Near-infrared quantum cutting in Pr³⁺-Yb³⁺ Co-doped oxyfluoride glass ceramics containing CaF₂ nanocrystals

Abstract

The Pr³⁺-Yb³⁺ co-doped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics containing CaF₂ nanocrystals were obtained by thermal treatment on the as-made glasses. The structure of fluoride nanocrystals was investigated. The light-emitting mechanism of Pr³⁺-Yb³⁺ in the near infrared region was proposed and the fluorescence lifetime and quantum efficiency was calculated. The results indicate that the main phase in the oxyfluoride glassceramics is CaF₂ nanocrystal sized at 30 nm. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) have proved the incorporation of Pr³⁺ and Yb³⁺ into CaF₂ nanocrystal lattice. Near-infrared quantum cutting involving Yb³⁺ 980 nm and 1 015 nm (²F_5/2→² F _7/2) emission has been achieved upon the excitation of the ³ P ₀ energy level of Pr³⁺ at 482 nm. The fluorescence lifetime decreases sharply and quantum efficiency increases with increasing Yb³⁺ concentration, and the optimal quantum efficiency reaches 191%.

Keywords

oxyfluoride glass ceramic / nanocrystal / fluorescence / near-infrared quantum cutting

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