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 acti-vation 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.

Automated summary

A series of Tb3+-doped Y1-xAl3(BO3)4 phosphors were synthesized and characterized in this study. The synthesized phosphors exhibited good crystallinity and crystal structure, and showed a green main emission peak at 543 nm under excitation. The photoluminescence intensity of the phosphors increased with increasing Tb3+ ion concentration up to a certain threshold, and then exhibited concentration quenching. Moreover, the study found the activation energies for thermal quenching at different wavelengths.