Ce³⁺ sensitize RE³⁺ (RE=Dy, Tb, Eu, Sm) doped LaPO₄ nanophosphor with white emission tunability

Crystalline $Ce^{3+}$ co-doped $LaPO_4$:RE ($RE=Dy^{3+}$, $Tb^{3+}$, $Eu^{3+}$, $Sm^{3+}$) and mix doped rare earth ions of $Dy^{3+}$, $Tb^{3+}$ and $Eu^{3+}$ were prepared by the polyol method at $150^{\circ}C$. Strongly enhance luminescence intensity is obtained with the co-doping of $Ce^{3+}$ with $LaPO_4$:$Dy^{3+}$ and $LaPO_4$:$Tb^{3+}$ due to charge transfer (CT) occurring from $Ce^{3+}$ to $Dy^{3+}$ and $Ce^{3+}$ to $Tb^{3+}$, where as there is no significant changes in luminescence intensity of $Ce^{3+}$ co-doped $Eu^{3+}$ and $Sm^{3+}$ doped $LaPO_4$ samples. The luminescence color can be tuned from green to white by varying the excitation wavelength for the mix ions $Ce^{3+}$, $Dy^{3+}$, $Tb^{3+}$ and $Eu^{3+}$ doped with $LaPO_4$.