Evaluating NaREMgWO6 (RE = La, Gd, Y) Doubly Ordered Double Perovskites as Eu3+ Phosphor Hosts

Three doubly ordered double perovskites NaREMgWO6 (RE = La, Gd, Y) have been synthesized via traditional solid-state methods, doped with Eu3+, and characterized to evaluate their promise as Eu3+ phosphor hosts. NaYMgWO6, a new member of the family, was found to crystallize in the P21 space group and is isostructural with NaGdMgWO6. Emissions characteristic of Eu3+ ions (5D0 → 7F4,3,2,1,0) were observed, with the most intense transition being the 5D0 → 7F2 transition near 615 nm. Substitution of Eu3+ onto a more compressed RE site in the NaY1–x Eu x MgWO6 and NaGd1–x Eu x MgWO6 hosts results in a blue shift of the charge-transfer excitation band and an increase in the intensity of the 5D0 → 7F2 transition compared to NaLa1–x Eu x MgWO6. All of the hosts can incorporate high concentrations of Eu3+ before concentration quenching is observed. When the rare-earth ion is either Gd3+ or Y3+, good energetic overlap between the Eu3+ charge-transfer band and the absorption of the host lattice results in sensitization and energy transfer from the perovskite host lattice to the Eu3+ activator sites. These hosts display comparable if not better luminescence than Y2O3:Eu3+, a commonly used commercial standard, demonstrating their promise as red phosphors.