Enhanced luminescence of Eu3+ in LaAl2B4O10 via energy transfer from Dy3+ doping

Abstract

In this study, an investigation was conducted on the structural and photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of LaAl2B4O10 (LAB) phosphors initially incorporated with Dy3+ and Eu3+ ions. Subsequently, the impact of varying Eu3+ concentration while maintaining a constant Dy3+ concentration was examined. Structural characterization was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). XRD analysis confirmed the effective embedding of both dopants into the hexagonal framework of the LAB. The PL emission spectra revealed characteristic emissions of Dy3+ (blue and yellow) and Eu3+ (red) ions. The optimized dopant concentrations of both Dy3+ and Eu3+ were observed to be 3 wt%. The dominant mechanism for concentration quenching in doped LAB phosphors was determined to be the electric dipole–dipole interaction. Co-doping with Eu3+ led to a substantial decrease in Dy3+ emission intensity (∼0.18-fold) while enhancing Eu3+ emission intensity (∼3.72-fold). The critical energy transfer distance (RC = 11.64 Å) and the analysis based on the Dexter theory confirmed that the energy transfer mechanism corresponds to dipole–dipole interaction. The color purities and correlated color temperatures (CCT) were estimated, suggesting the potential of these phosphors for warm white and red lighting applications, respectively. The observed energy transfer and luminescence properties, along with the structural and compositional characterization, highlight the promising potential of LAB:Dy3+/Eu3+ co-doped phosphors for advanced lighting and display technologies