Highly efficient low-voltage cathodoluminescence of LaF3:Ln3+ (Ln=Eu3+,Ce3+,Tb3+) spherical particles

Spherical particles of rare-earth doped LaF3 are synthesized through refluxing in glycerol/water media. The low-voltage cathodoluminescence of LaF3:Eu due to D-5(0)-> F-7(1) and D-5(0)-> F-7(2) transitions was found to be sensitive to the site that Eu3+ ions occupied. The luminous efficiency of LaF3:Ce3+, Tb3+ with green emission is improved from 1.53 to 2.02 lm/W compared with LaF3:Tb3+, due to the energy transfer processes from Ce3+ to Tb3+ ions. Our results suggest that the obtained spherical particles of rare-earth doped LaF3 are promising as highly efficient low-voltage cathodoluminescent phosphors, which have received considerably less attention. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.