In-situ sol-gel synthesis of luminescent Mn2+-doped zinc silicate nanophosphor

Nanocrystalline undoped and Mn2+-doped zinc silicate (alpha-Zn2SiO4:Mn) nanophosphors were in situ prepared by a sol-gel technique. The crystallite morphology for Mn-doped and undoped nanophosphors have been determined by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. In the case of undoped Zn2SiO4 nanophosphors, the powder with an average particle size around 80 nm shows a strong luminescence band centred at 760 nm at room temperature in the visible range. In addition, Zn2SiO4:Mn nanophosphors emit very strong green luminescence (525 nm), which originated from the T-4(1)-(6)A(1) transitions of Mn2+ ions. The luminescence spectra and lifetime of the excited state of Mn2+ ions-doped Zn2SiO4 nanocrystals are investigated.