Color-tunable emission and energy transfer studies in GdOBr:Ce3+ Dy3+ phosphor

Abstract Color-tunable blue to bluish white-emitting Ce3+/Dy3+ co-doped GdOBr phosphors have been synthesized by the conventional solid-state method. The phase structures, luminescent properties and energy transfer process were discussed in detail. Broad-band absorption originating from the f-d transition of Ce3+ can be found for the as-prepared GdOBr:Ce3+,Dy3+ phosphor, and color-tunable blue to bluish white emission can be realized owing to the energy transfer between Ce3+ and Dy3+. The energy transfer mechanism is demonstrated to be the dipole–dipole process. The energy transfer efficiency increases with increasing Dy3+ concentrations. The results indicate that Ce3+/Dy3+-activated GdOBr phosphors may be potential for phosphor-converted white-light UV-LEDs.