Efficient blue-light-excited cyan-emitting CaLu2HfScAl3O12:Ce3+ phosphors for full-visible-spectrum warm-white LEDs

Bright cyan-emitting phosphor is indispensable to fill the cyan gap for the fabrication of full-visible-spectrum warm-white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with high color rendering index (CRI). In this study, we demonstrate a novel efficient cyan-emitting Ce3+-activated CaLu2HfScAl3O12 (CLHSA) garnet phosphor for application in blue-light-excited full-spectrum warm-white LEDs. CLHSA:Ce3+ phosphors show broadband excitation spectra in the 300–470 nm spectral range with a maximum peak at 408 nm, indicating they can be efficiently pumped by the blue LED chips. The optimal doping concentration of Ce3+ ions is found to be 1 mol%. Upon 408 nm excitation, the optimal CLHSA:1%Ce3+ phosphor gives rise to a bright broadband cyan emission (peak position: 498 nm; bandwidth: 97.5 nm) with CIE chromaticity coordinates of (0.2196, 0.4265) and high photoluminescence quantum yield of 64.5%. Finally, we have fabricated a blue-light-excited high-CRI warm-white LED device by employing the CLHSA:1%Ce3+ cyan phosphor, commercial YAG:Ce3+ yellow phosphor and commercial CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ red phosphor as well as a 450 nm LED chip, which demonstrates a bright warm-white light emission with a high CRI (Ra = 92.6), a low correlated color temperature (3660 K), and good CIE chromaticity coordinates of (0.3993, 0.3939) as well as a high luminous efficacy of 45 lmW−1. Therefore, this newly discovered efficient cyan-emitting CLHSA:1%Ce3+ phosphor is promising for application in blue-chip-pumped full-visible-spectrum warm-white LEDs with high CRI values.