Microstructure, and luminescence properties of LiBaPO4:Dy3+ phosphors with various Dy3+ concentrations prepared by microwave assisted sintering

LiBaPO4:Dy3+ phosphors were synthesized by microwave-assisted and conventional sintering. XRD analysis confirmed the phase formation of all the LiBaPO4:Dy3+ phosphors. PL results showed that the optimum concentration of Dy3+ for LiBaPO4:Dy3+ prepared by microwave-assisted sintering is 7 mol%. The phosphors were efficiently excited by the UV-vis light region from 300 to 400 nm, and exhibited blue (483 nm), yellow (576 nm) and red (671 nm) emission corresponding to F-4(9/2)-> H-6(15/2), H-6(13/2), and H-6(11/2) transitions, respectively. The microwave-assisted sintering improves the sintering behavior and provides a more uniform particle morphology of LiBa0.03PO4:0.07Dy(3+) phosphors so as to obtain a luminescence intensity greater than that obtained by conventional sintering even at the same sintering temperature. Moreover, all the chromaticity (x, y) of the LiBa0.03PO4:0.07Dy(3+) phosphors are located in the white region (0.33, 0.37) even on using microwave-assisted sintering as the heat treatment did not influence the purity of LiBa(0.03)PO4:0.07Dy(3+) phosphors. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.