Tunable Luminescence of Sr₂CeO₄:M²⁺ (M = Ca, Mg, Ba, Zn) and Sr₂CeO₄:Ln³⁺ (Ln = Eu, Dy, Tm) Nanophosphors

Abstract

Nanophosphors based on cerium–strontium oxide (Sr2CeO4), doped with M2+ or Ln3+ (M = Ca, Mg, Ba, Zn; Ln = Eu, Dy, Tm) were successfully prepared using a modified Pechini method. The structure of prepared materials has been confirmed and characterized using several techniques such as X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). The obtained materials were composed of nanocrystals with an average size around ∼50 nm. The luminescence properties of synthesized nanophosphors were characterized by excitation or emission spectra and luminescence lifetimes. The chromaticity coordinates were also calculated to demonstrate changes of the luminescence color.