Photoluminescence properties of the red phosphor YIn[Ge.sub.2][O.sub.7]:[Eu.sup.3+]

[Eu.sup.3+] -doped YIn[Ge.sub.2][O.sub.7] phosphors were prepared via a solid-state reaction with metal oxides and their excitation and emission spectra were measured at room temperature. The results showed that pure-phase YIn[Ge.sub.2][O.sub.7] could be obtained after firing at 1250[degrees]C. The maximum photoluminescence intensity of YIn[Ge.sub.2][O.sub.7]:[Eu.sup.3+] phosphor was achieved when doped with 40 mol% [Eu.sup.3+] ions. Compared with [Y.sub.2][O.sub.2]S:0.05[Eu.sup.3+], the [Y.sub.0.60]In[Ge.sub.2][O.sub.7]:[Eu.sup.3+.sub.0.40] phosphor obtained showed intense red-emission lines at 616 nm, corresponding to forced electric dipole [sup.5][D.sub.0] [right arrow] [sup.7][F.sub.2] transitions of [Eu.sup.3+] under 394 nm light excitation. The International Commission on Illumination chromaticity coordinates of the phosphors (x = 0.644, y = 0.356) of [Y.sub.0.60]In[Ge.sub.2][O.sub.7]:[Eu.sup.3+.sub.040] were close to National Television Standard Committee standard values. As such, the synthesized phosphors may find applications in near ultraviolet InGaN chip-based white light-emitting diodes. KEY WORDS: Optical materials, X-Ray diffraction, Luminescence, Solid state reaction