Effect of co-doped metal caions on the properties of Y2O3:Eu3+ phosphors synthesized by gel-combustion method

Y2O3:Eu3+ phosphors co-doped with different metal cations (Li+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+) are prepared by the gel-combustion method with Y2O3, Eu2O3, and R(NO3) x (R = Li, Na, K, Mg, Ca) serving as raw materials and glycine as fuel, calcined at 1000 °C for 2 h. The synthesized Y2O3:Eu3+ phosphors doped with different metal cations and doping ratios are characterized by x-ray diffractometry (XRD), fluorescence and phosphorescent spectrophotometer. The co-doping metal cations are advantageous to the development of Y2O3:Eu3+ lattice. All the samples can emit red light peaked at 611 nm under 254-nm excited. The luminescence intensities of co-doping samples are increased because the cations increase the electron transition probability of Eu3+ from 5D0 level to 7F level. The fluorescence lifetime of Eu3+ (5D0 → 7F2) is increased by doping metal cations.