Synthesis and photoluminescence characteristics of color-tunable BaY2ZnO5:Eu3+ phosphors

Color-tunable phosphors of BaY2−xEuxZnO5 (x=0.001–0.9) were synthesized using a vibrating milled solid state reaction. The results indicate that the emission spectra of BaY2−xEuxZnO5 samples excited at 395 nm exhibit a series of shaped peaks assigned to the D50→F7J (J=0,1,2,3,4) transitions. Luminescence from the higher excited states, such as D51, D52, and D53, were also observed even though the Eu3+ concentration was up to x=0.2. The chromaticity coordinate of BaY2−xEuxZnO5 phosphors varies with the Eu3+-doped concentrations from blue, white, to red, and which may be potentially applicable as a white light emitting phosphor for ultraviolet light emitting diodes.