Blue emitting KSCN:xCe phosphor for solid state lighting

The intense blue emitting phosphor KSCN:xCe (x=0.005, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04) is synthesized by a simple, time saving, economical method of re-crystallization through aqueous solution at 353 K. Photoluminescence measurements showed that the said phosphor exhibits emission with good intensity peaking at 450 nm corresponding to d→f transitions of Ce3+ ion. The excitation spectra monitored at 450 nm shows small peak at 282 nm and broad intense excitation band peaking at 350 nm. The latter lies in near ultraviolet (350–410 nm) emission of UV LED. The phosphor KSCN:0.02Ce3+ shows CIE 1931 color coordinates as (0.1484, 0.0602) whereas the commercial blue phosphor BAM:Eu2+ shows the color co-ordinates as (0.1417, 0.1072), respectively, indicating better color purity for KSCN: 0.02Ce3+ compared to the BAM:Eu2+ phosphor. The color coordinates of KSCN: 0.02Ce3+ phosphor (0.1484, 0.0602) are nearer to the color coordinate for blue color suggested by the color systems EBUPAL/SECAM, sRGB Blue as well as Adobe blue(0.15, 0.06).