Tunable luminescence and energy transfer properties in YVO4:Bi3+,Ln3+ (Ln = Dy, Sm, Eu) phosphors prepared by microwave sintering method

YVO4:Bi3+,Ln(3+) (Ln = Dy, Sm, Eu) phosphors were successful synthesized by microwave sintering method, and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscope, photoluminescence spectra, lifetime, quantum efficiency and general structure analysis system structure refinement. Refinement results indicated that the introduced ions occupy the sites of Y3+. Under 275 nm excitation, the luminescent intensity of YVO4:Bi3+ samples reach the maximum when Bi3+ concentration is 0.02, the broad excitation spectrum of YVO4:Bi3+ has a strongest peak at near 343 nm. Doped Bi3+ can effectively improve the emission intensity of YVO4:Ln(3+). The energy transfer mechanism of Bi3+ -> Ln(3+) was dipole-quadrupole mechanism of electric multipole interaction. The critical distance (R-c) between Ln(3+) and Bi3+ were calculated by concentration quenching method. Emitting color of YVO4:Bi3+,Ln(3+) phosphors were tunable by adjusting Ln(3+) content. In a word, the material has a good application prospects on light emitting diodes.