White light emission from Eu3 +/Tb3 +/Tm3 + triply-doped aluminoborate glass excited by UV light

The Eu3 +/Tb3 +/Tm3 + triply-doped glasses with the composition of CaO―Al2O3―B2O3―RE2O3 (RE = Eu,Tb,Tm) have been synthesized by melt quenching method. The photoluminescence of these Eu3 +/Tb3 +/Tm3 + triply-doped glasses (CaAlB:RE3 +) were studied and the emission spectra combining with blue, green and reddish orange bands were observed. Under 360 nm wavelength excitation the white light emission is achieved when the concentration (x) of Tm3 + in Ca0.931 −xAlB:Eu3 +0.038,Tb3 +0.031,Tm3 +x glass is in the range of 0.0013-0.011 per mol matrix. In addition, the energy transfer (ET) between Tb3 + and Eu3 + ions in Eu3 +/Tb3 +/Tm3 + triply-doped glasses was validated and the electric dipole–dipole interaction is responsible for the ET process of Tb3 + → Eu3 + at low concentrations. Hence, the Eu3 +/Tb3 +/Tm3 + triply-doped aluminoborate glass could be a potential candidate for white LEDs.