Synthesis and VUV Photoluminescence Characterization of (Y,Gd)(V,P)O₄:Eu³⁺ as a Potential Red-emitting PDP Phosphor

Abstract

YVO4:Eu3+-based phosphors in three series with compositions (Y1-xEux)(V1-zPz)O4, (Y0.95-yGdyEu0.05)(V0.4P0.6)O4 and (Y0.95-yEu0.05Gdy)(V1-zPz)O4 were synthesized and investigated as potential red-emitting phosphors for a plasma display panel (PDP). The optimal substitution proportions of P for V and Gd for Y were determined to be 60 and 20 mol %, respectively, for (Y0.95-yGdy)(V1-zPz)O4 doped with 5 mol % Eu3+. The vacuum ultraviolet PL and PLE spectra and chromaticity characteristics for the synthesized phosphors were measured and compared against those of a commercial red-emitting phosphor. Pumping the (Y,Gd)(P,V)O4:Eu3+ phosphors at a wavelength of 172 nm is more efficient than that at 147 nm. For VUV excitation at 147 nm, the CIE chromaticity coordinates for our red-emitting (Y1-yGdy)(V0.4P0.6)O4:Eu3+ are (0.6614,0.3286), as compared to (0.6443, 0.3613) for (Y,Gd)BO3:Eu3+ from Kasei Optonix Ltd. We suggest that the composition-optimized (Y0.75Gd0.20Eu0.05)(V0.4P0.6)O4 can serve as an alternative phosphor to replace a widely used red-emitting commercial phosphor such as (Y,Gd)BO3: Eu3+ or Y2O3: Eu3+.