A single-phase white light emitting phosphor Ba3Y(PO4)3:Ce3+/Eu2+/Mn2+: Luminescence, energy transfer and thermal stability

Series of Ce3+/Eu2+, Ce3+/Mn2+ and Ce3+/Eu2+/Mn2+ doped Ba3Y(PO4)3 samples were synthesized by a high temperature solid state reaction method. Phase formation, energy transfer, luminescence properties and thermal quenching properties were investigated carefully. The energy transfer from Ce3+ to Eu2+ and Ce3+ to Mn2+ in Ba3Y(PO4)3 were verified and discussed detailed. When Ce3+ and Eu2+ are co-doped, the energy transfer process from Ce3+ to Eu2+ is confirmed with electric dipole-dipole interaction. For Ce3+/Mn2+ co-doped phosphors, the energy transfer process from Ce3+ to Mn2+ is proved with electric dipole-dipole interaction. Besides, due to the existence of defects, the phosphors show excellent thermal stability. For Ce3+/Eu2+/Mn2+ tri-doped Ba3Y(PO4)3, the energy transfer Ce3+→Eu2+ (Mn2+) and Eu2+→Mn2+ are confirmed. The energy transfer priority among Ce3+, Eu2+ and Mn2+ is analyzed in detail basing on the change of emission intensity. The obtained tri-doped phosphors contain red, green and blue component, thus they can emit warm white light basing on the energy transfer. The results show that they may be novel white-light-emitting phosphors for ultraviolet white light emitting diodes.