Ultraviolet-B upconversion luminescence and energy transfer of YBO3:Ln3+-Gd3+ (Ln = Pr, Ho, Er) phosphors
摘要
In this work, YBO3:Ln-Gd (Ln = Pr, Ho, Er) UVB upconversion luminescence phosphors were synthesized by high-temperature solid-phase method. The crystal structure, phase purity, morphology and luminescence properties of the phosphors were investigated. The UVB upconversion luminescence mechanism was elucidated through analyzing the photoluminescence properties based on the energy level diagrams of the Ln3+ and Gd3+ ions. The results demonstrate that Pr3+, Ho3+ and Er3+ ions can act as efficient sensitizers by absorbing blue-green irradiation and transfer energy to Gd3+ activator ions. Through this energy-transfer pathway, the obtained phosphors can exhibit intense UVB upconversion emission located around 315 nm, and the upconversion luminescence process of Ln3+-Gd3+ coactivated phosphors are belonging to the two-photon excited-state absorption (ESA) process. This research might provide a valuable contribution for the design of UVB upconversion phosphors and might promote their potential application in the fields of biomedical, agricultural and life science.