A series of novel luminescent materials, SrZnO2:M (M=Eu3+, or Eu3+ + Li+) have been synthesized by high-temperature solid-state reaction. The structure and luminescence properties of SrZnO2:Eu3+ phosphor were studied through XRD, photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy. The excitation spectra show a broad intense band and a number of small peaks corresponding to the inner 4f-shell excitations of Eu3+ (the strongest one is at 395 nm for 7F0-5L6). After SrZnO2:Eu3+ phosphor was co-doped with Li+ ions, its charge transfer band extended to longer wavelengths. This resulted in increase of luminescent quantum efficiency of the sample. SrZnO2:Eu3+,Li+ phosphor can be efficiently excited by longer UV. From the fluorescence spectrum of SrZnO2:Eu3+ phosphor, apart from transition emissions of 5D0 → 7FJ (J=0~4), the transition emissions from 5D1 → 7FJ (J=0~2) have been observed. For the SrZnO2:Eu3+ phosphor, under excitation of UV, the dominant emission is at about 612 nm, due to the 5D0 → 7F2 hypersensitive transition. The incorporation of Li+ ions greatly enhanced the luminescence intensity and made emission peak from 5D0 → 7F2 transition red-shifted.
