Luminescence properties and energy transfer in Ba2Y(BO3)2Cl:Ce3+,Tb3+ phosphors

Novel green-emitting Ba2Y(BO3)2Cl:Ce3+,Tb3+ phosphors were synthesized by a solid-state method. X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence spectra were utilized to characterize the structures and luminescence properties of the as-synthesized phosphors, respectively. Ba2Y(BO3)2Cl:Ce3+,Tb3+ phosphors exhibit blue and green emission bands under the excitation of near-ultraviolet light. An asymmetric blue emission originates from the Ce3+ ion, whereas the green emission originates from the Tb3+ ion. A spectral overlap is found between the emission band of the Ce3+ ion and the excitation band of the Tb3+ ion, which supports the occurrence of the energy transfer from the Ce3+ ion to the Tb3+ ion. Meanwhile, the energy transfer is thoroughly investigated by their photoluminescence decay behaviors. The energy-transfer efficiency from the Ce3+ ion to the Tb3+ ion is also calculated, and a possible mechanism is proposed.