Novel optical properties of Ca₁₂ Al_10.6 Si_3.4 O₃₂ Cl_5.4 :Ce³⁺ ,Li⁺ phosphor for solid-state lighting

This article reports a novel blue emission in a series of Ca₁₂ Al_10.6 Si_3.4 O₃₂ Cl_5.4 :Ce³⁺ phosphor under excitation in the near-UV wavelength range. This phosphor was prepared using the combustion method. Here, the Ce³⁺ emission band is observed over a broad range of 380-550 nm, under 365 nm excitation, and is due to 5d-4f transition. The effect of a Li⁺ charge compensator on the emission properties of the phosphor was also investigated for the first time. X-Ray diffraction confirmed the phase purity of the synthesized phosphor. The surface morphology and elemental composition of the phosphor were studied using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.