The dependence of persistent phosphorescence on annealing temperatures in CaTiO3:Pr3+ nanoparticles prepared by a coprecipitation technique

Red emitting phosphors of CaTiO3:Pr3+ nanoparticles with size ranging from 6 to 95 nm have been prepared by a coprecipitation technique and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The fluorescence and phosphorescence of CaTiO3:Pr3+ nanoparticles as a function of annealing temperature are investigated. It is found that fluorescence intensities monotonously increase with increasing temperature. However, a maximum in phosphorescence with the increase of annealing temperature occurs for the sample prepared at 700 °C. Based on the measurement of fluorescence emission, fluorescence excitation and reflectance spectra as well as time decay patterns of fluorescence and phosphorescence, it is demonstrated that the dependence of fluorescence and phosphorescence on annealing temperature originates from the decrease of surface defects with the increase of temperature.