A single-phased tunable emission phosphor MgY2Si3O10: Eu(3+), Bi(3+) with efficient energy transfer for white LEDs.

A novel single-phased tunable emitting phosphor MgY2Si3O10: Bi(3+), Eu(3+) has been synthesized by a conventional high temperature solid-state method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence emission and excitation spectra were utilized to characterize the as-synthesized samples. Under UV-light pumping, MgY2Si3O10: Bi(3+) showed characteristic blue emission corresponding to the (3)P1→(1)S0 transition of Bi(3+) ions, and MgY2Si3O10: Eu(3+) showed characteristic red emission corresponding to the (5)D0→(7)FJ (J = 1, 2, 3, 4) transition of Eu(3+) ions. Spectra indicate that Bi(3+) ions occupy two nonequivalent sites in the MgY2Si3O10 matrix, namely, Bi(3+)(i) and Bi(3+)(ii). The two sites (Bi(3+)(i) and Bi(3+)(ii)) exhibit broad emission peaks at 411 nm and 490 nm, respectively. Efficient energy transfer between these two Bi(3+) sites has been proven using the spectra. The spectral overlap between the emission spectrum of Bi(3+) and the excitation spectrum of Eu(3+) allows for resonance-type energy transfer to occur from Bi(3+) to Eu(3+). The efficient energy transfer from Bi(3+) to Eu(3+)via a dipole-quadrupole interaction mechanism is significantly demonstrated by comparing experimental data with theoretical calculations. According to the concentration quenching-method, the critical distance of energy transfer from Bi(3+) to Eu(3+) is calculated to be 13.2 Å. As it is a new phosphor, CIE coordinates and CCT temperature, in addition to efficient energy transfer have been also investigated in detail. White light emission for MgY2Si3O10: n Bi(3+), m Eu(3+) can be realized through controlling the concentrations of Bi(3+) and Eu(3+). All of the results indicate that MgY2Si3O10: n Bi(3+), m Eu(3+) is a potential phosphor for white light UV-LEDs.