Abstract
A series of $CaNb_2O_6:Dy^{3+}$, $CaNb_2O_6$:$Eu^{3+}$ and $CaNb_2O_6:Dy^{3+}$, $Eu^{3+}$ phosphors were prepared by solid-state reaction process. The effects of activator ions on the structural, morphological and optical properties of the phosphor particles were investigated. XRD patterns showed that all the phosphors had an orthorhombic system with a main (131) diffraction peak. For the $Dy^{3+}$-doped $CaNb_2O_6$ phosphor powders, the excitation spectra consisted of one broad band centered at 267 nm in the range of 210-310 nm and three weak peaks; the main emission band showed an intense yellow band at 575 nm that corresponded to the $^4F_{9/2}{\rightarrow}^6H_{13/2}$ transition of $Dy^{3+}$ ions. For the $Eu^{3+}$-doped $CaNb_2O_6$ phosphor, the emission spectra under ultraviolet excitation at 263 nm exhibited one strong reddish-orange band centered at 612 nm and four weak bands at 536, 593, 650, and 705 nm. For the $Dy^{3+}$ and $Eu^{3+}$-codoped $CaNb_2O_6$ phosphor powders, blue and yellow emission bands due to the $^4F_{9/2}{\rightarrow}^6H_{15/2}$ and $^4F_{9/2}{\rightarrow}^6H_{13/2}$ transitions of $Dy^{3+}$ ions and a main reddish-orange emission line at 612 nm resulting from the $^5D_0{\rightarrow}^7F_2$ transition of $Eu^{3+}$ ions were observed. As the concentration of $Eu^{3+}$ ions increased from 1 mol% to 10 mol%, the intensities of the emissions due to $Dy^{3+}$ ions rapidly decreased, while those of the emission bands originating from the $Eu^{3+}$ ions gradually increased, reached maxima at 10 mol%, and then slightly decreased at 15 mol% of $Eu^{3+}$. These results indicate that white light emission can be achieved by modulating the concentrations of the $Eu^{3+}$ ions incorporated into the $Dy^{3+}$-doped $CaNb_2O_6$ host lattice.
