Luminescence and energy transfer of a novel BaCeF5: Tb3+, Eu3+ color-tunable phosphor

A novel BaCeF5: Tb3+, Eu3+ color-tunable phosphor was synthesized using a co-precipitation-hydrothermal method. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra revealed that BaCeF5 has its own fluorescence effect as blue emission. The energy transfer process from Ce3+ to Tb3+ was achieved after doping with Tb3+, enabling the conversion of the luminous color from blue to green. By doping Eu3+ in BaCeF5: 10 %Tb3+, the energy transfer process from Tb3+ to Eu3+ was further realized and the transition from green to orange light continued in the phosphor. Finally, the energy transfer mechanism of Ce3+-Tb3+-Eu3+ in the BaCeF5: Tb3+, Eu3+ samples was explored. The results indicate that by varying the Tb3+ and Eu3+ concentrations, the phosphor transition from blue - green - orange light can be performed, which is a promising material to be applied to multicolor emission modulated luminescent materials as well as incandescent lamp materials.