Luminescence temperature and pressure studies of Zn2SiO4 phosphors doped with Mn2+ and Eu3+ ions

Zn2SiO4:Mn2+, Zn2SiO4:Eu3+ and Zn2SiO4:Mn2+,Eu3+ phosphors were prepared by a sol-gel process and their luminescence spectra were investigated. The emission bands from intra-ion transitions of Mn2+ and Eu3+ samples were studied as a function of pressure. The pressure coefficient of Mn2+ emission was found to be –25.3±0.5 and –28.5±0.9 meV/GPa for Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ and Zn2SiO4:Mn2+,Eu3+, respectively. The Eu3+ emission shows only weak pressure dependence. The pressure dependences of the Mn2+ and Eu3+ emissions in Zn2SiO4:Mn2+,Eu3+ are slightly different from that in Zn2SiO4:Mn2+ and Zn2SiO4:Eu3+ samples, which can be attributed to the co-doping of Mn2+ and Eu3+ ions. The Mn2+ emission in the two samples, however, exhibits analogous temperature dependence and similar luminescence lifetimes, indicating no energy transfer from Mn2+ to Eu3+ occurs.