Effect of MoO42- partial substitution with BO33- and PO43- on luminescence enhancement of Y2(MoO4)3:Sm3+ orange-red phosphors

Y2-x(MoO4)(3-y)(BO3)(y):xSm(3+) and Y2-x(MoO4)(3-y)(PO4)(y):xSm(3+) orange-red phosphors were synthesized using conventional a solid-state reaction. The effects of Sm3+ doping concentration and substitution by anion group BO33- and PO43- on the crystal structure and luminescent performance were studied in detail. XRD result indicated that all samples had a standard Y-2(MoO4)(3) structure with space group Pbcn, and BO33- and PO43- entered the lattice without initiating an impurity phase. At an excitation of 404 nm, the Y2-x(MoO4)(3):xSm(3+) orange-red phosphors exhibited three narrow-band emissions at 567 nm, 605 nm, and 652 nm, due to transitions of (4)G(5/2)-> H-6(5/2), (4)G(5/2)-> H-6(7/2) and (4)G(5/2)-> H-6(9/2) of Sm3+, respectively. In addition, substitution of MoO42- by BO33- and PO43- resulted in significant improvement of the luminescence of the Y-2(MoO4)(3),(BO3)(y):Sm3+ and Y-2(MoO4)(3),(BO3)(y):Sm3+ phosphors compared to Y-2(MoO4)(3):Sm3+ phosphors, especially in terms of luminescent intensity. The results indicated that Y-1.9(MoO4)(2.97)(BO3)(0.03) :0.1Sm(3+) and Y-1.9(MoO4)(2.97)(PO4)(0.03) :0.1Sm(3+) orange-red phosphors, having excellent luminescence, are promising orange-red components for warm white light-emitting diodes.