Luminescence of Bi3+ in the orthorhombic perovskites, SrB4+O3 (B4+=Zr, Sn)

Abstract This paper examines the optical properties of Bi3+ in the orthorhombic perovskites SrB4+O3 [B4+=Sn, Zr]. The luminescence of SrZrO3 is associated with emission from the D-state that corresponds with the Bi3+ (6s2) -Zr4+ (4d0) charge transfer transition. The emission spectrum as a function of temperature was monitored for SrSnO3:Bi3+. At low temperatures, the localized 3P0,1 → 1S0 transition dominates the emission spectrum. With increasing temperature, the localized emission quenches in favor of emission from the D-state. A comparative study of the Bi3+ luminescence in the orthorhombic perovskites CaZrO3, CaSnO3, SrZrO3 and SrSnO3 shows that D-state emission occurs when the fundamental absorption band of the perovskite host lattice is less than about 6 eV.