LAUSR

Abstract In this study, a series of Sr1-xZrO3:xSm (x = 0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.11) samples were synthesized using the sol-gel process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), UV–visible and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were employed to analyze these phosphors. The reporting of the bandgap energies (Eg), for which the diffuse-reflectance spectra of the Sr0.97ZrO3:Sm0.03 phosphor was used, is based on the Kubelka–Munk (K–M) function. Under the 406 nm excitation, the three Sm3+-emission transitions 4G5/2 → 6H5/2 (562 nm), 4G5/2 → 6H7/2 (599 nm), and 4G5/2 → 6H9/2 (644 nm) were observed for all the samples. The diminishing Sm3+-emission intensity that was observed was analyzed in the evaluation of the critical transfer rate (Rc) and the energy-transfer interaction parameter (Q). The CIE-chromaticity color coordinates of the Sm3+-doped SrZrO3 indicate that the prepared phosphors may act as an orange-emitting-light converter for the white LED.