Investigations into the structural and down-shifting and up-conversion luminescence properties of Ba2Na1-3xErxNb5O15 (0 <= x <= 0.06) nanocrystalline phosphor synthesized via sol-gel route

The present work deals with the structural and efficient down-shifting (DS) and up-conversion (UC) luminescence properties of erbium ion (Er3+) doped nanocrystalline barium sodium niobate (Ba2Na1-3xErxNb5O15, where x = 0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06) powders synthesized via novel citrate-based sol-gel route. The monophasic nature of the title compound was confirmed via x-ray powder diffraction followed by FT-IR studies. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) facilitated the establishment of the nanocrystalline phase and the morphology of the crystallites. The Kubelka-Munk function, based on diffused reflectance studies and carried out on nano-sized crystallites, was employed to obtain the optical band-gap. The synthesized nanophosphor showed efficient DS/PL-photoluminescence and UC luminescence properties, which have not yet been reported so far in this material. The material emits intense DS green emission on excitation with 378 nm radiation. Interestingly, the material gives intense UC emission in the visible region dominated by green emission and relatively weak red emission on 976 nm excitation (NIR laser excitation). Such a dual-mode emitting nanophosphor could be very useful in display devices and for many other applications.

Investigation of the effect of fluoride ions introduction on structural, OH- content and up-conversion luminescence properties in Er3+-doped heavy metal oxide glasses

Effect of fluoride ions introduction on structural, OH- content and up-conversion luminescence properties in Er3+-doped heavy metal oxide glasses have been investigated. Structure was investigated, indicating that fluoride has an important influence on the phonon density, maximum phonon energy of host glasses. With increasing fluoride content, the up-conversion luminescence intensity and quantum efficiencies increase notably, which could not be explained only by the maximum phonon energy change of host glasses. Our results show that, with the introduction of PbF2, the decrease of phonon density and OH- content contributes more to the enhanced up-conversion emissions than that of maximum phonon energy. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intense blue up-conversion luminescence in Tm3+/Yb3+ codoped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics containing beta-PbF2 nanocrystals

Up-conversion luminescence properties of a Tm3+/Yb3+ codoped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics under 980nm excitation are investigated. Intense blue emission centered at 476nm, corresponding to (1)G(4) -> H-3(6) transitions of Tm3+ was simultaneously observed in the transparent oxyfluoride glass ceramics at room temperature. 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 reason for the intense TM3+ up- conversion luminescence in the oxyfluoride glass-ceramics is discussed. The dependence of up-conversion intensities on excitation power and possible up-conversion mechanism are also evaluated. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

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+/Yb3+-codoped germanate-niobic and germanium-bismuth glasses: effect of phonon density on up-conversion emission

Tm3+/Yb3+-codoped gernianate-niobic (GN) and germanium-bismuth (GB) glasses have been synthesized by conventional ruching and quenching method. 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. GN glass showed a weaker up-conversion emission than GB glass, which is inconsistent with the prediction from the difference of maximum phonon energy between GN and GB glasses. In this paper, Raman spectroscopy was employed to investigate the origin of the difference in up-conversion luminescence in the two glasses. Compared with phonon side-band spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy extracts more information including both phonon energy and phonon density. For the first time, our results reveal 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.

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.

Up-conversion luminescence analysis in ytterbium-sensitized erbium-doped oxide-halide tellurite and germanate-niobic-lead glasses

Ytterbium-sensitized erbium-doped oxide-halide tellurite and germanate-niobic-lead glasses have been synthesized by conventional melting method. Intense green and red emissions centered at 525, 546 and 657 nm, corresponding to the transitions H-2(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 simultaneously observed at room temperature in these glasses. The quadratic dependence of the 525, 546 and 657 nm emissions on excitation power indicates that a two-photon absorption process occurs. Tellurite glass showed a weaker up-conversion emission than germanate-niobic-lead glass, which is inconsistent with the prediction from the difference of maximum phonon energy between tellurite and germanate-mobic-lead glasses. In this paper, Raman spectroscopy was employed to investigate the origin of the difference in up-conversion luminescence in the two glasses. Compared with phonon side-band spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy extracts more information including both phonon energy and phonon density. Our results reveal that the phonon density and the maximum phonon energy of host glasses are both important factors in determining the up-conversion efficiency. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. 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.

Strong visible up-conversion emission in Tb3+, Tm3+ and Tb3+-Tm3+ co-doped tellurite glasses sensitized by Yb3+

Up-conversion luminescence characteristics under 975 nm excitation have been investigated with Tb3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ triply doped tellurite glasses. Here, green (547 nm: D-5(4) --> F-7(4)) and red (660 nm: D-5(4) --> F-7(2)) up-conversion (UC) luminescence originating from Tb3+ is observed strongly, because of the quadratic dependences of emission intensities on the excitation power. Especially, the UC luminescence was intensified violently with the energy transfer from the Tm3+ ions involves in the Tb3+ excitation. To the Tb3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ triply doped glass system, a novel up-conversion mechanism is proposed as follows: the energy of (3)G(4) level (Tm3+) was transferred to D-5(4) (Tb3+) and the 477-nm UC luminescence of Tm3+ was nearly quenched. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Avidin conjugation to up-conversion phosphor NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ by the oxidation of the oligosaccharide chains

NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles were successfully prepared by a polyol process using diethyleneglycol (DEG) as solvent. After being functionalized with SiO2-NH2 layer, these NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles can conjugate with activated avidin molecules (activated by the oxidation of the oligosaccharide chain). The as-formed NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles, NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles functionalized with amino groups, avidin conjugated amino-functionalized NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), UV/Vis absorption spectra, and up-conversion luminescence spectra, respectively.

Avidin conjugation to up-conversion phosphor NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ by the oxidation of the oligosaccharide chains

NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles were successfully prepared by a polyol process using diethyleneglycol (DEG) as solvent. After being functionalized with SiO2-NH2 layer, these NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles can conjugate with activated avidin molecules (activated by the oxidation of the oligosaccharide chain). The as-formed NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles, NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles functionalized with amino groups, avidin conjugated amino-functionalized NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), UV/Vis absorption spectra, and up-conversion luminescence spectra, respectively. The biofunctionalization of the NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles has less effect on their luminescence properties, i.e., they still show the up-conversion emission (from Er3+, with S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2) at similar to 540 nm and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2) at similar to 653 nm), indicative of the great potential for these NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles to be used as fluorescence probes for biological system.