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Enhanced red photoluminescence in chain-like SrAl2O4:Eu3+ nanophosphors: utilizing charge compensation by modulating Na+ co-doping concentration

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Abstract

In the recent days, rare-earth doped phosphors have attracted an immense attraction in luminescence field for various solid-state lighting and electronic display device applications. However, need of efficient red phosphor is a prevalent challenge in this field. Herein, we report a bright red light emitting Na+ co-doped SrAl2O4:Eu3+ phosphor which is synthesized by modified sol–gel technique. These nanophosphors show excellent red emission due to characteristic 5D0 → 7Fj (j = 1, 2, 3, 4) transitions of the doped Eu3+ ions excited by 394 nm. Photoluminescence studies of both Eu3+ doped SrAl2O4 and Na+ co-doped SrAl2O4:Eu3+ has shown more than fourfold increase in the intensity for optimum Na+ addition. The improved decay time obtained from decay measurement has revealed that the co-doped Na+ has successfully reduced the nonradiative transitions. Thus, addition of monovalent Na+ to Eu3+ doped SrAl2O4 was found to be effective to address the charge imbalance problem along with significant enhancement in luminescence intensity and decay time. The results suggest that this nanophosphor could be a major candidate in the rapidly increasing field of solid-state lighting applications.

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Acknowledgements

UKG acknowledges the Teachers Associateship for Research Excellence (TARE) fellowship and research grant (TAR/2018/000763) of SERB, Govt. of India. UKG also acknowledges Science and Technology and Biotechnology Department, Govt. of West Bengal for proving the financial support [199 (Sanc.)/ST/P/S&T/6G-12/2018]. UKG also acknowledges the central DST-FIST programme (SR/FST/College-287/2015) and DBT star college scheme (BT/HRD/11/036/2019) for funding.

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Author notes

  1. Arnab Kumar Dey

    Present address: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, IIT Delhi, Delhi, 110016, India

  2. Bibek Samanta

    Present address: Department of Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science, IIT Bombay, Mumbai, 400076, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial & Applied Chemistry, Swami Vivekananda Research Centre, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math, Howrah, 711202, India

    Arnab De, Arnab Kumar Dey, Bibek Samanta & Uttam Kumar Ghorai

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Correspondence to Uttam Kumar Ghorai.

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De, A., Dey, A.K., Samanta, B. et al. Enhanced red photoluminescence in chain-like SrAl2O4:Eu3+ nanophosphors: utilizing charge compensation by modulating Na+ co-doping concentration. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 32, 8648–8656 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-021-05524-2

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