Upconversion Photoluminescence Properties of PbMoO₄:Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ Phosphors Synthesized by Microwave Sol-Gel Method

$Pb_{1-x}MoO_4:Er^{3+}/Yb^{3+}$ phosphors with various doping concentrations of $Er^{3+}$ and $Yb^{3+}$ ($x=Er^{3+}+Yb^{3+}$, $Er^{3+}=0.05$, 0.1, 0.2, and $Yb^{3+}=0.2$, 0.45) are successfully synthesized using a microwave sol-gel method, and the up-conversion photoluminescence properties are investigated. Well-crystallized particles, which are formed after heat treatment at $900^{\circ}C$ for 16 h, exhibit a fine and homogeneous morphology with particle sizes of $2-5{\mu}m$. Under excitation at 980 nm, the $Pb_{0.7}MoO_4:Er_{0.1}Yb_{0.2}$ and $Pb_{0.5}MoO_4:Er_{0.05}Yb_{0.45}$ particles exhibit a strong 525 nm emission band, a weak 550 nm emission band in the green region, and a very weak 655 nm emission band in the red region. The Raman spectra of the doped particles indicate the presence of strong peaks at higher and lower frequencies induced by the disordered structures of $Pb_{1-x}MoO_4$ through the incorporation of the $Er^{3+}$ and $Yb^{3+}$ ions into the crystal lattice, which results in the unit cell shrinkage accompanying the new phase formation of the $MoO_{4-x}$ group.