Nanocrystalline CaYAlO4:Tb3+/Eu3+ as promising phosphors for full-color field emission displays

Eu(3+) and/or Tb(3+)-doped CaYAlO(4) phosphor samples were synthesized by Pechini-type sol-gel method. X-Ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra were used to characterize the samples. For CaYAlO(4):Tb(3+), it is shown that the Tb(3+)-doping concentration has a significant effect on the (5)D(3)/(5)D(4) emission intensity of Tb(3+), which is attributed to the cross relaxation from (5)D(3) to (5)D(4). Under the 4f(8)→ 4f(7)5d excitation of Tb(3+) or low-voltage electron beams excitation, the CaYAlO(4):Tb(3+) phosphors show tunable luminescence from blue to cyan, and then to green with the change of Tb(3+)-doping concentration. The CaYAlO(4):Eu(3+) samples exhibit a reddish-orange emission of Eu(3+) corresponding to (5)D(0,1)→(7)F(0,1,2,3) transitions. Furthermore, a white emission can be realized in the single phase CaYAlO(4) host by reasonably adjusting the doping concentrations of Tb(3+) and Eu(3+) under low-voltage electron beams excitation. Compared with the commercial blue (Y(2)SiO(5):Ce(3+)) and green (ZnO:Zn) phosphors, CaYAlO(4):0.1%Tb(3+) and CaYAlO(4):5%Tb(3+) phosphors have higher CL intensity and stability under continuous electron bombardment. Due to the excellent CL properties and good CIE chromaticity coordinates, the as-prepared Tb(3+)/Eu(3+)-doped CaYAlO(4) nanocrystalline phosphors have potential application in FEDs devices.