Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of a novel green-emitting LiYGeO4 :Tb3+ long afterglow phosphor

Abstract

A new green luminescent phosphor, Li(Y_1-x Tb_x )GeO₄ , was prepared using a high-temperature solid-phase method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) measured spectrum agreed well with the standard card JCPDS No. 02-3479, indicating that it is a quaternary compound belonging to the space group of Pnma(62) with an orthogonal crystalline phase; the excitation and emission spectra measured using the phosphor spectrometer showed that it can be effectively excited by near-ultraviolet light at 378 nm and blue light at 482 nm, and produced excellent strong emission of green light at 550 nm. The afterglow test results show that the sample had a good long afterglow effect at lower doping concentrations; the thermal stability test results showed that its thermal burst activation energy ΔE ≈ 0.37 eV had its excellent thermal stability. The rare earth Tb³⁺ -doped green phosphor, LiYGeO₄ :Tb³⁺ , has potential applications in household lighting, medical therapy, and optical storage.

Keywords: Tb3+-doped; green long afterglow phosphor; photoluminescence; thermal stability.