Development of YK3B6O12:RE (RE = Eu3+, Tb3+, Ce3+) tricolor phosphors under near-UV light excitation

Polycrystalline phosphors YK3B6O12:RE3+ (RE = Eu, Ce, Tb) were prepared by the solid-state synthesis. The single crystal-phases of the samples were confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) measurements and the structural refinements. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electron dispersive X-ray (EDX) measurements were applied to analyze the morphologies of the phosphors. The photoluminescence excitation spectra (PLE) and emission (PL) spectra, decay curves and lifetimes were investigated. Under the near-UV light excitation, YK3B6O12:Eu3+, YK3B6O12:Ce3+, and YK3B6O12:Tb3+ phosphors exhibit the characteristic emission transitions from Ce3+ (5d -> 4f transitions in blue color), Eu3+ (D-5(0) -> F-7(2), red color), and Tb3+ (D-5(4) -> F-7(5), green color), respectively. The luminescence internal quantum efficiency (QE), the optimal doping level and the thermal stability with the activation energy (Delta E) were measured. The result in this work could be useful for the further applications of this new host as a potential phosphor. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.