The electronic structure and photoluminescence properties of Ca2GeO4:Eu3+ in ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet region

Ca2GeO4:Eu3+ phosphors were synthesized by the solid state method. The ultraviolet and vacuum ultraviolet excited photoluminescence properties were investigated in detail. It revealed that the emission of Ca2GeO4:Eu3+ comprised two parts: the red emission of Eu3+ and host defect emission in 330–550 nm. Ca2GeO4:Eu3+ presented intense excitation intensity at 163–200 and 466 nm, which suggested the potential applications in plasma display panels and light emitting diodes. The excitation spectra were studied to identify the photoluminescence mechanisms of Ca2GeO4:Eu3+. First principles calculation within the local density approximation of the density functional theory was applied to calculate the electronic structure and linear optical properties of Ca2GeO4.