Modified solid phase synthesis of alkaline earth metal halide (BaFBr:Eu2+) phosphor

A BaFBr:Eu²⁺ photoluminescence phosphor powder was synthesized by modified solid phase method using BaCO₃, NH₄F, NH₄Br and EuF₃ as precursors. The powder was obtained by treating BaCO₃ (1 μmol), NH₄F (0.5 μmol), NH₄Br (0.5 μmol) and EuF₃ (0.02 μmol) at 300 °C under argon atmosphere, followed by reduction at 800 °C under hydrogen atmosphere and then decarbonization at 600 °C, with F/Br ratio near 1 and the Eu²⁺ incorporated about 1 mol% showed the most promising performance.

I. Introduction

Photo-stimulated luminescence material (PSL) using electron capture characteristic to store the photoelectron signal was discovered forty year ago. [1] Now it is widely used in medical imaging, optical storage, infrared detection, and radiation measurement and other fields. [2]–[4] These materials could be excited by the incident X-ray to generate excited electrons, which was stored in a stable excited state. Further illumination by a longer wavelength, the captured electrons return back to the ground state; the recombination of electron hole pairs resulted in the emission of visible light. Thus, this feature can be used for writing/reading action of light signal.