Simultaneous multi-wavelength ultraviolet excited single-phase white light emitting phosphor Ba1-x(Zr,Ti)Si3O9:xEu

Abstract A kind of novel compound Ba1-x(Zr,Ti)Si3O9:xEu simultaneously activated by different-valence Eu2+ and Eu3+ ions has been successfully synthesized. The existence of Ti4+-O2- charge transfer (CT) transitions in Ba1-xZrSi3O9:xEu is proved by the photoluminescence spectra and first principle calculations, and the Ti4+ ions come from the impurities in commercial ZrO2 raw materials. Under the excitation of multi-wavelength ultraviolet radiation (λEX = 392, 260, 180 nm), Ba1-xZrSi3O9:xEu (x = 0.15) can directly emit nearly white light. The coexistence of multiple luminescent centers and the energy transfer among Zr4+-O2- CT state, Ti4+-O2- CT state, Eu2+ and Eu3+ ions play important roles in the white light emission. Ba1-xZrSi3O9:xEu (x = 0.15) has good thermal stability, in particular, the intensity of emission spectrum (λEX = 392 nm) at 150 °C is ∼96% of that at room temperature. In general, the multi-wavelength ultraviolet-excited single-phase white light emitting phosphor Ba1-x(Zr,Ti)Si3O9:xEu possesses a promise for applications in white light emitting diodes (WLEDs), agriculture, medicine and other photonic fields.