Luminescence and energy transfer of color-tunable Li6Gd(BO3)3:Ce(3+), Tb(3+) phosphor

A series of novel color-tunable phosphors of Ce(3+), Tb(3+)-codoped Li6Gd(BO3)3 was synthesized through a classic solid-state reaction. The color of these phosphors changes from blue to green by adjusting the ratio of Ce(3+) to Tb(3+). The photoluminescence properties of the synthesized phosphors were investigated, and several major emission bands that belong to Ce(3+) and Tb(3+) ions were irradiated with near ultraviolet light. Moreover, the energy transfer mechanism between Ce(3+) and Tb(3+) in Li6Gd(BO3)3 was explored. The photoluminescence decay curves were performed to validate the energy transfer. The analysis demonstrated that the energy transfer from Ce(3+) to Tb(3+) arose from dipole-dipole interaction with a critical distance of approximately 17.6 Å.