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}:Mn{sup 2+},Sm{sup 3+} is firstly synthesized by high-temperature solid-state reaction. The influence of Sm{sup 3+} ions on luminescence and long lasting phosphorescence properties of Mn{sup 2+} in phosphor {beta}-Zn{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}:Mn{sup 2+},Sm{sup 3+} are systematically investigated. It is found that the red phosphorescence ({lambda} = 616 nm) performance of Mn{sup 2+} ion such as brightness and duration is largely improved when Sm{sup 3+} ion is co-doped into the matrix in which Mn{sup 2+} ion acts as luminescent center and Sm{sup 3+} ion plays an important role of electron trap. Thermoluminescence spectrums show that there exists one peak in {beta}-Zn{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}:Mn{sup 2+},Sm{sup 3+}, the depth of which is 0.33 eV, and that there are three peaks in {beta}-Zn{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}:Mn{sup 2+}, among which the depth of the lowest temperature peak in {beta}-Zn{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}:Mn{sup 2+} is 0.37 eV. Such differences in the trap depth result in the improvement of red long lasting phosphorescence of Mn{sup 2+} in present matrix.