Photoluminescence properties of Eu3+:MgAl2O4 powder phosphor

This paper reports the results of MgAl2O4:Eu3+ red emitting phosphor which has been characterized by X-ray diffraction, FESEM, FT-IR and photoluminescence spectra. The ultraviolet excitation at 393 nm has been chosen because it has got maximum excitation intensity. These phosphors show different emissions of Eu3+ corresponding to D-5(0) -> F-7(J=0,1,2,3,4) transitions which lie in the wavelength range from 550 to 700 nm. One particular transition D-5(0) -> F-7(2) which is centered at 615 nm has been known as a hypersensitive emission which obeys the selection rule of (Delta J = 2) resulting in a strong and intense red emission. The lifetime, luminescence quenching has been discussed and the mechanism involved in the generation of red emission has also been explained. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.