Strong reddish-orange light emission from stress-activated Sr n+1Sn nO 3n+1:Sm 3+ (n = 1, 2, ∞) with perovskite-related structures

Abstract

We report mechanoluminescence (ML) in Sm 3+-doped Sr n+1Sn nO 3n+1 (n = 1, 2, ∞) phosphors with perovskite-related structures, which consist of layered units depending on the number of n. The intensity of the ML was strongly dependent on the layered structure; the ML intensity for Sr 3+Sn 2O 7:Sm 3 was three orders of magnitude higher than that for SrSnO 3:Sm 3. The charge transfer state (CTS) band in the photoluminescence excitation spectra was observed for Sr 3+Sn 2O 7:Sm 3 and Sr 2SnO 4:Sm 3, indicating that the efficient energy transfers from the host to the Sm 3 ions. The formation of CTS and the layered structure may be responsible for this ML enhancement. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.