Synthesis and photoluminescent characterization of ceramic phosphors Li(2)MgGeO(4):Ln(3+) (Ln(3+) = Pr(3+) or Tm(3+)) under different excitation wavelengths

In the current work, germanate phosphors Li(2)MgGeO(4):Ln(3+) (Ln = Pr, Tm) have been synthesized and then investigated using luminescence spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrate that ceramic compounds Li(2)MgGeO(4) containing Pr(3+) and Tm(3+) ions crystallize in a monoclinic crystal lattice. Luminescence properties of Pr(3+) and Tm(3+) ions have been examined under different excitation wavelengths. The most intense blue emission band related to the (1)D(2) → (3)F(4) transition of Tm(3+) is overlaps well with broad band located near 500 nm, which is assigned to F-type centers. These effects are not evident for Pr(3+) ions. Ceramic phosphors Li(2)MgGeO(4):Ln(3+) (Ln = Pr, Tm) are characterized based on measurements of the excitation/emission spectra and their decays. The experimental results indicate that germanate ceramics Li(2)MgGeO(4) doped with trivalent rare earth ions can be applied as inorganic phosphors emitting orange (Pr(3+)) or blue (Tm(3+)) light.