Multiple energy transfers in rare earth complex-doped SiO2 spheres

Silica spheres doped with Eu(TTFA)(3) and/or Sm(TTFA)(3) were synthesized by using the modified Stober method. The transmission electron microscope image reveals that the hybrid spheres have smooth surfaces and an average diameter of about 210 nm. Fluorescence spectrometer was used to analyze the fluorescence properties of hybrid spheres. The results show that multiple energy transfer processes are simultaneously achieved in the same samples co-doped with Eu (TTFA)(3) and Sm(TTFA)(3), namely between the ligand and Eu3+ ion, the ligand and Sm3+ ion, and Sm3+ ion and Eu3+, ion. Energy transfer of Sm3+-> Eu3+, in the hybrid spheres leads to fluorescence enhancement of Eu3+ emission by approximately an order of magnitude. The lifetimes of the hybrid spheres were also measured.

Preparation and characterization of erbium doped sol-gel silica glasses

Erbium-doped silica glasses were made by sol-gel process. Intensive photoluminescence (PL) spectra from the Er-doped silica glasses at room temperature were measured. A broadband peak at 1535 ma, corresponding to the I-4(13/2)-I-4(15/2) transition, its full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 10 nm, and a shoulder at 1546 nm in the PL spectra were observed. At lower temperatures, main line of 1535 nm and another line of 1552 Mn instead of 1546 nm appear. So two types of luminescence centers must exist in the samples at different temperature. The intensity of main line does not decrease obviously with increasing temperature. By varying the Er ion concentration in the range of 0.2 wt% - 5wt%, the highest photoluminescence intensity was obtained at 0.2wt% erbium doped concentration. Luminescence intensity decreases with increasing erbium concentration. Cooperative upconversion was used to explain the concentration quenching of luminescence from silica glass with high erbium concentration. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure measurements were carried out. It was found that the majority of the erbium impurities in the glasses have a local structure of eight first neighbor oxygen atoms at a mean distance of 0.255 nm, which is consistent with the typical coordination structure of rare earth ion.