Effect of Dy 3+ or Eu 2+ co‐activator on a BaCa(SO 4 ) 2 :Ce 3+ mixed alkaline earth sulfate phosphor

The individual emission and energy transfer between Ce 3+ and Eu 2+ or Dy 3+ in BaCa(SO 4 ) 2 mixed alkaline earth sulfate phosphor prepared using a co‐precipitation method is described. The phosphor was characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) studies and doped by Ce;Eu and Dy rare earths. All phosphors showed excellent blue–orange emission on excitation with UV light. PL measurements reveal that the emission intensity of Eu 2+ or Dy 3+ dopants is greater than when they are co‐doped with Ce 3+ . An efficient Ce 3+  → Eu 2+ [ 2 T 2g (4f 6 5d) →  8 S 7/2 (4f 7 )] and Ce 3+  → Dy 3+ ( 4  F 9/2  →  6 H 15/2 and 4  F 9/2  →  6 H 13/2 ) energy transfer takes place in the BaCa(SO 4 ) 2 host. A strong blue emission peak was observed at 462 nm for Eu 2+ ions and an orange emission peak at 574 nm for Dy 3+ ions. Hence, this phosphor may be used as a lamp phosphor. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.