Rietveld refinement and photoluminescent properties of a new blue-emitting material: Eu2+ activated SrZnP2O7

A new efficient blue phosphor, Eu2+ activated SrZnP2O7, has been synthesized at 1000 °C under reduced atmosphere and the crystal structure and photoluminescence properties have been investigated. The crystal structure of SrZnP2O7 was obtained via Rietveld refinement of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern. It was found that SrZnP2O7 crystallizes in space group of P21/n (no. 14), Z=4, and the unit cell dimensions are: a=5.30906(2) Å, b=8.21392(3) Å, c=12.73595(5) Å, β=90.1573(3)°, and V=555.390(3) Å3. Under ultraviolet excitation (200–400 nm), efficient Eu2+ emission peaked at 420 nm was observed, of which the luminescent efficiency at the optimal concentration of Eu2+ (4 mol%) was estimated to be 96% as that of BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+. Hence, the SrZnP2O7:Eu2+ exhibit great potential as a phosphor in different applications, such as ultraviolet light emitting diode and photo-therapy lamps.