Exploring Photophysical, Energy Transfer Dynamics, Judd-Ofelt and Biological Characteristics of Orange-Red Light Emanating Samarium(III) Complexes Incorporating β-Diketone Sensitizer for Advanced Displays

Five novel Samarium(III) complexes were successfully synthesized employing 4,4-difluoro-1-phenyl-1,3-butanedione (DFPB) as primary organic ligand, along with four ancillary ligands. Spectral techniques like elemental analysis, IR, NMR and UV spectroscopy were performed to investigate the synthesized complexes. Through linear fitting analysis, band gap (3.08–3.69) and Urbach energy (0.23–0.69) of DFPB and its Sm1-Sm5 complexes were evaluated. Additionally, oscillator strength parameters and radiative properties were derived utilizing exploiting least squares fitting method. The complexes exhibited emission corresponding to the characteristic electronic transitions of the samarium(III) ion with dominant transition ⁴G_5/2→⁶H_7/2 corresponding to 603 nm and lasing characteristics were investigated. Furthermore, estimated CIE chromaticity coordinates confirmed that the emissions lie within red-orange region of visible spectrum with excellent color purity (83–95%). Photoluminescence investigations revealed successful sensitization of the Sm(III) metal center mediated through both DFPB and the ancillary ligands. The remarkable thermal stability and optoelectronic properties underscore their suitability for integrating into solar and advanced display devices. Additionally, the synthesized set of samples screened for antimicrobial response revealed incredible antimicrobial potential.