Luminescent properties and energy transfer of Y3Al5O12:Ce3+, Ln3+ (Ln=Tb, Pr) prepared by polymer-assisted sol–gel method

Y3Al5O12:Ce3+, Pr3+ and Y3Al5O12:Ce3+, Tb3+ nano-particles have been synthesized by polymer-assisted sol–gel method. Crystal structure, luminescent properties and energy transfer of the phosphors are analyzed. XRD study of polycrystalline powders shows that all the samples are of YAG phase without impurity. Photoluminescence (PL) emission and excitation spectra illustrate that in YAG:Ce, Pr phosphors, energy transfer occurs mutually between Ce3+ and Pr3+, while in YAG:Ce, Tb systems, only one-way path energy transfer of Tb3+→Ce3+ is observed. ► The polymer assisted sol–gel method is developed and used to synthesize the phosphors. ► Pr3+ and Tb3+ are introduced to improve the color-rendering property of YAG:Ce. ► The mutual energy transfer between Ce3+ and Pr3+ is clearly shown in the spectra.