Fabrication and photoluminescence of γ-AlON:Sm and Yb

Transparent γ-AlON undoped and doped with one of eight rare earth elements were fabricated by hot pressing at 1850 °C. After characterizing the fundamental physical properties of sintered γ-AlON, the photoluminescence spectra of γ-AlON:Sm and γ-AlON:Yb were examined further because only these samples showed a color under visible light because of the absorbance of a certain wavelength. γ-AlON:Sm exhibited a red emission with emission peaks at 688, 701, and 729 nm, while γ-AlON:Yb exhibited a white emission due to the two broad emission peaks at 438 and 575 nm. γ-AlON:Yb revealed a possible application to UV-excited phosphor-converted white-light-emitting diodes because of its emission characteristics. The schematic crystal structure of the rare-earth-doped γ-AlON and the CIE chromaticity diagram were provided to understand the photoluminescence behavior of γ-AlON:Sm and γ-AlON:Yb.