The reduction of RE3+ in SrB6O10 prepared in air and the luminescence of SrB6O10 : RE2+ (RE=Eu, Sm, Tm)

The reduction of RE3+ to RE2+ (RE=Eu, Sm and Tm) in SrB6O10 prepared in air by high-temperature solid state reaction was observed. The luminescent properties of Eu2+ and Tm2+ show f-d transition and Sm2+ shows f-f transition at room temperature. Three crystallographic sites for Sm2+ in matrix are available. Vibronic transition of D-5(0)-F-7(0) of Sm2+ was studied. The coupled phonon energy about 108 cm(-1), was determined: from the vibronic transition. Due to the thermal population from D-5(0) level, (D1-FJ)-D-5-F-7 (J=0, 1, 2) transitions of Sm2+ were observed at room temperature. A charge compensation mechanism is proposed as a possible explanation.