Assessing the improved luminescence of SrCe1-xSmxO3 perovskite by concentration controlled extra oxidizer substitution

Strontium cerate perovskite nano phosphors when doped with rare earth elements show improved functional properties such as electrical conductivity and photoluminescence. Electrical conductivity investigations on doped strontium cerates have been studied widely over decades for application in electrochemical cells, hydrogen sensors, hydrogen extractors, etc. But only minimal research has been developed in the amelioration of photoluminescence in rare earth-doped strontium cerates. In the present study, samarium-doped strontium cerate perovskite nanophosphors were considered for utilization in optoelectronic applications. The perovskites SrCe1-xSmxO3 (x = 0.01,0.02,0.03) were prepared via a low-temperature gel combustion approach with citric acid as chelating agent and ammonia solution as an extra oxidizer. The influence of concentration variation on the evolution behaviour of the crystalline phase as well as the luminescence characteristics of ceramic powders are investigated using X-ray diffraction and Photoluminescence characterization techniques. Experimental results indicate that the calcinating temperature of 1223 K in gel combustion synthesis, much lower than the conventional solid-state reaction is only needed for the single-phase perovskite formation. Also, a comparison study of the luminescence behaviour by replacing internal constituent extra oxidizer ammonia solution with ammonium nitrate is observed in this study, and conditions for maximum luminescence intensity are hence discussed. The observed results on photoluminescence studies indicate that an enhancement in the luminescence intensity of SrCe0.98Sm0.02O3 occurred when we replaced extra oxidizer ammonia solution with ammonium nitrate. Thus, a bright orange-scarlet red emitting perovskite nano phosphor SrCe0.98Sm0.02O3 by the later technique can be synthesized and can act as an inevitable red phosphor coating the chip in LEDs, which can be a great revolution in energy savings applications.