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Photoluminescence of titanium-doped zinc spinel blue-emitting nanophosphors

Journal Article · · Journal of Solid State Chemistry
 [1];  [2]; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Formosa University, Huwei, Yunlin 632, Taiwan (China)
  2. Department of Electronic Engineering, National Formosa University, Huwei, Yunlin 632, Taiwan (China)
A blue-emitting phosphor of titanium-doped zinc spinel (ZnAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Ti; Ti=0–6.0 mol% in relation to Al) nanopowders was prepared by a simple sol–gel method. On annealing at 1000 °C, single-phase ZnAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Ti powders had primary particles of 25–30 nm in size and most Ti ions in the form of Ti{sup 4+}. Under UV excitation at 280 nm, a strong and broad blue emission centered at 435 nm was observed. The sources of the excitation and emission were assigned to the charge-transfer excitation and recombination between O{sup 2–}–Ti{sup 4+} and Ti{sup 3+}–O{sup –} ion pairs. Optimum brightness occurred at a doping of 2.0 mol% Ti. The decay lifetime of ZnAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:2%Ti was calculated to be 3.0 ms for the blue emission with CIE coordinates of x=0.168 and y=0.153. The results suggest that ZnAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Ti is a promising candidate for application as a blue component phosphor for UV-converting white light-emitting diodes. - Graphical abstract: The absorption band around 270 nm is associated with the charge-transfer processes between octahedral Ti{sup 4+} and O{sup 2−} ions. The excitation band around 280 nm corresponds to the charge-transfer excitations from O{sup 2–}(2p){sup 6} electrons to Ti{sup 4+} (3d{sup 0}). Under 280 nm excitation, the PL spectrum shows a strong blue emission with a peak at around 435 nm. - Highlights: • Single-phase ZnAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Ti nanocrystals have been synthesized by a sol–gel process. • Under UV excitation at 280 nm, the blue emission centered at 435 nm is observed. • Blue emission is attributed to a charge-transfer transition involving the Ti{sup 4+} ions.
OSTI ID:
22334248
Journal Information:
Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Journal Name: Journal of Solid State Chemistry Vol. 214; ISSN 0022-4596; ISSN JSSCBI
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English