NIR to visible up-conversion, infrared luminescence, thermoluminescence and defect centres in Y(2)O(3) : Er phosphor

Er(3+) doped Y(2)O(3) phosphor was prepared by the solution combustion method and characterized using powder x-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive analysis of x-ray mapping studies. Room temperature near infrared (NIR) to green up-conversion (UC) emissions in the region 520-580 nm {((2)H(11/2), (4)S(3/2)) -> (4)I(15/2)} and red UC emissions in the region 650-700 nm ((4)F(9/2) -> (4)I(15/2)) of Er(3+) ions have been observed upon direct excitation to the (4)I(11/2) level using similar to 972 nm laser radiation of nanosecond pulses. The possible mechanisms for the UC processes have been discussed on the basis of the energy level scheme, the pump power dependence as well as based on the temporal evolution. The excited state absorption is observed to be the dominant mechanism for the UC process. Y(2)O(3) : Er exhibits one thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) peak around 367 degrees C. Electron spin resonance (ESR) studies were carried out to study the defect centres induced in the phosphor by gamma irradiation and also to identify the centres responsible for the TSL peak. Room temperature ESR spectrum of irradiated phosphor appears to be a superposition of at least three distinct centres. One of them (centre I) with principal g-values g(parallel to) = 2.0415 and g(perpendicular to) = 2.0056 is identified as O(2)(-) centre while centre II with an isotropic g-factor 2.0096 is assigned to an F(+)-centre (singly ionized oxygen vacancy). Centre III is also assigned to an F(+)-centre with a small g-factor anisotropy (g(parallel to) = 1.974 and g(perpendicular to) = 1.967). Additional defect centres are observed during thermal annealing experiments and one of them appearing around 330 degrees C grows with the annealing temperature. This centre (assigned to an F(+)-centre) seems to originate from an F-centre (oxygen vacancy with two electrons) and the F-centre appears to correlate with the observed TSL peak in Y2O3 : Er phosphor. The trap depth for this peak has been determined to be 0.97 eV from TSL data.

Up-conversion properties of lanthanide-organic frameworks and how to track ammunitions using these materials

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Violet-blue emissions due to frequency up-conversion in Nd3+-doped fluoroindate glasses

We report the observation of intense frequency up-conversion in Nd3+-doped fluoroindate glasses pumped by the second harmonic of a cw mode-locked Nd: YAG laser. Mechanisms for generating the observed emissions are discussed.

Up-conversion properties of lanthanide-organic frameworks and how to track ammunitions using these materials

This manuscript reports the first example of up-conversion properties involving Yb3+ and Tb3+ ions in five isostructural Lanthanide-Organic Frameworks (LnOFs), herein designated as UCMarker-1 to UCMarker-5, respectively, and their application as optical probes for the identification of gunshot residues (GSRs) and the ammunition encryption procedure. The excitation of the Yb3+2 F-7/2 <-> F-2(5/2) transition (980 nm) at room temperature leads to visible up-conversion (UC) emission of Tb3+ D-5(4) -> F-7(J). The GSR and lead-free primer residues are easily identified upon UV radiation (lambda = 254 nm). These results prove that the exploration of LnOFs to identify GSR is attractive for the identification of ammunition origins or caliber recognition.

Coherent enhancement of broadband frequency up-conversion in BBO crystal by shaping femtosecond laser pulses

An optimal feedback control of broadband frequency up-conversion in BBO crystal is experimentally demonstrated by shaping femto-second laser pulses based on genetic algorithm, and the frequency up-conversion efficiency can be enhanced by similar to 16%. SPIDER results show that the optimal laser pulses have shorter pulse-width with the little negative chirp than the original pulse with the little positive chirp. By modulating the fundamental spectral phase with periodic square distribution on SLM-256, the frequency up-conversion can be effectively controlled by the factor of about 17%. The experimental results indicate that the broadband frequency up-conversion efficiency is related to both of second harmonic generation (SHG) and sum frequency generation (SFG), where the former depends on the fundamental pulse intensity, and the latter depends on not only the fundamental pulse intensity but also the fundamental pulse spectral phase. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strong visible up-conversion emissions and thermometric applications of Er3+-Yb3+ codoped Al2O3 prepared by the sol-gel method

The Er3+-Yb3+ codoped Al2O3 has been prepared by the sol-gel method using the aluminium isopropoxide [Al(OC3H7)(3)]-derived Al2O3 sols with addition of the erbium nitrate [Er(NO3)(3) center dot 5H(2)O] and ytterbium nitrate [Yb(NO3)(3) center dot 5H(2)O]. The phase structure, including only two crystalline types of doped Al2O3 phases, theta and gamma, was obtained for the 1 mol% Er3+ and 5 mol% Yb3+ codoped Al2O3 at the sintering temperature of 1,273 K. By a 978 nm semiconductor laser diodes excitation, the visible up-conversion emissions centered at about 523, 545, and 660 nm were obtained. The temperature dependence of the green up-conversion emissions was studied over a wide temperature range of 300-825 K, and the reasonable agreement between the calculated temperature by the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) theory and the measured temperature proved that Er3+-Yb3+ codoped Al2O3 plays an important role in the application of high temperature sensor.

Mechanisms and concentrations dependence of up-conversion luminescence in Tm3+/Yb3+ codoped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics

The up-conversion properties of Tm3+/Yb3+ codoped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics under 980 nm excitation were investigated. Intense blue up-conversion luminescence due to the Tm3+: (1)G(4) -> H-3(6) transition was observed in the glass-ceramics. The intensity of the blue up-conversion luminescence in a 1 mol% YbF3-containing glass-ceramic was found to be about 40 times stronger than that in the precursor oxyfluoride glass. The up-conversion mechanism is proposed. The reason for the intense Tm3+ up-conversion luminescence in the oxyfluoride glass-ceramics and the concentrations dependence of upconversion luminescence are also discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical transitions of Er3+ and Yb3+ ions in novel oxyfluoride bismuth-germanium glass: Observation of up-conversion

Er3+/Yb3+-codoped novel oxyfluoride bismuth-germanium glass was prepared and its up-conversion fluorescence property under 975 nm excitation has been studied. Intense green and weak red emissions centered at 525, 546, and 657 nm, corresponding to the transitions 2H(11/2) -> I-4(15/2), S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2), and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2), respectively, were observed at room temperature. The possible up-conversion mechanism was also evaluated. The optimal Yb3+-Er3+ concentration ratio is found based on the direct lifetime measurements of excited levels for Er3+ ion. The structure of this novel oxyfluoride bismuth-germanium glass has been investigated by peak-deconvolution of FT-Raman spectrum, and the structural information was obtained from the peak wavenumbers. This novel oxyfluoride bismuth-germanium glass with relatively lower maximum phonon energy (similar to 731 cm(-1)) can be used as potential host material for up-conversion lasers. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural and up-conversion luminescence properties in Tm (3+)/Yb3+-codoped heavy metal oxide-halide glasses

Tm3+/Yb3+-codoped heavy metal oxide-halide glasses have been synthesized by conventional melting and quenching method. Structural properties were obtained based on the Raman spectra, indicating that halide ion has an important influence on the phonon density and maximum phonon energy of host glasses. Intense blue and weak red emissions centered at 477 and 650 nm, corresponding to the transitions (1)G(4) -> H-3(6) and (1)G(4) -> H-3(4), respectively, were observed at room temperature. The possible up-conversion mechanisms are discussed and estimated. With increasing halide content, the up-conversion luminescence intensity and blue luminescence lifetimes of Tm3+ ion increase notably. Our results show that with the substitution of halide ion for oxygen ion, the decrease of phonon density and maximum phonon energy of host glasses both contribute to the enhanced up-conversion emissions. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative investigation of up-conversion luminescence in Tm3+-doped oxide-chloride germanate and tellurite glasses

Tm3+-doped oxide-chloride germanate and tellurite glasses have been synthesized by conventional melting method. Intense up-conversion luminescence emissions were simultaneously observed at room temperature in these glasses. The possible up-conversion mechanisms are discussed and estimated. However, in these Tm3+-doped glasses, tellurite glass showed weaker up-conversion emissions than germanate glass, which is inconsistent with the prediction from the difference of maximum phonon energy between tellurite and germanate glasses. In this paper, Raman spectroscopy was employed to investigate the origin of the difference in up-conversion luminescence in the two glasses. Our results confirm that, besides the maximum phonon energy, the phonon density of host glasses is also an important factor in determining the up-conversion efficiency. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cooperative up-conversion luminescence of ytterbium doped yttrium lanthanum oxide transparent ceramic

The up-conversion luminescence of Yb3+-doped yttriurn lanthanum oxide transparent ceramic was investigated. It was ascribed to cooperative luminescence originated from the coupled states of the Yb3+ ion pairs. The proper doping of La2O3 can remove the cooperative luminescence of Yb3+ ion. But excessive La2O3 (at least 10 at.%) the cooperative up-conversion of Yb3+:Y2O3 is obtained again, and the intensity of up-conversion luminescence strengthens with the increase of La2O3 content. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Er3+ excitation and up-conversion processes in y 2-xErxSi2O7 films for planar optical amplifiers

Structural and optical properties of Y2-xErxSi 2O7 thin films have been studied. For higher Er content mechanisms related to Er-Er interactions increase optical efficiency. Moreover the influence of up-conversion has been estimated. ©2009 IEEE.