Red-emitting olivine-type ceramic luminophores Li2MGeO4 (M = Zn, Mg) doped with Sm3+

This article investigates the luminescent properties of olivine-type germanate ceramics luminophores doped with trivalent samarium (Sm3+) ions, prepared through a solid-state reaction method with two distinct compositions: Li2MgGeO4:0.5Sm3+ and Li2ZnGeO4:0.5Sm3+. The emission spectra for germanate systems displayed characteristic bands associated with Sm3+ ion transitions. The results obtained for the studied ceramic luminophores indicated that orangish-red and red emissions attributed to characteristic 4f-4f transitions of Sm3+ ions. On the other hand, broad bands assigned directly to the ceramic matrices were registered around 425 nm and 440 nm for Li2MgGeO4:0.5Sm3+ and Li2ZnGeO4:0.5Sm3+ samples, respectively. The impact of the matrix composition on the emission spectra of samarium-doped olivine-type germanate ceramics has been examined in details.