Synthesis of multicolor emitting Sr2−xSmxCeO4 nanophosphor with compositionally tuneable photo and thermoluminescence

Abstract Despite extensive efforts to design a white light generating phosphor, single component phosphors which exhibit multi-color emissions are very limited. In this work we report the synthesis of novel single component colortunable strontium cerate (Sr 2 − x Sm x CeO 4 ) phosphor using facile low temperature solution combustion synthesis. A single-composition, color tunable phosphor is produced by doping with different concentrations of Sm 3+ (0.0 to 0.11) into the Sr 2 CeO 4 matrix. Chromaticity of Sr 2 − x Sm x CeO 4 depends on the Sm 3+ concentration. This is because of energy transfer from Sr 2 CeO 4 to Sm 3+ determines the emission colors of the phosphors. At low concentration of Sm 3+ , Commission Internationale d’Eclairage (CIE) coordinates that are very close to white light emission (0.317, 0.303) are observed. However, at higher dopant concentration ( x  = 0.11 of Sm 3+ ) the compound exhibits red emission (0.407, 0.343). Hence, a single host multi-color emitting phosphor is realized by doping and energy transfer. Thermoluminescence studies are carried out for Sr 2 CeO 4 :Sm 3+ phosphor using γ-irradiation in the dose range of 0.5 to 5 kGy. The kinetic parameters, namely activation energy ( E ), frequency factor ( s ) and order of kinetics ( b ) were estimated by Chen’s glow peak shape method and are discussed in detail for their possible usage in dosimetry.