Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of Eu2+/Eu3+ or Ce3+/Eu3+ co-doped Sr5(BO3)3F compounds

Abstract The synthesis and photo-luminescence properties of Eu2+/Eu3+ or Ce3+/Eu3+ co-doped Sr5(BO3)3F compounds are reported. Using the Sr5(BO3)3F as the host, through the solid state reaction under the reductive atmosphere, Eu2+/Eu3+ and Ce3+/Eu3+co-doped samples were prepared. These compounds exhibit good photo-luminescence properties. Under the excitation of 376 nm, an unusual red orange emission coming from the Eu2+ ions can be obtained in Eu ions doped Sr5(BO3)3F, which exhibits a broadband emission in the range of 450–800 nm with the peak at around 600 nm. At the same time, the characteristic f-f excitation and emission of Eu3+ can improve and adjust the Eu2+ emission in Eu3+/Eu2+ codoped Sr5(BO3)3F. In addition, the adjustable luminescence properties from blue to white of Sr5(BO3)3F:Ce3+, Eu3+ are investigated. The energy transfer behavior from Ce3+ to Eu3+ was confirmed. In the spectra of the co-doped samples, we can hardly observe the characteristic peak of Eu2+, because Ce4+ can oxidize Eu2+ to Eu3+, and Ce4+ itself is reduced to Ce3+. The CIE coordinates from (0.2758, 0.2420) to (0.3857, 0.3015) show Sr5(BO3)3F:3%Ce3+, x%Eu3+ (x = 1,3,5,7,9) are in the white light emission region. All results demonstrate that the Sr5(BO3)3F:Eu3+/Eu2+ and Sr5(BO3)3F:Ce3+/Eu3+ phosphors have good application prospects for LED plant growth and white LED, respectively. The bond energy method was used to explain the reason why the Eu2+/Eu3+ ion instead of only Eu2+ and Ce3+/Eu3+ instead of Ce3+/Eu3+/Eu2+ can exist in the host Sr5(BO3)3F. The theoretical analysis agree well with the experimental result.