Highly uniform and monodisperse GdOF:Ln(3+) (Ln = Eu, Tb, Tm, Dy, Ho, Sm) microspheres: hydrothermal synthesis and tunable-luminescence properties

GdOF:Ln(3+) (Ln = Eu, Tb, Tm, Dy, Ho and Sm) microspheres (1.5 mu m) with high uniformity and monodispersity have been synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method followed by heat treatment (600 degrees C). X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), as well as photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra are used to characterize the resulting samples. A series of controlled experiments indicate that sodium citrate (Cit(3-)) as a shape modifier introduced into the reaction system plays a critical role in the shape evolution of the final products. Furthermore, the shape and size of the products can be further manipulated by adjusting the dosage of Cit(3-) and pH values in the initial solution. The possible formation mechanism for these microspheres has been presented. Under UV light and low-voltage electron beam excitation, GdOF:Ln(3+) microspheres show the characteristic f-f transitions of Ln(3+) (Eu, Tb/Ho, Tm, Dy and Sm) ions and give bright red, green, blue, yellow and yellowish-orange emission, respectively. In addition, multicolored luminescence containing white emission have been successfully confected for co-doped GdOF:Ln(3+) phosphors by changing the doped Ln(3+) ions and adjusting their doping concentrations due to the simultaneous luminescence of Ln(3+) in the GdOF host, making these materials have potential applications in field-emission display devices.