Luminescent property and energy transfer from Ce3+ to Tb3+ in YAl3(BO3)4

A series of Ce3+, Tb3+ or Ce3+/Tb3+ doped YAl3(BO3)4 phosphors are synthesized by a high temperature solid-state reaction, and their luminescent properties are investigated. YAl3(BO3)4:Ce3+ shows a broad emission band at 422 nm under the 367 nm radiation excitation. YAl3(BO3)4:Tb3+ can be efficiently excited by the ultraviolet (UV) light, and produces green emission. The emission intensity of YAl3(BO3)4:Tb3+ can be enhanced by adjusting Tb3+ doped content, and reaches the maximum at 0.06 mol Tb3+. When Ce3+ is codoped, the emission intensity of Tb3+ in YAl3(BO3)4 can be enhanced, but the commission international del’eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates of YAl3(BO3)4:Tb3+ have almost no change. Moreover, the energy transfer from Ce3+ to Tb3+ in YAl3(BO3)4 is studied.