Enhanced photoluminescence and high temperature sensitivity from a novel Pr3+ doped SrSnO3/SnO2 composite phosphor

Enhanced photoluminescence and high temperature sensitivity of a novel Pr3+ doped SrSnO3/SnO2 composite phosphor was investigated. The typical samples had SrSnO3 and SnO2 phases and spherical morphology with mean particle size of 421 nm. The presence of SnO2 phase could contribute to improving crystallinity of SrSnO3. The optical bandgap values of Pr3+ doped SrSnO3/SnO2 composite phosphors were in the range of ~3.85–~3.88 eV. Enhanced photoluminescence intensity of the typical Pr3+ doped SrSnO3/SnO2 composite phosphor was attributed to the effective energy transfer from host material to Pr3+ ions. The typical samples had the greenish-blue emission. The d-d or d-p interaction could explain the Pr3+–Pr3+ energy transfer mechanism. The activated energy value was 0.206 eV for SrSnO3: 0.6%Pr3+ phosphor and 0.429 eV for SrSnO3/SnO2: 0.16%Pr3+ composite phosphor. The maximum relative sensitivity of SrSnO3/SnO2: 0.16%Pr3+ was estimated to be 5.727% K−1 at 303 K (5257.83/T2), which was very prominent and excellent, compared with that of SrSnO3: 0.6%Pr3+, for temperature sensitivity application. The possible mechanism for the greenish-blue emission and the thermal quenching process of 3P0 level through IVCT state were proposed from the configurational coordinate diagram.