A red emitting of manganese-doped boron carbon oxynitride (BCNO) phosphor materials: facile approach and photoluminescence properties

BCNO (boron carbon oxynitride) phosphors have attracted attention due to their non toxicity, simple synthesis process, and high quantum efficiency. However, the tunable emission, particularly a red emission, is still challenging to achieve. In the present study, a bright red emission (emission wavelength 620 nm under 365 nm UV excitation) of a manganese-doped BCNO (BCNO:Mn) phosphor synthesized by a solid state method is reported. Without Mn-doping, the BCNO phosphor exhibited a bright blue emission that can be ascribed to the closed-shell BO and BO anions that act as luminescence center. Via Mn-doping, a red emission was exhibited that can be ascribed to the T(G) → A(S) transition from a new luminescence center of Mn incorporated into the BCNO host lattice. The optimum red PL properties (λ: 611 nm, λ: 365 nm) were obtained with BCNO:Mn at a molar ratio of Mn/B at 0.71% mol/mol synthesized at 550 °C. We believe that the BCNO:Mn is a promising red-emitting phosphor for white light diodes.