Up-Converting K2Gd(PO4)(WO4):20%Yb3+,Ho3+ Phosphors for Temperature Sensing.

Inorganic luminescent materials that can be excited with NIR radiation and emit in the visible spectrum have recently gained much scientific interest. Such materials can be utilized as anti-counterfeiting pigments, luminescent thermometers, bio-imaging agents, etc. In this work, we report the synthesis and optical properties of K2Gd(PO4)(WO4):Ho3+ and K2Gd(PO4)(WO4):20%Yb3+,Ho3+ powders. The single-phase samples were prepared by the solid-state reaction method, and the Ho3+ concentration was changed from 0.5% to 10% with respect to Gd3+. It is interesting to note that under 450 nm excitation, no concentration quenching was observed in K2Gd(PO4)(WO4):Ho3+ (at least up to 10% Ho3+) samples. However, adding 20% Yb3+ has caused a gradual decrease in Ho3+ emission intensity with an increase in its concentration. It turned out that this phenomenon is caused by the increasing probability of Ho3+ → Yb3+ energy transfer when Ho3+ content increases. K2Gd(PO4)(WO4):20%Yb3+,0.5%Ho3+ sample showed exceptionally high up-conversion (UC) emission stability in the 77-500 K range. The UC emission intensity reached a maximum at ca. 350 K, and the intensity at 500 K was around four times stronger than the intensity at 77 K. Moreover, the red/green emission ratio gradually increased with increasing temperature, which could be used for temperature sensing purposes.

Optical Properties Investigation of Upconverting K2Gd(PO4)(WO4):20%Yb3+,Tm3+ Phosphors.

Nowadays, scientists are interested in inorganic luminescence materials that can be excited with UV or NIR radiation and emit in the visible range. Such inorganic materials can be successfully used as luminescent or anti-counterfeiting pigments. In this work, we report the synthesis and optical properties investigation of solely Tm3+ doped and Yb3+/Tm3+ co-doped K2Gd(PO4)(WO4) phosphors. The single-phase samples were prepared using a solid-state reaction method. The Tm3+ concentration was changed from 0.5% to 5%. Downshifting and upconversion emission studies were performed under 360 nm and 980 nm excitation, respectively. Yb3+ ions were used as sensitizers in the K2Gd(PO4)(WO4) phosphors to transfer the captured energy to Tm3+ ions. It turned out that under UV excitation, phosphors emitted in the blue spectral area regardless of the presence or absence of Yb3+. However, a very strong deep-red (~800 nm) emission was observed when Yb3+ and Tm3+-containing samples were excited with a 980 nm wavelength laser. It is interesting that the highest upconversion emission in the UV/Visible range was achieved for 20% Yb3+, 0.5% Tm3+ doped sample, whereas the sample co-doped with 20% Yb3+, 2% Tm3+ showed the most intensive UC emission band in the NIR range. The materials were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Optical properties were studied using steady-state and kinetic downshifting and upconversion photoluminescence spectroscopy.

TemperatureDependent Luminescence of RedEmitting Ba2Y5B5O17: Eu3+ Phosphors with Efficiencies Close to Unity for NearUV LEDs.

Solid state white light sources based on a nearUV LED chip are gaining more and more attention. This is due to the increasing efficiency of nearUVemitting LED chips and wider phosphors selection if compared to devices based on blue LED chips. Here, a brief overview is given of the concepts of generating white light employing nearUV LED and some optical properties of the available phosphors are discussed. Finally, the synthesis and optical properties of very efficient redemitting Ba2Y5B5O17:Eu3+ phosphor powder and ceramics is reported and discussed in terms of possible application as a red component in nearUV LEDbased white light sources.

Optical Properties of Red-Emitting Rb2Bi(PO4)(MoO4):Eu3+ Powders and Ceramics with High Quantum Efficiency for White LEDs.

There are several key requirements that a very good LED phosphor should meet, i.e., strong absorption, high quantum efficiency, high colour purity, and high luminescence quenching temperature. The reported Rb2Bi(PO4)(MoO4):Eu3+ phosphors have all these properties. The Rb2Bi(PO4)(MoO4):Eu3+ phosphors emit bright red light if excited with near-UV radiation. The calculated colour coordinates show good stability in the 77-500 K temperature range. Moreover, sample doped with 50% Eu3+ possesses quantum efficiency close to unity. Besides the powder samples, ceramic disks of Rb2Eu(PO4)(MoO4) specimen were also prepared, and the red light sources from these disks in combination with near-UV emitting LED were fabricated. The obtained results indicated that ceramic disks efficiently absorb the emission of 375 and 400 nm LED and could be applied as a red component in phosphor-converted white LEDs.

Luminescence and Luminescence Quenching of K2Bi(PO4)(MoO4):Eu3+ Phosphors with Efficiencies Close to Unity.

A very good light emitting diode (LED) phosphor must have strong absorption, high quantum efficiency, high color purity, and high quenching temperature. Our synthesized K2Bi(PO4)(MoO4):Eu3+ phosphors possess all of the mentioned properties. The excitation of these phosphors with the near-UV or blue radiation results in a bright red luminescence dominated by the 5D0 → 7F2 transition at ∼615 nm. Color coordinates are very stable when changing Eu3+ concentration or temperature in the range of 77-500 K. Furthermore, samples doped with 50% and 75% Eu3+ showed quantum efficiencies close to 100% which is a huge benefit for practical application. Temperature dependent luminescence measurements showed that phosphor performance increases with increasing Eu3+ concentration. K2Eu(PO4)(MoO4) sample at 400 K lost only 20% of the initial intensity at 77 K and would lose half of the intensity only at 578 K. Besides, the ceramic disks with thicknesses of 0.33 and 0.89 mm were prepared from K2Eu(PO4)(MoO4) powder, and it turned out that they efficiently converted the radiation of 375 nm LED to the red light. The conversion of 400 nm LED radiation to the red light was not complete; thus, the light sources with various tints of purple color were obtained. The combination of ceramic disks with 455 nm LED yielded the light sources with tints of blue color due to the low absorption of ceramic disk in this spectral range. In addition, these phosphors possess a very unique emission spectra; thus, they could also be applied in luminescent security pigments.

Luminescence and luminescence quenching of highly efficient Y2Mo4O15:Eu(3+) phosphors and ceramics.

A good LED phosphor must possess strong enough absorption, high quantum yields, colour purity, and quenching temperatures. Our synthesized Y2Mo4O15:Eu(3+) phosphors possess all of these properties. Excitation of these materials with near-UV or blue radiation yields bright red emission and the colour coordinates are relatively stable upon temperature increase. Furthermore, samples doped with 50% Eu(3+) showed quantum yields up to 85%, what is suitable for commercial application. Temperature dependent emission spectra revealed that heavily Eu(3+) doped phosphors possess stable emission up to 400 K and lose half of the efficiency only at 515 K. In addition, ceramic disks of Y2Mo4O15:75%Eu(3+) phosphor with thickness of 0.71 and 0.98 mm were prepared and it turned out that they efficiently convert radiation of 375 and 400 nm LEDs to the red light, whereas combination with 455 nm LED yields purple colour.