Enhanced luminescence of gadolinium niobates by Bi3+ doping for field emission displays

Blue emitting GdNbO4: Bi3+ powder phosphors for field emission displays were prepared by a solid state reaction. Both photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence properties of the materials were investigated. GdNbO4 itself shows only a very weak luminescence in the blue spectral region. By doping Bi3+ in GdNbO4, the luminescence intensity was improved greatly. The emission spectrum of the GdNbO4: Bi3+ consists of a broad band with maximum at 445 nm (lifetime=0.74 μs; CIE chromaticity coordinates: x=0.1519 and y=0.1196) for both UV and low voltage ( 1–7 kV) cathode ray excitation. In GdNbO4:Bi3+ phosphors, the energy transfer from NbO43− to activator Bi3+ occurred.