A novel red long lasting phosphorescent (LLP) material β-Zn3(PO4)2:Mn2+, Sm3+

A novel red long lasting phosphorescent materials β-Zn3(PO4)2:Mn2+,Sm3+ is firstly synthesized by high-temperature solid-state reaction. The influence of Sm3+ ions on luminescence and long lasting phosphorescence properties of Mn2+ in phosphor β-Zn3(PO4)2:Mn2+,Sm3+ are systematically investigated. It is found that the red phosphorescence (λ = 616 nm) performance of Mn2+ ion such as brightness and duration is largely improved when Sm3+ ion is co-doped into the matrix in which Mn2+ ion acts as luminescent center and Sm3+ ion plays an important role of electron trap. Thermoluminescence spectrums show that there exists one peak in β-Zn3(PO4)2:Mn2+,Sm3+, the depth of which is 0.33 eV, and that there are three peaks in β-Zn3(PO4)2:Mn2+, among which the depth of the lowest temperature peak in β-Zn3(PO4)2:Mn2+ is 0.37 eV. Such differences in the trap depth result in the improvement of red long lasting phosphorescence of Mn2+ in present matrix.