Luminescence and energy transfer of Sm3+/Eu3+ co-doped transparent glass ceramics

The Sm3+/Eu3+ doped transparent glass ceramics (GCs) containing Na7.15(Al7.2Si8.8O32) crystallite were successfully prepared by melt crystallization. Combined with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and light transmittance curve, so the best heat treat condition of GCs is 560 °C for 2 h. According to the emission spectrum, the appropriate doping concentration of Sm3+ and Eu3+ is determined to be 0.3% and 0.7%, respectively. The decrease of fluorescence lifetime of Sm3+ confirms the energy transfer (ET) from Sm3+ to Eu3+. The critical distance between Sm3+ and Eu3+ is 5.15 nm, and the mechanism of ET is electric multipole interaction. The chromaticity coordinates are calculated according to the emission spectrum, and luminescence color of GCs is in red region. So the Sm3+/Eu3+ co-doped containing Na7.15(Al7.2Si8.8O32) crystallite GCs is a promising red luminescent material.