Structure, tunable luminescence and thermal stability in Tb3+ and Eu3+ co-doped novel KBaIn2(PO4)3 phosphors

To develop the new luminescence materials, a series of Eu3+/Tb3+ doped novel KBaIn2(PO4)3 (KBIP) phosphors were successfully synthesized using the high-temperature solid-state method. The powder X-ray diffraction data and Rietveld refinement results showed that the phosphors are pure phases. The UV excited luminescence properties of the Eu3+/Tb3+ doped KBIP phosphors were investigated. Based on the UV spectra and decay curves, the efficient energy transfer from Tb3+ to Eu3+ in KBIP phosphor was recognized. In addition, the energy-transfer mechanism is ascribed to the resonant type via a non-radiative dipole-dipole interaction, with the transfer efficiency as high as 79.8%. At 150 °C, the overall emission intensity still maintains 68.5% of that at room temperature. The tunable color emission from green to red can be obtained by adjusting the concentration of doped Tb3+ and Eu3+ ions. The results indicate that the KBaIn2(PO4)3 based phosphors are potential candidate for applications in the plasma display panels (PDP) and lighting fields.