Effective regulation of electronic structures and luminescence properties of LiGd_(9)(SiO_(4))6-x(GeO_(4))xO_(2):Dy^(3+)phosphors by tetrahedral substitution

A series of Dy^(3+)-activated phosphors with the general formula LiGd_(9)(SiO_(4))6-x(GeO_(4))xO_(2):Dy^(3+)(0≤x≤3)characterized by an apatite-type structure were successfully synthesized via a simple solid-state technique involving a partial substitution of[SiO_(4)]^(4-)with[GeO_(4)]^(4-)species.The effects of homovalent[GeO_(4)]^(4-)-[SiO_(4)]^(4-)substitution on the crystal structure,electronic structure,luminescence properties and thermal performance of LiGd_(9)(SiO_(4))6-x(GeO_(4))xO_(2):Dy^(3+)phosphors were studied in details.The phases and microstructure were performed by using X-ray diffraction(XRD)Rietveld refinement method and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)characterization.The substitution of smaller[SiO_(4)]^(4-)ions by larger[GeO_(4)]^(4-)ones makes their unit cell parameters increase gradually,and their band gaps decrease.The photoluminescence spectra of LiGd_(9)(SiO_(4))6-x(GeO_(4))xO_(2):Dy^(3+)(0≤x≤3)exhibit obvious emission peaks located at 477,573 and 675 nm within a visible wavelength region,resulting in an excellent white light.Furthermore,the I573nm/I477nm values of LiGd_(9)(SiO_(4))6-x(GeO_(4))xO_(2):Dy^(3+)(0≤x≤3)become larger with the partial substitution of[SiO_(4)]^(4-)by[GeO_(4)]^(4-),and their CIE chromaticity coordinates exhibit a yellow shift.