La₂O₂CO₃:Tb³⁺ one-dimensional nanorod with green persistent luminescence

Trivalent terbium-doped oxycarbonate (La₂O₂CO₃:1%Tb³⁺) one-dimensional nanorods are synthesized via a facile precipitation method. The average length of La₂O₂CO₃:1%Tb³⁺ nanorods is 184.5 nm. Doping Tb³⁺ ions led to several visible emission peaks at 486 nm, 542 nm, and 587 nm under excitation of 258 nm wavelength light. The green afterglow at 542 nm can be detected almost 600 s after ceasing the UV-light irradiation. It can be calculated that the La₂O₂CO₃:1%Tb³⁺ sample has one shallow trap depth (E = 0.848 eV) by measuring the thermoluminescence. All the results indicate that a simple precipitation method can synthesize a one-dimensional nanorod with green persistent luminescence.