Photoluminescent properties of Tb3+ doped GdSrAl3O7 nanophosphor using solution combustions synthesis

A color tunable terbium doped GdSrAl3O7 nanophosphor has been synthesized at low temperature using solution combustion synthesis. The photoluminescent properties of nanophosphors have been explored by analyzing their excitation and emission spectra alongwith their decay curves. The emission spectra exhibit dominating green light at 544 nm due to 5D4→7F5 transition of Tb3+ ions in GdSrAl3O7 on excitation by UV light of 239 nm. Furthermore, the luminescence in Gd(1−x)SrAl3O7: xTb3+nanophosphors shifted from blue to green color by properly tuning the concentration of terbium ions. Decay curves indicate that non-radiative cross-relaxation is primarily responsible for concentration quenching phenomenon in the GdSrAl3O7 host. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that single tetragonal phased nanophosphor could be readily obtained at low temperature 550°C. The smooth surfaced nanocrystals with particle size of 45 - 50 nm have also been examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All these features augmented the probability of GdSrAl3O7: Tb3+ nanophosphor for potential applications in optical devices. [graphic not available: see fulltext]