Strongly luminescent, highly ionic europium in a lanthanum diphenylphosphinate matrix

Abstract A series of insoluble, chemically inert and thermally stable compounds La 1− x Eu x (DPP) 3 ( x = 0.50, 0.20, 0.10, and 0.050; DPP = diphenylphosphinate) was synthesized and characterized by elemental and thermogravimetric analysis, FT Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. Luminescence spectroscopy at both 77 and 298 K showed changes in the intensity of the hypersensitive transition 5 D 0 → 7 F 2 of Eu 3+ which are dependent of the excitation wavelength, suggesting that the europium occupies two different sites in the compounds. The large quantum efficiency and quantum yield, as well as the long radiative lifetime of the 5 D 0 Eu 3+ level of the series of compounds, which are desirable qualities for light-conversion molecular devices, are discussed in terms of the interactions and the energy transfer process between the ligands and the metal ion.