Photoluminescent properties of white-light-emitting Li6Y(BO3)3:Dy3+ phosphor

In this study, lithium yttrium borate (LYBO) phosphor was doped with various concentrations of trivalent dysprosium ions. To produce these phosphors, the raw materials were sintered. The phase conformation, crystallinity, grain size, and overall morphology of the synthesized phosphors were studied with X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The optimized LYBO phosphor, i.e., the LYBO phosphor that exhibited the highest X-ray- and ultraviolet (UV)-induced photoluminescent intensities, had a Dy3+ concentration of 4 mol%. Photoluminescence analysis showed that this phosphor could be easily excited with near-UV light (300–400 nm). The dominant photoluminescence bands were found in the blue (480 nm) and yellow (577 nm) regions of the visible spectrum. The light yield of the X-ray-induced luminescence of the optimized Li6Y(BO3)3:Dy3+ was found to be 66% of that of the commercially available X-ray imaging material, Gd2O2S:Tb3+ (GOS). The chromaticity coordinates of the Li6Y(BO3)3:Dy3+ phosphor were x = 0.34 and y = 0.32, which agree well with achromatic white (x = 0.33, y = 0.33). The results of this study show that the synthesized Li6Y(BO3)3:Dy3+ phosphor could be used as X-ray imaging material. Optimization of lithium yttrium borate (Li6Y(BO3)3:4 mol%Dy3+) phosphor for its applications in WLEDs. [Display omitted] •Li6Y(BO3)3:Dy3+ phosphor was synthesized by solid state reaction method.•The concentrations of the activator was optimized to be 4 mol% of Dy3+.•Emission peaks obtained were centered at 482, 578, 666 and 755 nm for λex = 350 nm.•Two decay time components were obtained i.e. 758 and 267 μs.•White light with CIE color coordinates of 0.34 and 0.32 were emitted.