A promising red-emitting phosphor for white-light-emitting diodes prepared by a modified solid-state reaction

Using urea, boric acid and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as auxiliary reagents, the novel red-emitting phosphors Ca₁₉Zn₂ (PO₄)₁₄:Eu³⁺ have been successfully synthesized by a modified solid-state reaction. Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra were used to characterize the resulting phosphors. The dependence of the photoluminescence properties of Ca₁₉Zn₂ (PO₄)₁₄:Eu³⁺ phosphors upon urea, boric acid and PEG concentration and the quadric-sintered temperature were investigated. Luminescent measurements showed that the phosphors can be efficiently excited by ultraviolet (UV) to visible region, emitting a red light with a peak wavelength of 616 nm. The material has potential application as a fluorescent material for ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs).