BaGdF5:Dy(3+),Tb(3+),Eu(3+) multifunctional nanospheres: paramagnetic, luminescence, energy transfer, and tunable color.

A series of Dy(3+),Tb(3+) and Eu(3+) singly, doubly or triply doped BaGdF5 phosphors were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method with l-arginine, and their energy transfer, migrations and multicolored luminescence properties were investigated in detail. The as-prepared Dy(3+),Tb(3+) or Eu(3+) doped samples showed strong blue, green and red emission, respectively. Different hues of green and red light were obtained by co-doped Dy(3+),Tb(3+) and Tb(3+),Eu(3+) in the BaGdF5 host, respectively. More significantly, in the Dy(3+),Tb(3+),Eu(3+) tri-doped BaGdF5 phosphors, colors changed from yellow green to orange red by adjusting the doping concentration of Eu(3+). Energy migrations from Dy(3+) to Tb(3+) and from Tb(3+) to Eu(3+) are reported in detail. Furthermore, the obtained samples exhibit paramagnetic properties at room temperature and low temperature. It is obvious that these Dy(3+), Tb(3+), Eu(3+) singly or doubly or triply doped BaGdF5 nanomaterials with tunable multicolored luminescence properties may have potential applications in the fields of full-color displays, biological labels and bio-separation.