Highly efficient, thermally stable, narrow-band phosphors that can be
excited by a blue LED chip are crucial for energy-efficient light bulbs and
display lighting. Here, a rare narrow-band, green-emitting phosphor based on
the compound NaBaB<sub>9</sub>O<sub>15</sub>:Eu<sup>2+</sup> is demonstrated.
The emission peak is centered at 515 nm with a full-width at half-maximum
(fwhm) of 61 nm (2294 cm<sup>−1</sup>), and a photoluminescence quantum yield
of >80% using blue or near-UV LED excitation. This borate’s remarkable green
emission stems from Eu<sup>2+</sup> substituting on the smaller [NaO<sub>6</sub>]
polyhedron instead of the larger and more favorable [BaO<sub>9</sub>]
polyhedron. The phosphor also exhibits negligible thermal quenching up to 650 K
owing to the wide band gap, high connectivity of the rigid NaBaB<sub>9</sub>O<sub>15</sub>
crystal structure, and the depopulation of trap-states. This combination of
optical properties and its straightforward synthesis conditions makes NaBaB<sub>9</sub>O<sub>15</sub>:Eu<sup>2+</sup>
an ideal green phosphor for next-generation LED-based lighting or display
systems.