Photoluminescence properties of La(PO3)3:Tb3+ under VUV excitation

La1-x(PO3)(3):Tb-x(3+) (0<x <= 0.6) were prepared using solid-state reaction. The vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) excitation spectrum of La-0.55(PO3)(3):Tb-0.45(3+) indicates that the absorption of (PO3)(3)(3-) groups locates at about 163 and 174 nm and the absorption bands of (PO3)(3)(3-) groups (174 nm) and La3+-O2- (200nm) and Tb3+ (213 nm) overlap each other. These results imply that the (PO3)(3)(3-) groups can efficiently, absorb the excited energy around 172nm and transfer the energy to Tb3+. Under 172nm excitation, the optimal photoluminescence (PL) intensity is obtained when Tb concentration reaches 0.45 and is about 71% of commercial phosphor Zn1.96SiO4:0.04 Mn2+ with chromaticity coordinates of (0.343, 0.578) and the decay time of about 4.47 ms. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.