Exploration of structural and photophysical attributes of orange light emitting Sm(III) complexes with β-diketone antenna for advanced optoelectronic prospects

Abstract

In the present investigation, five orange light emanating samarium complexes were synthesized utilizing β-diketone (3-benzylidene-2,4-pentanedione) as primary ligand and 5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, bathophenanthroline, 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridyl, and 1,10-phenanthroline as ancillary ligand. The structural and optical attributes of the samarium complexes were determined by FT-IR, elemental analysis, UV–visible absorbance, proton NMR, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The outcomes of spectroscopic studies proposed the bonding of main ligand and ancillary ligands with Sm (III) ion through oxygen donor site and nitrogen donor site, respectively. Upon UV excitation, the emission profile depicts peaks at 566, 600, and 650 nm accredited to ⁴G_5/2 → ⁶H_J (J = 5/2, 7/2,9/2) characteristic transitions of samarium ion. The results of thermal studies indicated the usefulness of these samarium complexes in display devices. The value of E_g within 2.60–2.99 eV proclaimed their applicability in semiconductors. Photometric parameters like CIE chromaticity coordinates, color purity (78.90–84.50%), and correlated color temperature values (< 3200 K) revealed the prospective use of samarium complexes as warm orange source of light.