A Spectroscopic Correlative Analysis of Eu3+‐Substituted Zn1‐xSnO3 Nano Phosphors for Anticounterfeiting Applications

Abstract

AbstractA series of orange–red phosphors Zn1‐xSnO3:xEu3+ synthesized using a sol–gel combustion process is used to study the modified local crystal structure by site‐selective substitution of Eu3+ ions. XRD with the Rietveld refinement analysis reveals an orthorhombic ZnSnO3 structure with a space group 61. SEM and TEM with EDAX analyses confirm the flower‐like morphology of Zn1‐xSnO3:xEu3+ nanorods. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy gives substantial confirmation for the inclusion of Eu3+ ions into the ZnSnO3 host. Judd‐Ofelt analysis confirms the substitution of Eu3+ ion in an asymmetric environment in ZnSnO3, which is responsible for orange–red emission at 615 nm. UV–vis–DRS analysis shows that the addition of Eu3+ ions (1% to 17% in phases of 4%) results in the formation of confined energy states with an increased band gap from 2.78 to 3.29 eV. The ability of ZnSnO3 to host Eu3+ ions signifies that it can be used as an effective luminescent material. Cyclic voltammetry analysis reveals the enhanced charge separation in Zn1‐xSnO3:xEu3+(13%) nanophosphor. The optimized Zn1‐xSnO3:xEu3+(13%) nano phosphor mixed with silicone investigated for the generation of anti‐counterfeiting patterns indicates its potential to generate high‐resolution image patterns on various surfaces under monochromatic UV or visible‐LASER LED illumination.