Preparation and photoluminescence properties of YAl3(BO3)4:Tb3+, Bi3+ phosphor under VUV/UV excitation

The huntite structured YAl3(BO3)(4):Tb3+, Bi3+ phosphor was prepared by a solid state reaction method. The emission lines due to the D-5(4)-F-7(J) (J = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) and D-5(3)-F-7(J) (J = 4, 5, 6) transitions of Tb3+ ions were observed, and the main emission wavelength was about 545 nm due to D-5(4) -F-7(5) transition. Without Bi3+ ions, the main emission intensity of the Y1-x TbxAl3(BO3)(4) sample with x = 0.3 was the highest. However, the PL inten D-5(3)-F-7(5) emission was decreased due to the cross-relxation D-5(3) to D-5(4) with increase of the Tb3+ concentration. Although the host absorption band below 165 nm was decreased by addition of Bi3+ ions, the S-1(0) P-1(1) and S-1(0) -> P-3(1) transitions of Bi3+ ions enhanced the luminescence of Tb3+ ions under excitation ranging from 165 nm to 205 nm and from 250 nm to 290 nm, respectively. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.