LAUSR

Abstract Blue-emitting phosphors Sr6Ca4(PO4)6F2:Eu2+ (SCPF:Eu2+), Sr6Ca4(PO4)6F2:Eu2+,Dy3+ (SCPF:Eu2+,Dy3+) and Sr6Ca4(PO4)6F2:Eu2+,Dy3+,Si4+ (SCPF:Eu2+,Dy3+,Si4+) with apatite structure were successfully synthesized by traditional solid-state reaction under reducing atmosphere. Eu2+, Dy3+ and Si4+ ions occupy the corresponding sites of Sr2+, Ca2+ and P5+. Strong broad blue photoluminescence band is exhibited in SCPF:Eu2+,Dy3+ phosphor ranging from 400 to 550 nm centered at 455 nm and Dy3+ ions are vital in creating traps. Emission intensity of Eu2+, Dy3+ co-doped SCPF:0.02Eu2+,0.02Dy3+ is about 1.8 times that of SCPF:0.02Eu2+ and electron trap centers serve as energy transporting media. To further elucidate the formation and effect of the specific defect on the luminescence of SCPF:0.02Eu2+,0.02Dy3+ phosphor, the thermoluminescence properties, decay curves and thermal stability study were performed while the Si4+-P5+ charge compensated phosphor SCPF:0.02Eu2+,0.02Dy3+,0.02Si4+ was prepared as a contrast. All the results of present work indicate that Dy3+ co-doping can obviously enhance photoluminescence intensity of SCPF:0.02Eu2+ by the electron traps generated by non-equivalence replacement of Dy3+-Ca2+.