An efficient orange–red‐emitting LiNa3P2O7:Sm3+ pyrophosphate: Structural and optical analysis for solid‐state lighting

: A trivalent rare-earth ion (Sm3+ )-doped LiNa3 P2 O7 (LNPO) phosphor was synthesized using a conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction route. A predominant orthorhombic phase of LNPO was observed in all X-ray diffraction patterns. The surface states of the LNPO:Sm phosphor were confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Under 401 nm excitation, the Sm-doped LNPO phosphors showed sharp emission peaks at 563, 600 and 647 nm that are related to the f-f transition of Sm3+ ions. The optimum concentration of Sm3+ (9 mol%) produced Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage chromaticity coordinates, color rendering index and correlated color temperature of (0.564, 0.434), 42 and 1843 K, respectively.