Photoluminescent properties of Sb³⁺-doped and (Sb³⁺, Eu³⁺) co-doped YBO₃ phosphors prepared via hydrothermal method and solid-state process

Abstract

Sb³⁺-doped YBO₃ crystals were prepared through a low-temperature hydrothermal method and a high-temperature solid-state technique, respectively. The effects of preparation methods on the morphologies and luminescent properties of YBO₃ phosphors were investigated. The YBO₃ crystals from the hydrothermal system look like flowers, whereas those from the solid-state process look like some agglomerates of little spheres. The Sb³⁺-doped YBO₃ powders prepared via both methods showed the blue emission with the peak at around 452 nm, which corresponds to the ³P₁→¹S₀ transition of Sb³⁺ ions. However, the emission intensity of the Sb³⁺-doped YBO₃ from the hydrothermal system is about 3.5 times as much as that from the solid-state process. The (Sb³⁺,Eu³⁺) co-doped YBO₃ crystals were also prepared through the two methods. The results showed that the emission intensity of Sb³⁺ ions in (Sb³⁺, Eu³⁺) co-doped YBO₃ synthesized by the hydrothermal method is stronger than that by the solid-state process.

Key words： hydrothermal; solid-state; luminescent; borate

Acknowledgments

The author is thankful to the financial sponsored by the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Education Ministry and the Encouragement Fund of Young and Middle-aged Scientist of Shandong Province (2006BS04014).

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