Synthesis and Characterisation of SrZrSi₂O₇:Eu³⁺, Ce³⁺, and Dy³⁺ Phosphors

Abstract

The present work reports the successful synthesis and detailed characterization of SrZrSi₂O₇ phosphors doped with trivalent europium (Eu³⁺), cerium (Ce³⁺), and dysprosium (Dy³⁺) ions. A sol-gel assisted combustion method was employed, utilizing glycine as a fuel, to produce fine, homogeneous phosphor powders. The structural analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of a single-phase tetragonal SrZrSi₂O₇ structure, with no detectable secondary phases, even after doping with rare-earth ions. Shifts in diffraction peak positions indicated the successful incorporation of dopant ions into the host lattice, suggesting substitutional doping at the strontium sites. Morphological examination by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the formation of nearly spherical and moderately agglomerated particles, while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) provided evidence of nanoscale crystallinity and uniform grain distribution. Further confirmation of the chemical structure was obtained through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), which identified characteristic vibrational modes corresponding to Si–O and Zr–O bonds. The combined results affirm that the sol-gel combustion route is a reliable and efficient method for synthesizing highly crystalline, uniformly doped SrZrSi₂O₇ phosphors. These materials are expected to be promising candidates for advanced optical and electronic applications due to their structural integrity and fine particle morphology.