The Photoluminescence Behaviors of a Novel Reddish Orange Emitting Phosphor CaIn2O4:Sm3+Codoped with Zn2+or Al3+Ions

Abstract

A novel reddish orange phosphor CaIn2O4:Sm3+codoped with Zn2+or Al3+ions was prepared by solid state reaction and their luminescence properties were investigated under near ultraviolet excitation. The strategy of Zn2+or Al3+ions codoping was used with the aim to improve the luminescence properties of CaIn2O4:Sm3+, but the concrete effects of the two ions is different. The introduction of Zn2+ions can produceZnIn'defects that favor charge balance in CaIn2O4:Sm3+to facilitate its photoluminescence. The effect of Al3+ions codoping can effectively transfer energy from charge-transfer absorption band to characteristic transition of Sm3+ions, utilizing more energy from host absorption for the photoluminescence of Sm3+ions. Based on these mechanisms, the luminescence intensity of CaIn2O4:0.6%Sm3+was enhanced to 1.59 times and 1.51 times when codoping amount of Zn2+and Al3+ions reached 0.6%. However, the chromaticity coordinates of CaIn2O4:0.6%Sm3+almost did not have any changes after Zn2+ions or Al3+ions codoping; those are still located at reddish orange region. The excellent luminescence properties of CaIn2O4:0.6%Sm3+,0.6%Zn2+and CaIn2O4:0.6%Sm3+,0.6%Al3+demonstrate that they both have potential application value as new-style reddish orange phosphors on light-emitting diode.