In this study, Dy3+-doped LaNbO4 phosphors with a blue to white emission that can be tuned by varying the activator concentration were prepared by one-step spray pyrolysis process. According to the powder X-ray diffraction results, increasing Dy3+ concentration favored the tetragonal phase. Slight changes were observed in the recorded Raman spectra as a function of Dy3+ concentrations while SEM (scanning electron microscopy) micrographs presented similar profiles regardless the Dy3+ amount. Investigation of Dy3+ emission data in the visible range showed that rising the Dy3+ concentration progressively shifted the emission towards the white color. All samples presented a wide excitation range from 254 to 475 nm.
Keywords:
spray pyrolysis; luminescence; lanthanum niobate