The quantum cutting of Tb(3+) in Ca(6)Ln(2)Na(2)(PO(4))(6)F(2) (Ln = Gd, La) under VUV-UV excitation: with and without Gd(3+).

The VUV-vis spectroscopic properties of Tb(3+) activated fluoro-apatite phosphors Ca(6)Ln(2-x)Tb(x)Na(2)(PO(4))(6)F(2) (Ln = Gd, La) were studied. The results show that phosphors Ca(6)Gd(2-x)Tb(x)Na(2)(PO(4))(6)F(2) with Gd(3+) ions as sensitizers have intense absorption in the VUV range. The emission color of both phosphors can be tuned from blue to green by changing the doping concentration of Tb(3+) under 172 nm excitation. The visible quantum cutting (QC) via cross relaxation between Tb(3+) ions was observed in cases with and without Gd(3+). Though QC can be realized in phosphors Ca(6)La(2-x)Tb(x)Na(2)(PO(4))(6)F(2), we found that Gd(3+)-containg phosphors have a higher QC efficiency, confirming that the Gd(3+) ion indeed plays an important role during the quantum cutting process. In addition, the energy transfer process from Gd(3+) to Tb(3+) as well as (5)D(3)-(5)D(4) cross relaxation was investigated and discussed in terms of luminescence spectra and decay curves.