Dy3+and Eu3+co-activated gadolinium aluminate borate phosphor: Synthesis, enhanced luminescence, energy transfer and tunable color

The synthesis of GdAl3(BO3)4 phosphors incorporated with activators of Dy3+ and Dy3+/ Eu3+was successful and achieved through the gel combustion method. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) was employed to identify phase purity and the effects of dopant concentration on the crystallographic structure. The results of Photo-luminescence (PL) measurements revealed that the intensity and lifetime of luminescence properties varied depending on the concentrations of Dy3+ and Eu3+ ions. The dependence of luminescence intensity on doping concentration is investigated with respect to the energy transfer process between Eu3+ and Dy3+ ions. A decrease in luminescence lifetime occurs with increasing concentrations of Eu3+ co-doping. The energy transfer was also investigated using decay curve analysis. The co-doping of Eu3+ significantly boosts the energy transfer efficiency from 26% to 84%. These findings make GdAl3(BO3)4: Dy3+, Eu3+ phosphors an ideal choice for LED applications in solid state lighting and displays.