The luminescence properties and energy transfer from Ce3+ to Pr3+ for YAG:Ce3+Pr3+ Phosphors

Abstract

YlYAG):Cerphosphors with various Pr3+ concentrations (x = 0, 0.006, 0.01, 0.03, 0.06, and 0.09) were synthesized by using a coprecipitation method. The phases, luminescent properties, and energy transfer phenomenon from Ce3+ to Pr3+ were investigated. The results indicated that the doping of Pr3+ (x ≤ 0.09) did not produce any new phases but caused a slight lattice parameters increase. After Pr3+ doping, the YAG:CePr phosphor emits red light at 610 nm, which was regarded helpful for improving the colour rendering index of the phosphor. With Pr3+ concentration increase from 0.006 to 0.01 mol, the intensity of red light emission increased slightly; further increasing Pr3+ concentration from 0.01 to 0.09, the red light emission intensity decreased gradually. Excitation at 340, and 460 nm could not lead to the direct electronic excitation of Pr3+ ions; however, when YAG:CePr was excited at 340 nm a red light emission at 610 nm appeared, which implied the energy transfer phenomenon from Ce3+ to Pr3+.