A novel Sr3Y(PO4)3-based white light-emitting phosphor

The Sr₃Y(PO₄)₃:0.05Sm³⁺, Sr₃Y(PO₄)₃:0.005Tb³⁺, and Sr₃Y(PO₄)₃:0.005Tb³⁺, 0.05Sm³⁺ phosphors were synthesized using a conventional solid-state reaction technique at high temperature and their photoluminescence properties under ultraviolet (UV) excitation were studied. We observed the UV sensitization of Sm³⁺ emission (565, 600, and 648 nm) by Tb³⁺ in Sr₃Y(PO₄)₃:0.005Tb³⁺, 0.05Sm³⁺, that leads to a white light emission with the CIE coordinate (0.367, 0.312) of Sr₃Y(PO₄)₃:0.005Tb³⁺, 0.05Sm³⁺ phosphor under UV excitation. The emission is a result of partial energy transfer from Tb³⁺ to Sm³⁺, which is discussed in detail in terms of the corresponding excitation and emission spectra.