How to effectively improve energy transfer efficiency
and luminous
intensity inspired us to synthesize a series of SiO2:x%Tb3+@Gd2O3:y%Eu3+ samples, study their luminescence properties and
interfacial energy transfer (IET), and compare with SiO2:x%Eu3+@Gd2O3:y%Tb3+. The results show that SiO2:x%Tb3+@Gd2O3:y%Eu3+ can exhibit adjustable multicolor luminescence
from red to green at different concentrations of Eu3+ and
Tb3+ or under different excitation wavelengths, and there
exists efficient IET from Tb3+ to Eu3+ in SiO2:x%Tb3+@Gd2O3:y%Eu3+ and SiO2:x%Eu3+@Gd2O3:y%Tb3+, which improves the energy transfer efficiency and luminous
intensity. In addition, the luminescence properties are different
between SiO2:3%Tb3+@Gd2O3:3%Eu3+ and SiO2:3%Eu3+@Gd2O3:3%Tb3+, and the energy transfer efficiency
of Tb3+ → Eu3+ in SiO2:3%Tb3+@Gd2O3:3%Eu3+ is obviously
higher than that in SiO2:3%Eu3+@Gd2O3:3%Tb3+. The present study not only developed
a kind of multicolor luminescent phosphor but also offered an important
new strategy for improving the energy transfer efficiency and luminescent
intensity.