Luminescence investigation of a cerium-doped yttrium vanadate phosphor.

Cerium (Ce )-doped (1, 3, and 7 mol%) yttrium vanadate phosphors were prepared using a co-precipitation technique. The structural and optical properties of the synthesized samples were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), optical absorption, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy techniques. The tetragonal structure and the formation of the nanosized crystallites in the YVO :Ce phosphor were confirmed using XRD analysis. HR-TEM morphology showed rod-like nanoparticles of different sizes. Optical absorption spectra demonstrated strong absorption bands at 268 and 276 nm. PL spectra showed strong peaks at 546, 574, and 691 nm following excitation at 300 nm. The calculated CIE chromaticity coordinates demonstrated that YVO :Ce could be used as a novel phosphor for the development of light-emitting diode lamps.