A single-phase white light emitting phosphor Ba3Y(PO4)3:Ce3+/Eu2+/Mn2+: Luminescence, energy transfer and thermal stability

Series of Ce³⁺/Eu²⁺, Ce³⁺/Mn²⁺ and Ce³⁺/Eu²⁺/Mn²⁺ doped Ba₃Y(PO₄)₃ samples were synthesized by a high temperature solid state reaction method. Phase formation, energy transfer, luminescence properties and thermal quenching properties were investigated carefully. The energy transfer from Ce³⁺ to Eu²⁺ and Ce³⁺ to Mn²⁺ in Ba₃Y(PO₄)₃ were verified and discussed detailed. When Ce³⁺ and Eu²⁺ are co-doped, the energy transfer process from Ce³⁺ to Eu²⁺ is confirmed with electric dipole-dipole interaction. For Ce³⁺/Mn²⁺ co-doped phosphors, the energy transfer process from Ce³⁺ to Mn²⁺ is proved with electric dipole-dipole interaction. Besides, due to the existence of defects, the phosphors show excellent thermal stability. For Ce³⁺/Eu²⁺/Mn²⁺ tri-doped Ba₃Y(PO₄)₃, the energy transfer Ce³⁺→Eu²⁺ (Mn²⁺) and Eu²⁺→Mn²⁺ are confirmed. The energy transfer priority among Ce³⁺, Eu²⁺ and Mn²⁺ is analyzed in detail basing on the change of emission intensity. The obtained tri-doped phosphors contain red, green and blue component, thus they can emit warm white light basing on the energy transfer. The results show that they may be novel white-light-emitting phosphors for ultraviolet white light emitting diodes.