Influence of energy transfer from Ce3+ to Eu2+ on luminescence properties of Ba3Si6O9N4:Ce3+, Eu2+ phosphors

Ba3Si6O9N4 phosphors co-doped with Ce3+ and Eu2+ were synthesized via the solid-state reaction method. The samples could display varied color emission from blue and ultimately to green under the excitation of ultraviolet (UV) light or blue light with the appropriate adjustment of the relative proportion of Ce3+/Eu2+. The luminescence intensity of Ba3Si6O9N4:Eu2+ can be efficiently enhanced by codoping with Ce3+. The energy transfer mechanism from Ce3+ to Eu2+ in Ba3Si6O9N4:Ce3+, Eu2+ is electric dipole–dipole interaction, and the critical distance is calculated to be about 24.86 Å by the spectra overlap method.