Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of ZnTiO3:Eu3+ red phosphors via sol-gel method

ZnTiO 3 :Eu 3+ phosphors were synthesized with different concentrations of Eu 3+ doping through sol-gel method. The samples were calcined at different temperatures for 2 h in air. The synthesized powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The XRD results showed that the ZnTiO 3 :Eu 3+ phosphors doped with different concentrations of Eu 3+ ions calcined at 600 °C were of single phase, which indicated that the Eu 3+ ions had been successfully incorporated into the ZnTiO 3 host lattice and did not destroy the lattice structure of ZnTiO 3 host. The Raman spectrum, SEM and TEM also proved that the doping of Eu 3+ did not change the lattice structure of hexagonal ZnTiO 3 host. The photoluminescence (PL) of Eu 3+ ions with the main emission peak at 614 nm was observed to increase with Eu 3+ concentrations from 0.5 mol.% to 2.0 mol.% and decreased when the concentration was increased to 2.5 mol.%. The decrease in the PL intensity at higher Eu 3+ concentrations could be associated with concentration quenching effect. The CIE1931 chromaticity diagram ( x , y ) of ZnTiO 3 :2.0 wt.%Eu 3+ phosphors were located in the red region ( x =0.652, y =0.347). The luminescence properties suggested that ZnTiO 3 :Eu 3+ phosphors might be regarded as a potential red phosphor candidate for light emitting diodes (LEDs).