Luminescence centre formation due to doped iso-electron impurities and antisite defects in garnets, A3B5O12 (A = Y, Lu, Gd; B = Al, Ga), was considered. Replacement of the Y or Lu cations by La3+ and Sc3+ iso-electron impurities on dodecahedral {c}-sites, and of the Al cations by Y3+, Lu3+ or Sc3+ iso-electron impurities on octahedral (a)-sites resulted in the formation of new emission centers in the UV region. The factors that determined the ability of iso-electron impurities to form luminescence centers were studied. These factors included the probability that iso-electron impurities occupied (a)- and {c}-positions in the garnet lattice, the difference in the ionic radii of iso-electron impurities and regular cations (which had to be >0.12Å) and differences in their electron structure. The most effective garnet phosphors were shown to be Y3Al5O12 and Lu3Al5O12, doped with La3+ and Sc3+ iso-electron impurities.

Luminescence of Isoelectronic Impurities and Antisite Defects in Garnets. Y.Zorenko: Physica Status Solidi C, 2005, 2[1], 375-9