Photoluminescent properties of Eu3+ and Tb3+ codoped Gd2O3 nanowires and bulk materials

In this paper, the Gd2O3:Eu3+, Tb3+ phosphors with different doping concentrations of Eu3+ and Tb3+ ions were prepared by a hydrothermal method for nanocrystals and the solid-phase method for microcrystals. The interaction of the doped ions with different concentrations and the luminescent properties of the nanocrystals and microcrystals were studied systematically. Their structure and morphology of Gd2O3:Eu3+, Tb3+ phosphors were analyzed by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The photoluminescence (PL) properties of Gd2O3:Eu3+, Tb3+ phosphors were also systematically investigated. The results indicated that when the concentration of doped Eu3+ was fixed at 1 mol.%, the emission intensity of Eu3+ ions was degenerating with Tb3+ content increasing, while when the Tb3+ content was fixed at 1 mol.%, the emission intensity of Tb3+ ions reached a maximum when the concentration of Eu3+ was 2 mol.%, implying that the energy transfer from Eu3+ to Tb3+ took place. In addition, Tb3+ could inspire blue-green light and the Eu3+ could inspire red light. Therefore co-doping systems by controlling the doping concentration and the hosts are the potential white emission materials.