Lu2O2S:Tb3+, Eu3+ nanorods: luminescence, energy transfer, and multicolour tuneable emission

Abstract

A series of Tb³⁺ and Eu³⁺ singly-doped and co-doped rod-like Lu₂O₂S phosphors have been synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method followed by a subsequent calcination process. The phosphors, with excellent dispersion and uniform rods, exhibit the characteristic Tb³⁺ or/and Eu³⁺ emissions with the strongest peaks located at 544 nm (green) and 626 nm (red), respectively. Moreover, the emission intensities of both Tb³⁺ and Eu³⁺ remarkably vary with increasing Eu³⁺ incorporation, and as a result, bright and tunable color emission can be realized in the single-phase Lu₂O₂S host by varying the ratio of Eu³⁺ to Tb³⁺ ions. In addition, the multicolor luminescence of Tb³⁺ and Eu³⁺ co-doped rod-like Lu₂O₂S phosphors can be readily achieved by changing the excitation wavelengths. The energy transfer from Tb³⁺ to Eu³⁺ ions in Lu₂O₂S was systematically investigated in detail. These results prove that the as-synthesized Lu₂O₂S nanorods are an excellent host for rare earth luminescence, and the Lu₂O₂S:Tb³⁺, Eu³⁺ nanorods with tunable multicolor luminescence properties may have potential applications in the fields of full-color displays, solid-state light and field emission displays.