Near Infrared Quantum Cutting Luminescence of Er3+/Tm3+ Ion Pairs in a Telluride Glass

Sci Rep. 2017 May 16;7(1):1976. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-02244-8.

Abstract

The multiphoton near-infrared, quantum cutting luminescence in Er3+/Tm3+ co-doped telluride glass was studied. We found that the near-infrared 1800-nm luminescence intensity of (A) Er3+(8%)Tm3+(0.5%):telluride glass was approximately 4.4 to 19.5 times larger than that of (B) Tm3+(0.5%):telluride glass, and approximately 5.0 times larger than that of (C) Er3+(0.5%):telluride glass. Additionally, the infrared excitation spectra of the 1800 nm luminescence, as well as the visible excitation spectra of the 522 nm and 652 nm luminescence, of (A) Er3+(8%)Tm3+(0.5%):telluride glass are very similar to those of Er3+ ions in (C) Er3+(0.5%):telluride glass, with respect to the shapes of their excitation spectral waveforms and peak wavelengths. Moreover, we found that there is a strong spectral overlap and energy transfer between the infrared luminescence of Er3+ donor ions and the infrared absorption of Tm3+ acceptor ions. The efficiency of this energy transfer {4I13/2(Er3+) → 4I15/2(Er3+), 3H6(Tm3+) → 3F4(Tm3+)} between the Er3+ and Tm3+ ions is approximately 69.8%. Therefore, we can conclude that the observed behaviour is an interesting multiphoton, near-infrared, quantum cutting luminescence phenomenon that occurs in novel Er3+-Tm3+ ion pairs. These findings are significant for the development of next-generation environmentally friendly germanium solar cells, and near-to-mid infrared (1.8-2.0 μm) lasers pumped by GaN light emitting diodes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't