RbBaPO 4 :Eu 2+ : a new alternative blue-emitting phosphor for UV-based white light-emitting diodes

A novel blue-emitting phosphor on a phosphate-based host matrix, RbBaPO4:Eu2+ (RBP), was synthesized by a solid-state reaction. This phosphor could be excited efficiently by ultra violet-visible light in the 220–420 nm range to exhibit a highly efficient emission peak in the range of 420–440 nm. To investigate the possibility of commercial use, it was compared with the commercial blue phosphors of BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+ (BAM) and Sr3MgSi2O8:Eu2+ (SMS) to assess the photoluminescence properties. Compared to commercial phosphors, RBP displayed enhanced photoluminescence properties, in this case a high quantum efficiency and excellent thermal stability under near-Ultra Violet (n-UV) excitation. Furthermore, bright white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were fabricated by integrating the RBP phosphor, along with commercial green/red phosphors, into n-UV LEDs. These results strongly suggest that the newly discovered RBP phosphor can be commercially utilized in UV-based white LEDs.