Luminescence enhancement by energy transfer from Ce3+ ions in Ba1.6Ca0.4P2O7:Ce3+:Tb3+ phosphor

The optical properties of Ba1.6Ca0.4P2O7 doped with Ce3+ and Tb3+ are investigated. Under excitation at 280 nm the emission spectrum of Ba1.6Ca0.4P2O7:Ce3+ consists of a peak at 370 nm and a shoulder at the longer wavelength side. The emission spectra of Ba1.6Ca0.4P2O7:Tb3+ shows the well-known emission lines due to 5D4–7FJ transitions of Tb3+. The green emissions of Tb3+ ions are enhanced upon UV excitation through energy transfer from Ce3+ to Tb3+ ions. The efficiency of such an energy transfer is estimated based on spectroscopic data. The dependence of photoluminescence (PL) intensities of Ce3+ and Tb3+ emissions on Ce3+ or Tb3+ concentrations in the systems (Ba1.6Ca0.4P2O7:0.04Ce3+,xTb3+ and Ba1.6Ca0.4P2O7:xCe3+,0.04Tb3+) and the temperature dependence of PL emission spectra of Ba1.6Ca0.4P2O7:0.06Ce3+,0.04Tb3+ is also investigated.