Novel orange–red emitting phosphor Ba₂ScNbO₆:Eu³⁺ for WLEDs: synthesis and luminescence properties

A novel perovskite type orange–red emitting phosphor Ba₂ScNbO₆:xEu³⁺ (BSN:xEu³⁺) was designed and synthesized by solid-state route. The X-ray diffraction, luminescent properties, fluorescent decay times and thermal stability were utilized to characterize the as-prepared samples. The X-ray diffraction confirmed BSN:xEu³⁺ had a cubic structure with the space group of Pm-3m (221). Photoluminescence (PL) excitation spectra consisted of a broad charge-transfer band and the f–f transition of Eu³⁺ ions in the violet and blue wavelength regions. The PL spectra displayed orange–red emitting luminescence with the strongest ⁵D₀ → ⁷F₁ transition at 595 nm. The mechanism of energy transfer between Eu³⁺ ions in BSN has been confirmed to be resonant type via dipole–dipole interaction. Besides, BSN:xEu³⁺ phosphors exhibit distinct thermal quenching properties, whose emission intensity at 423 K still exceed 71% of the initial value at room temperature. And the CIE coordinate of BSN:0.18Eu³⁺ phosphor is closed to the Nichia Corporation developed Amber LED NSPAR70BS. All results indicate that BSN:xEu³⁺ could be a promising phosphors for near-ultraviolet-based white light-emitting diodes.