Synthesis and optical investigations of Eu3+ activated MYAlO4 (M = Ca and Sr) as promising display nanomaterials

•Eu3+ doped MYAlO4 (M = Ca and Sr) nanophosphors were synthesized successfully using solution combustion method.•Photoluminescence and structural investigations were carried out.•Color coordinate values of materials confirmed their intense red emission on UV-excitation.•Debye Scherrer’s equation was applied to calculate the crystallite size of using Full Width at Half Maxima of dominant peak.•Strong down-conversion response of these nanomaterials have made them promising for various optoelectronic display and solar applications. Eu3+ activated MYAlO4 (M = Ca and Sr) phosphors were prepared through urea-assisted solution combustion technique. The synthesis of proposed phosphors was completed at 600 °C temperature. These were further reheated at 900 and 1050 °C for two hours to explore the consequence of temperature on their optical intensity as well as on crystallinity of materials. The optimal Eu3+ ion concentration for doping was found to be 0.03 mol. The Photoluminescence emission (PL) spectra were consisting of several emission peaks when excited at 394 nm. Out of these, the dominant peak was ascribed to 5D0→7F2 transition in europium(III) ion located at 610 nm responsible for red emission. The weak emissive peaks were due to 5D0→7F1 transition (590 nm) and 5D0→7F3 transition (654−655 nm) in the dopant ion. The diffraction patterns of CaYAlO4 and SrYAlO4 sample recommended tetragonal structure and 14/mmm space group. Scherer's equation was applied to XRD data to calculate the particle size. The vibrational bonding modes of metal-oxygen bonds were investigated by the Fourier Transform IR study to elucidate the structure and chemical bonding of materials. Three-dimensional structural investigation and particle size (40−70 nm) estimation was done by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The down conversion properties have made these nanomaterials as promising for various optoelectronic display and solar applications.