Microstructure, and luminescence properties of LiBaPO4:Dy3+ phosphors with various Dy3+ concentrations prepared by microwave assisted sintering

LiBaPO4:Dy3+ phosphors were synthesized by microwave-assisted and conventional sintering. XRD analysis confirmed the phase formation of all the LiBaPO4:Dy3+ phosphors. PL results showed that the optimum concentration of Dy3+ for LiBaPO4:Dy3+ prepared by microwave-assisted sintering is 7 mol%. The phosphors were efficiently excited by the UV–vis light region from 300 to 400 nm, and exhibited blue (483 nm), yellow (576 nm) and red (671 nm) emission corresponding to 4F9/2→6H15/2, 6H13/2, and 6H11/2 transitions, respectively. The microwave-assisted sintering improves the sintering behavior and provides a more uniform particle morphology of LiBa0.03PO4:0.07Dy3+ phosphors so as to obtain a luminescence intensity greater than that obtained by conventional sintering even at the same sintering temperature. Moreover, all the chromaticity (x, y) of the LiBa0.03PO4:0.07Dy3+ phosphors are located in the white region (0.33, 0.37) even on using microwave-assisted sintering as the heat treatment did not influence the purity of LiBa0.03PO4:0.07Dy3+ phosphors.