Luminescence and surface properties of Tb3+ doped Sr3(VO4)2 nanophosphors

Abstract

 In this paper, we present a detailed investigation of the luminescence and surface properties of Tb³⁺ doped Sr₃(VO₄)₂ nanocrystalline phosphors, synthesized by the combustion method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks in the patterns corresponding to the reflection of rhombohedral pure phase of Sr₃(VO₄)₂.  The average particle sizes have been found in the range of 30-34 nm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that an agglomerated peanut like morphology was obtained. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy has been utilized to investigate the spectral properties of the phosphor. Under 237 nm excitation, it shows several bands centered at 487, 544, 588 and 624 nm, which result from ⁵D₄→⁷F_J (J = 6, 5, 4 and 3) transitions of Tb³⁺, and the green emission band (⁵D₄→⁷F₅) located at 544 nm is dominant. The chemical states and    bonding characteristics in the host were analyzed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).