High-efficiency cubic-phased blue-emitting Ba3Lu2B6O15:Ce3+ phosphors for ultraviolet-excited white-light-emitting diodes

In this work, Ce3+-activated Ba3Lu2B6O15 (BLBO) blue-emitting phosphors were prepared, and their photoluminescence properties were studied. It was found that these phosphors can be excited over a broad excitation band range from 300 nm to 430 nm and generated a blue emission band in the 400-550 nm range with a maximum peak at 443 nm. The full width at half maximum of the blue emission band was about 68 nm. The optimal doping concentration of Ce3+ ions was determined to be 3 mol. %, and the BLBO:0.03Ce3+ phosphors possessed an internal quantum efficiency as high as 71%. Finally, by coating the phosphors with a blend of commercial CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ red-emitting phosphors, (Ba,Sr)2SiO4:Eu2+ green-emitting phosphors, and BLBO:0.03Ce3+ blue-emitting phosphors on a 380 nm ultraviolet light-emitting diode (LED) chip, a white LED device with a color-rendering index of ∼94 and correlated color temperature of 4952 K was obtained.