Structural and luminescence properties of SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+,Nd3+ phosphor thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract

Thin films of Eu2þ doped and Dy3þ,Nd3þ co-doped Strontium Aluminate (SrAl2O4:Eu2þ,Dy3þ,Nd3þ) phosphors were grown on Si(100) substrates by a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique using a 266 nm Nd:YAG pulsed laser under varying substrate temperature and the working atmosphere during the film deposition process. The effect of substrate temperatures and argon partial pressure on the structure and luminescence properties of the as-deposited SrAl2O4:Eu2þ,Dy3þ,Nd3þ phosphor thin films were analysed. XRD patterns showed that with increasing substrate temperature and argon partial pressure the peaks in the direction (220) shifted to the lower 2-theta angles. Photoluminescence (PL) data collected in air at room temperature revealed a slight shift in the peak wavelength of the PL spectra observed from the thin films when compared to the PL spectra of the phosphor in powder form, which is probably due to a change in the crystal field. The PL intensity of the samples was highest for 100 °C substrate temperature and 20 mTorr argon partial pressure. Due to this, the effect of argon partial pressure was studied at a constant substrate temperature of 100 °C while the effect of Substrate temperatures recorded at 20 mTorr argon pressure respectively.