Investigation on the improvement of red phosphorescence in CaTiO3:Pr3+ nanoparticles

Red phosphorescence in nanosized CaTiO3:Pr3+ phosphors has been investigated by measuring the spectra of emission and excitation, as well as the charging and decay processes. The emission intensity and the persistent time have been improved. More energy traps have been observed in nanoparticles compared to the bulk powders. The integral emission intensity from the nanoparticles is remarkably greater than that from the bulk. A phosphorescence recombination mechanism through tunneling in nanoparticles is discussed.