Formation of Deep Electron Traps by Yb3+ Codoping Leads to Super-Long Persistent Luminescence in Ce3+-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Gallium Garnet Phosphors

The Y3Al2Ga3O12:Ce3+-Cr3+ compound is one of the brightest persistent phosphors, but its persistent luminescence duration is not so long because of the relatively shallow Cr3+ electron trap. To compare the vacuum referred binding energy of the electron trapping state by Cr3+ and lanthanide ions, we selected Yb3+ as a deeper electron trapping center. The Y3Al2Ga3O12:Ce3+-Yb3+ phosphors show Ce3+:5d → 4f green persistent luminescence after blue light excitation. The formation of Yb2+ was confirmed by the increased intensity of absorption due to Yb2+:4f-5d at 585 nm during the charging process. This result indicates that the Yb3+ ions act as electron traps by capturing an electron. From the thermoluminescence glow curves, it was found that the Yb3+ trap makes a much deeper electron trap with a 1.01 eV depth than the Cr3+ electron trap with a 0.81 eV depth. This deeper Yb3+ trap provides a much slower detrapping rate of filled electron traps than the Cr3+-codoped persistent phosphor. In addition, by preparing transparent ceramics and optimizing Ce3+ and Yb3+ concentrations, the Y3Al2Ga3O12:Ce3+(0.2%)-Yb3+(0.1%) as-made transparent ceramic phosphor showed super-long persistent luminescence for over 138.8 h after blue light charging.