Surfactant-assisted hydrothermal process, shape-control, and photoluminescence of Eu3+-doped lutetium tungstate microspheres

Three-dimensional (3D) sphere-like Eu3+-doped white light lutetium tungstate phosphors have been fabricated by the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB)-assisted hydrothermal method, which presents a diameter of similar to 2-mu m morphology assembled by nanoflakes with a length of 100 to similar to 200 nm. The results demonstrate that CTAB, suitable pH values, reaction time, and reaction temperature are all essential for the formation of lutetium tungstate microspheres. Photoluminescence measurement indicates that lutetium tungstate microspheres show a broad O-W Charge transfer state (CTS) transition and the characteristic emission of Eu3+ at similar to 591 and similar to 611 nm.