Luminescent properties of Tb^(3+)-doped SrZnO₂ thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract

Photoluminescence properties of the pulsed laser deposited (PLD) Tb^(3+)-doped SrZnO₂ phosphor thin films were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscope (AFM) from which the crystalllinity and surface morphology can be determined, respectively. The green emission was observed from the phosphor due to the transitions from the ^(5)D₄ excited states to the ^(7)FJ(J=3-6) ground states of Tb^(3+) ions under the ultraviolet excitation at 272nm. The deposition conditions including substrate temperature and oxygen pressure strongly influenced on the crystallinity, surface morphology and photoluminescence spectra of the Tb^(3+)-doped SrZnO₂ thin films. The surface roughness and photoluminescence intensity of the films showed similar behavior as a function of substrate temperature and oxygen pressure. Luminescence properties were also analyzed by measuring the excitation and photoluminescence spectra as a function of sintering temperature, oxygen pressure and any other depositions.