Structural and temperature-dependent luminescence of Terbium doped YAl3(BO3)4 phosphor synthesized by the combustion method

A series of Y1-xAl3(BO3)4:x Tb3+ (x = 0.5 to 7 wt%) phosphors synthesized by a gel combustion method have been systemically investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and photoluminescence (PL) as a function of temperature from 300 K to 10 K and 300 K–550 K. An XRD analysis confirms that the phosphors crystallized, and its crystal structure was analysed. The synthesized phosphor matches the XRD pattern provided in the ICSD File No 96-152-6006. The FTIR analysis indicates that nitrates and organic matter have been completely removed and the BO3 groups are present. The broad PL band peaked at 420 nm with a shoulder circa 460 nm of YAl3(BO3)4 is associated with hydrous components which attached to the sample in environmental conditions after synthesis. The PL spectra of YAl3(BO3):Tb3+ phosphors exhibit a bright and narrow green main emission peak at 543 nm corresponding to the 5D4 →7F5 transition under 359 nm excitation. The PL intensity increases with increasing Tb3+ ion concentration up to 5 wt %, followed by evidence for concentration quenching. There is a possibility that higher concentration quenching could be from confinement effects of localised resonant energy transfer. PL data revealed that activation energies for thermal quenching at 485 nm and 543 nm were found to be 0.659 and 0.092 eV, and 0.585 and 0.087 eV, respectively.