Ln3+ (Ln = Eu, Dy) - doped Sr2CeO4 fine phosphor particles: wet chemical preparation, energy transfer and tunable luminescence

Abstract

The Sr2CeO4:Ln3+ (Ln = Eu, Dy) fine phosphor particles were prepared by a facile wet chemical approach, in which the consecutive hydrothermal-combustion reaction was performed. The doping of Ln3+ into Sr2CeO4 has little influence on the structure of host, and the as-prepared samples display well-crystallized spherical or elliptical shape with an average particle size at about 100–200 nm. For Eu3+ ions-doped Sr2CeO4, with the increase of Eu3+-doping concentration, the blue light emission band with the maximum at 468 nm originating from a Ce4+ → O2− charge transfer of the host decreases obviously and the characteristic red light emission of Eu3+ (5D0→7F2 transition at 618 nm) is enhanced gradually. Simultaneously, the fluorescent lifetime of the broadband emission of Sr2CeO4 decreases with the doping of Eu3+, indicating an efficient energy transfer from the host to the doping Eu3+ ions. The energy transfer efficiency from the host to Eu3+ was investigated in detail, and the emitting color of Sr2CeO4:Eu3+ can be easily tuned from blue to red by varying the doping concentration of Eu3+ ions. Moreover, the luminescence of Dy3+-doped Sr2CeO4 was also studied. Similar energy transfer phenomenon can be observed, and the incorporation of Dy3+ into Sr2CeO4 host leads to the characteristic emission of 4F9/2 → 6H15/2 (488 nm, blue light) and 4F9/2 → 6H13/2 (574 nm, yellow light) of Dy3+. The Sr2CeO4:Ln3+ fine particles with tunable luminescence are quite beneficial for its potential applications in the optoelectronic fields.