Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 4, 2026

Quantitative Atomic-Site Analysis of Functional Dopants/Point Defects in Crystalline Materials by Electron-Channeling-Enhanced Microanalysis
Published on: May 10, 2021
Crystal structure and pale-yellow emitting properties of K3Gd1-xDyxB6O12 solid solutions
Rui Juan Zhang1, Jian Chao Shi1, Dan Dan Zhao1
1College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, Henan 454000, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
A new potassium dysprosium polyborate, K3DyB6O12, has been prepared via the high-temperature molten salt method and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The structure can be described as a three-dimensional framework composed of isolated bicyclic [B5O10]5- groups and Dy3+ and K+ ions. The Fourier transform IR (FT-IR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectra were investigated. A series of K3Gd1-xDyxB6O12 phosphors was prepared and their photoluminescence properties were studied. The K3Gd1-xDyxB6O12 phosphors exhibit a strong yellow emission band at 577 nm (the 4F9/2→6H13/2 transition of Dy3+) under UV excitation of 275 nm (the 8S7/2→6IJ transition of Gd3+), suggesting the occurrence of the energy transfer Gd3+→Dy3+. The optimized doping concentration of the Dy3+ ion was 8 mol%. We may expect that K3Gd1-xDyxB6O12 is a promising pale-yellow emission phosphor for visual displays or solid-state lighting.
Related Concept Videos
Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human...
Ionic Crystal Structures
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...
Recrystallization: Solid–Solution Equilibria
X-ray Crystallography
Diffraction
Diffraction is the change in the direction of travel experienced by an electromagnetic wave when it encounters a physical barrier whose dimensions are comparable to those of the wavelength of the light. X-rays are electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths about as long as the distance between neighboring...

