Luminescence characteristics of Na21(SO4)7F6Cl:Cu+ phosphor

Copper-doped Na₂₁(SO₄)₇F₆Cl phosphor was synthesized via the conventional wet chemical method. The synthesis was carried using CuCl₂ and Cu (NO₃)₂·3H₂O as dopants in two different steps successively. The formation and phase purity of the compound were revealed by the X-ray diffraction pattern. Functional groups of the prepared phosphor were observed in the FT–IR spectrum. The emission along with excitation spectra were followed to explore the luminescence attributes. Photoluminescence (PL) emission spectrum of the material synthesized using CuCl₂ as the dopant was observed at 358?nm due to 3d^l0?3d⁹4s transitions when excited around 247?nm for various copper concentrations. Efficient blue emissions were obtained at peaks 423 and 469?nm for materials synthesized using Cu (NO₃)₂·3H₂O as the dopant, when monitored at 357?nm excitation. The Commission Internationale de I’Eclairage chromaticity coordinates for different copper concentrations were calculated for the emission around 423?nm. TL glow curves of Na₂₁(SO₄)₇F₆Cl:Cu phosphor for different dopant concentrations, irradiated with 100?Gy gamma dose, were studied and hence the trap parameters, namely order of kinetics (b), activation energy (E) and frequency factor (s) associated with the most intensive glow peak of Na₂₁(SO₄)₇F₆Cl:Cu phosphor were determined by using Chen’s Peak shape method. The results indicate that Na₂₁(SO₄)₇F₆Cl:Cu⁺ is a potential novel blue-emitting lamp phosphor and may be quite suitable for use in dosimetry of ionizing radiations.