Influence of the ratio of rare earth oxyorthosilicate R2SiO5 (R = La, Y) hosts on the structure and optical properties of co-doped Pr3+ /Dy3+ phosphors

Abstract Praseodymium (Pr3+) and dysprosium (Dy3+) co-doped mixed lanthanum/yttrium oxyorthosilicates (La2-xYxSiO5, x = 0.5, 1 and 2) phosphors were synthesized using urea-assisted combustion method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed the pure monoclinic phases of La2SiO5 (x = 0) and Y2SiO5 (x = 2) and mixed phases of La2-xYxSiO5. The diffuse reflectance spectra of the phosphors showed a broad absorption peak with a maximum around 376 nm assigned to O2− → Pr4+ charge transfer band. The band gaps of the Pr3+/Dy3+ co-doped La2-xYxSiO5 increased from 2.7 to 5.1 eV as the value of x increased from 0 to 2. The luminescent properties were measured when the samples were excited using three different sources, namely 450 W Xenon lamp, 325 He-Cd laser and electron beam. The photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra recorded using monochromatized Xenon lamp showed tunable emission for different excitation wavelengths. For example, when the PL spectra were recorded under 294 nm excitation, using Xenon lamp, emissions from self-trapped excitons (STE) in SiO2, f→f transitions of Dy3+ and Pr3+ were observed. The emission monitored under 349 nm excitation showed the STE peak and the four emission lines of Dy3+. However, when the phosphors were excited using a 325 nm He-Cd laser, the STE emission and four Dy3+ lines were observed in all the samples, but the four manifolds emission from the 1D2→3H4 transition of Pr3+ were only observed for x = 1.5 and 2. Furthermore, the cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra showed the STE band, four emission lines of Dy3+ and four manifolds emission from the 1D2→3H4 transition of Pr3+. The tunable colours of the phosphors were shown in International Commission on Illumination (CIE) coordinate diagram.