Facile combustion synthesis of novel CaZrO3:Eu3+, Gd3+ red phosphor and remarkably enhanced photoluminescence by Gd3+ doping

A facile sol–gel combustion route was reported for the direct preparation of CaZrO3:Eu3+ and CaZrO3:Eu3+, Gd3+. The obtained deposits were characterized by XRD, TGA-DSC, SEM, EDS, PL measurements and microscope fluorescence. When the Gd3+ ions were introduced in this compound, the emissions of CaZrO3:Eu3+were remarkably enhanced. The emission spectrum of CaZrO3:Eu3+, Gd3+ nanocrystals exhibited a red shift compared with CaZrO3:Eu3+ samples. A new mechanism of the improved photoluminescent properties of Eu3+ by Gd3+ was investigated. The optimized phosphor CaZrO3:5%Eu3+, 2%Gd3+ could be considered an efficient red-emitting component for white lighting devices excited in the near-ultraviolet region.