Luminescence properties of tunable white-light long-lasting phosphor YPO 4 : Eu 3+ , Tb 3+ , Sr 2+ , Zr 4+

Abstract A series of novel YPO4: Eu3+, Tb3+, Sr2+, Zr4+ tunable white-light long lasting phosphors were synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction method. The luminescent properties were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction, photoluminescent excitation and emission spectra, thermoluminescence spectrum and decay curves. The XRD patterns indicated that the samples belonged to tetragonal phase and co-doping Eu3+, Tb3+, Sr2+ and Zr4+ ions have no effect on the basic crystal structure. Under the excitation of 372 nm wavelength, it was first discovered that the specific concentration of Sr2+ can improve the emission intensity of Eu2+. The blue (Eu2+), green (Tb3+) and red (Eu3+) lights were emitted simultaneously and therefore produced white light in the same YPO4 matrix. Tunable color from the white to purple region was achieved not only by increasing the concentration of Zr4+ and Sr2+, but also by increasing the concentration of Eu3+. The CIE chromaticity coordinates of Y0.89PO4: Eu3+0.06, Tb3+0.05, Sr2+0.06, Zr4+0.06 (0.33, 0.31) were the closest to point (0.33, 0.33) which delegates the ideal white and trap depths for the two glow peaks are 0.88 eV and 0.85 eV. The fitting decay constant of τ2 corresponding to the slow exponentially decay components was 101.30 s.