Photoluminescence enhancement of YAG:Ce3+ phosphor prepared by co-precipitation-rheological phase method

YAG:Ce3+ phosphor was prepared by a novel co-precipitation-rheological phase method. The resulting YAG:Ce3+ phosphor was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoluminescent emission spectra. By using acetic acid as solvent, YAG:Ce3+ powder with small particle size (≤2 μm) was obtained at a relatively lower sintering temperature of 1400 °C. With the content of acetic acid increasing, small particles dissolved and disappeared, but larger particles grew up and changed its shape from spherical to partially rectangular. Meanwhile, the emission intensity of the sample prepared by co-precipitation-rheological phase method was about 43% higher than that of the sample prepared by co-precipitation method. It was assumed that the significant improvement of luminescence was mainly because the rheological phase presented a better diffusion environment, and therefore, a better homogeneity of activators of Ce3+.