O.A. Lopez, J.M. McKittrick, and L.E. Shea, "Fluorescence Properties of Polycrystalline Tm³⁺ Activated Y₃Al₅O₁₂ and Tm³⁺-Li⁺ Co-Activated Y₃Al₅O₁₂ in the Visible and Near IR Ranges," Journal of Luminescence, 71 [1] 1-11 (1997).

The photoemission properties of polycrystalline powder Tm³⁺ - activated Y₃Al₅O₁₂ and Tm³⁺-Li⁺ co-activated Y₃Al₅O₁₂ were studied in the visible and near IR ranges at 300 K. The polycrystalline materials were obtained through a novel combustion synthesis technique that yields chemically homogeneous and small particle size (<3.0 micrometer) powders. The emission properties of Tm³⁺ - activated Y₃Al₅O₁₂ showed that the intensity of the blue emission is weak compared to the red emission. With the addition of Li⁺ as a co-activator, the intensity of the blue emission increased by as much as 87%; however the red and IR emissions also increased. Efficiency measurements showed that the phosphor reached a maximum of 0.21 lm/W at a voltage of 11.7 kV and current of 1 mA/cm². The optimal composition for maximum blue emission was found to be Y_2.93Tm_0.07Al₅O₁₂ doped with 1.0 at.% Li.