Frequency up-conversion luminescence properties and mechanism of Tm³⁺/Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ co-doped oxyfluorogermanate glasses

Abstract

Oxyfluoride glasses were developed with composition 60GeO₂·10AlF₃·25BaF₂·(1.95−x) GdF₃· 3YbF₃·0.05TmF₃·xErF₃ (x = 0.02, 0.05, 0.08, 0.11, 0.14, 0.17) in mole percent. Intense blue (476 nm), green (524 and 546 nm) and red (658 nm) emissions which identified from the ¹ G ₄→³ H ₆ transition of Tm³⁺ and the (² H _11/2, ⁴ S _3/2) → ⁴ I _15/2, ⁴ F _9/2→⁴ I _15/2 transitions of Er³⁺, respectively, were simultaneously observed under 980 nm excitation at room temperature. The results show that multicolor luminescence including white light can be adjustably tuned by changing doping concentrations of Er³⁺ ion or the excitation power. In addition, the energy transfer processes among Tm³⁺, Er³⁺ and Yb³⁺ ions, and up-conversion mechanisms are discussed.

Keywords

frequency up-conversion luminescence / oxyfluorogermanate glasses / Tm³⁺/Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ co-doped / optical properties / energy transfer

References

[1] Qiu J. B., Song Z. G. Nanocrystals Precipitation and Up-conversion Luminescence in Yb³⁺-Tm³⁺ Co-doped Oxyfluoride Glasses [J]. J. Rare Earths, 2008, 26(6): 919-923.

[2] Qiu J. B., Igarashi H., Makishima A. Long-lasting Phosphorescence in Mn²⁺: Zn₂GeO₄ Crystallites Containing Transparent GeO₂-B₂O₃-ZnO Glass-ceramics [J]. Sci. & Tech. Adv. Mater., 2005, 6(5): 431-434.

[3] Huang L. H., Liu X. R., Xu W., . Infrared and Visible Luminescence Properties of Er³⁺ and Yb³⁺ Ions Codoped Ca₃Al₂Ge₃O₁₂ Glass under 978 nm Diode Laser Excitation [J]. J. Appl. Phys., 2001, 90(8): 5 550-5 553.

[4] Man S. Q., Pun E. Y. B., Chung P. S. Upconversion Luminescence of Er³⁺ in Alkali Bismuth Gallate Glasses [J]. Appl. Phys. Lett., 2000, 77: 483-485.

[5] Xu S. Q., Wang G. N., Zhang J. J., . Composition Dependent Upconversion of Er³⁺-doped PbF₂-TeO₂ Glasses [J]. J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 2004, 336(3): 230-233.

[6] Qiu J. B., Kawamoto Y., Zhang J. J. Highly Efficient Green Up-conversion Luminescence of Nd³⁺-Yb³⁺-Ho³⁺ Codoped Fluorite-type Nano-crystals in Transparent Glass Ceramics [J]. J. Appl. Phys., 2002, 92(9): 5 163-5 168.

[7] Qiao Y. M., Guo H. Upconversion Properties of Y₂O₃: Er Films Prepared by Sol-gel Method [J]. J. Rare Earths, 2009, 27(8): 406-410.

[8] Maciel G. S., Biswas A., Kapoor R., . Blue Cooperative Upconversion in Yb³⁺-doped Multicomponent Sol-gel-processed Silica Glass for Three-dimensional Display [J]. Appl. Phys. Lett., 2000, 76(15): 1 978-1 980.

[9] Xu S. Q., Ma H. P., Fang D. W., . Tm³⁺/Er³⁺/Yb³⁺-codoped Oxyhalide Tellurite Glasses as Materials for Three-dimensional Display [J]. Mater. Lett., 2005, 59: 3 066-3 068.

[10] Amorin H. T., Vermelho M. V. D., Gouveia-Neto A. S., . Redgreen-blue Upconversion Emission and Energy-transfer between Tm³⁺ and Er³⁺ Ions in Tellurite Glasses Excited at 1.064 μm [J]. J. Solid State Chem., 2003, 171(1–2): 278-281.

[11] Lahoz F., Martín I. R., Guadalupe V. L., . Room Temperature Photon Avalanche Up-conversion in Ho³⁺ Doped Fluroindate Glasses under Excitation at 747 nm [J]. Opt. Mater., 2004, 25(2): 209-213.

[12] Downing E., Hesselink L., Ralston J., . A Three-Color, Solid-State, Three-Dimensional Display [J]. Science, 1996, 273(5279): 1 185-1 189.

[13] Yeh D. C., Petrin R. R., Sibley W. A., . Energy Transfer between Er³⁺ and Tm³⁺ Ions in a Barium Fluoride-thorium Fluoride Glass [J]. Phys. Rev. B, 1989, 39(1): 80-90.

[14] Auzel F. Upconversion and Anti-Stokes Processes with f and d Ions in Solids [J]. Chem. Rev., 2004, 105: 139-173.

[15] Kityk I. V., Wasylak J., Dorosz D., . PbO-Bi₂O₃-Ga₂O₃-BaO Glasses Doped by Er³⁺ as Novel Materials for IR Emission [J]. Opt. Laser Technol., 2001, 33: 511-514.

[16] Qiu J. B., Kawamoto Y. Rare-earth Containing Nanocrystal Precipitation and Up-conversion Luminescence in Oxyfluoride Glasses [J]. J. NanoScience & NanoTechnology, 2005, 5: 1 541-1 545.

[17] Nishibu S., Nishio T., Yonezawa S., . Fluorescence Enhancement of Oxide Fluoride Glass Co-doped with TbF₃ and SmF₃ [J]. J. Lumin., 2007, 126(2): 365-370.

[18] Ivanova T. Y., Man’shina A. A., Kurochkin A. V., . Er³⁺ to Glass Matrix Energy Transfer in Ga-Ge-S: Er³⁺ System [J]. J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 2002, 298(1): 7-14.

[19] Suyver J. F., Aebischer A., García-Revilla S., . Anomalous Power Dependence of Sensitized Upconversion Luminescence [J]. Phys. Rev. B, 2005, 71(12): 125 123-125 132.

[20] Cao C. Y., Qin W. P., Zhang J. S., . Up-conversion White Light of Tm³⁺/Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ Tri-doped CaF₂ Phosphors [J]. Opt. Commun., 2008, 281(6): 1 716-1 719.