Ultraviolet B emission from a $$\hbox {Gd}³⁺$$ Gd 3 + -doped $$\hbox {BaAl}₂\hbox {O}₄$$ BaAl 2 O 4 powder phosphor

A (hbox {BaAl}₂hbox {O}₄{:}hbox {Gd}³⁺) phosphor was successfully prepared using a combustion technique. An X-ray diffraction pattern was used to characterize the resultant phosphor, and the photoluminescence (PL) of the prepared (hbox {BaAl}₂hbox {O}₄{:}hbox {Gd}³⁺) was studied. Under a 273-nm excitation, the main emission peak of the phosphor is located at 314 nm, and this is attributed to the (⁶hbox {P}_7/2,{ ightarrow },{} ⁸hbox {S}_7/2) transition of (hbox {Gd}³⁺). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum appears to be U-shaped, and lines are evident at (g_{mathrm{eff}} sim 2.14), 4.56 and 6.75. The PL and EPR analyses indicate the presence of Gd as (hbox {Gd}³⁺) in this sample.