Preparation and luminescence properties of Tb3+-doped garnet Y2Mg2Al2Si2O12 luminescent materials

We prepared Y2Mg2Al2Si2O12:xTb(3+) (x = 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10, 0.12, 0.14 and 0.16) luminescent materials using a nodulizing procedure. The phase and luminescence properties of these materials were investigated. X-ray diffraction results demonstrated that Tb3+ ions doped into Y2Mg2Al2Si2O12 hosts successfully and the Y2Mg2Al2Si2O12:xTb(3+) materials showed a pure cubic phase. Y2Mg2Al2Si2O12:xTb(3+) materials had the characteristic Tb3+ emission bands derived from D-5(4)-> F-7(6), F-7(5), F-7(4), and F-7(3) transitions when excited at 365 nm. The green emission band that derived from the D-5(4)-> F-7(5) transition was highest due to the high possibility of both electric-dipole and magnetic-dipole transitions. Emission spectra indicated that the critical concentration of Tb3+ in the Y2Mg2Al2Si2O12 host was 0.14. The concentration quenching of Y2Mg2Al2Si2O12:Tb3+ was derived from a dipole-dipole interaction.