A comparison study on the substitution of Y3+-Al3+ by M2+-Si4+(M = Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg) in Y3Al5O12: Ce3+ phosphor

Y1.94MAl4SiO12:0.06Ce(3+) (M = Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg) phosphors were successfully prepared through a classic solid-state reaction method. The crystal structures, photoluminescence spectra, quantum yields, and thermal stabilities of the phosphors were investigated in detail. The results indicate that all Y1.94MAl4SiO12:0.06Ce(3+) phosphors maintain the crystal structure of garnets. The emission peaks of Y1.94MAl4SiO12:0.06Ce(3+) (M = Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg) phosphors are located at 537, 538, 554, and 565 nm, respectively. A red-shift trend of emission peak is observed with decreasing M radius, which can be ascribed to the increase in the crystal-field splitting in the Ce3+ 5d level owing to the co-doping of M2+-Si4+. Under 460 nm excitation, the luminescence quantum yields and thermal stabilities of the Y1.94MAl4SiO12:0.06Ce(3+) phosphors decreased with the decrease of M radius. The IQE of the Y1.94BaAl4SiO12:0.06Ce(3+) phosphor is 92.89%, and the resistance to thermal quenching is improved to be 93.32% at 150 degrees C. In addition, the color shifts of Y1.94MAl4SiO12: 0.06Ce(3+) phosphors with increasing temperature are all tiny, which also demonstrates good resistance to thermal quenching of luminescence. The linear shrinkage of Y1.94MAl4SiO12:0.06Ce(3+) phosphors is significantly improved compared with that of YAG: Ce3+, which is expected to generate Y1.94MAl4SiO12:0.06Ce(3+) transparent/translucent ceramics and fabricate high-powder w-LEDs for high-quality solid-state lighting in the future.