Photoluminescence and EPR studies of BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+ phosphor with blue-emission synthesized by the solution combustion method

A blue phosphor, BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+, has been synthesized in the furnace at a temperature of 500 °C by solution combustion method. The formation of the as-prepared BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+ phosphor was confirmed by the powder X-ray diffraction technique. The EPR spectrum exhibited an intense resonance signal centered at g=4.63 at 150 mT along with a number of resonances in the vicinity of g>2.0 and g<2.0. The number of spins participating in resonance (N) and the susceptibility (c) for the resonance signal at g=4.63 have been calculated as a function of temperature. The excitation spectrum of BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+ phosphor showed a strong peak near 336 nm (4f7 (8S)→5d1(t2g) transition) with a staircase like structure in the region 376–400 nm owing to crystal field splitting of the Eu2+ d-orbital. The 336 nm excitation produced a broad blue emission at 450 nm corresponding to 4f65d→4f7 transition. PL studies reveal the two emission centers one at 450 nm and the other at 490 nm in this phosphor.