Direct observation of single dopant atom in light-emitting phosphor of β-SiAlON:Eu2+

Rare-earth doped nitride attracts considerable attention because of its application as a light-emitting phosphor. The atomic site of dopants in a crystal is important for the development of advanced materials. Here, we directly observe a single Eu dopant atom in phosphor beta-SiAlON using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). A STEM annular dark-field image reveals that a Eu dopant exists in a continuous atomic channel in a beta-Si3N4 structure. The image contrast of the single Eu dopant is confirmed based on the comparison of experimental and simulation results.