Strong Single-Band Blue Emission from Colloidal Ce3+/Tm3+-Doped NaYF4Nanocrystals for Light-Emitting Applications

Introduce Ce3+ Ions to Realize Enhancement of C+L Band Luminescence of KMnF3: Yb, Er Nanoparticles

Polymer-based waveguide amplifiers are essential components in integrated optical systems, as their gain bandwidths directly determine the operating wavelength of optical circuits. However, development of the wideband gain media has been challenging, making it difficult to fabricate devices with broadband amplification capability. Rare earth ion-doped nanoparticles (NPs) are a key component in the gain media, and their full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the emission peak decides the final gain bandwidth of the gain media. Here, KMnF3: Yb, Er, Ce@KMnF3: Yb NPs with the broad full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the emission peak covering the S+C band was prepared. The NPs were synthesized using a hydrothermal method, and the FWHM of the emission peak of NPs reached 76 nm under the excitation of a 980 nm laser. The introduction of Ce3+ ions and a core-shell structure coating greatly enhanced the emission intensity of NPs at C band. Since KMnF3: Yb, Er, Ce@KMnF3: Yb NPs have exceptional broadband luminescence properties at C band, KMnF3: Yb, Er, Ce@KMnF3: Yb NPs can be the potential gain medium in the future polymer-based waveguide amplifiers.

Design of Lanthanide-Doped Colloidal Nanocrystals: Applications as Phosphors, Sensors, and Photocatalysts

The unique optical characteristics of lanthanides (Ln³⁺) such as high color purity, long excited-state lifetimes, less perturbation of excited states by the crystal field environment, and the easy spectral conversion of wavelengths through upconversion and downconversion processes have caught the attention of many scientists in the recent past. To broaden the scope of using these properties, it is important to make suitable Ln³⁺-doped materials, particularly in colloidal forms. In this feature article, we discuss the different synthesis strategies for making Ln³⁺-doped nanoparticles in colloidal forms, particularly ways of functionalizing hydrophobic surfaces to hydrophilic surfaces to enhance their dispersibility and luminescence in aqueous media. We have enumerated the various strategies and sensitizers utilized to increase the luminescence of the nanoparticles. Furthermore, the use of these colloidal nanoparticle systems in sensing application by the appropriate selection of capping ligands has been discussed. In addition, we have shown how the energy transfer efficiency from Ce³⁺ to Ln³⁺ ions can be utilized for the detection of toxic metal ions and small molecules. Finally, we discuss examples where the spectral conversion ability of these materials has been used in photocatalysis and solar cell applications.

Synthesis of Small Ce3+-Er3+-Yb3+ Tri-Doped BaLuF₅ Active-Core-Active-Shell-Active-Shell Nanoparticles with Strong Down Conversion Luminescence at 1.5 μm

Small fluoride nanoparticles (NPs) with strong down-conversion (DC) luminescence at 1.5 μm are quite desirable for optical fiber communication systems. Nevertheless, a problem exists regarding how to synthesize small fluoride NPs with strong DC emission at 1.5 μm. Herein, we propose an approach to improve 1.5 μm emission of BaLuF₅:Yb3+,Er3+ NPs by way of combining doping Ce3+ ions and coating multiple BaLuF₅: Yb3+ active-shells. We prepared the BaLuF₅:18%Yb3+,2%Er3+,2%Ce3+ NPs through a high-boiling solvent method. The effect of Ce3+ concentration on the DC luminescence was systematically investigated in the BaLuF₅:Yb3+,Er3+ NPs. Under a 980 nm laser excitation, the intensities of 1.53 μm emission of BaLuF₅:18%Yb3+,2%Er3+,2%Ce3+ NPs was enhanced by 2.6 times comparing to that of BaLuF₅:18%Yb3+,2%Er3+ NPs since the energy transfer between Er3+ and Ce3+ ions: Er3+:⁴I11/2 (Er3+) + ²F5/2 (Ce3+) → ⁴I13/2 (Er3+) + ²F7/2 (Ce3+). Then, we synthesized BaLuF₅:18%Yb3+,2%Er3+,2%Ce3+@BaLuF₅:5%Yb3+@BaLuF₅:5%Yb3+ core-active-shell-active-shell NPs via a layer-by-layer strategy. After coating two BaLuF₅:Yb3+ active-shell around BaLuF₅:Yb3+,Er3+,Ce3+ NPs, the intensities of the 1.53 μm emission was enhanced by 44 times compared to that of BaLuF₅:Yb3+,Er3+ core NPs, since the active-shells could be used to not only suppress surface quenching but also to transfer the pump light to the core region efficiently through Yb3+ ions inside the active-shells.

Ce3+ -Sensitized Tm3+ /Mn2+ -Doped NaYF4 Colloidal Nanocrystals: Intense Cool White Light from a Phosphor-Coated UV LED

Colloidal NaYF₄ :Ce³⁺ /Tm³⁺ /Mn²⁺ nanocrystals found to be an efficient single component phosphor to produce intense white light. The use of Mn²⁺ ions instead of green- and red-emitting Ln³⁺ ions is interesting as the later are expensive and less abundant. The single band blue emission of Tm³⁺ ions was combined with the broadband green-yellow emission of Mn²⁺ ions to produce strong white light emission using Ce³⁺ ions as excitation source. Interestingly, there is hardly any re-absorption of the blue emission by Mn²⁺ ions and the spectrum matches the commercial Ce³⁺ -doped yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) phosphor coated over a blue LED. In addition, we have successfully incorporated the colloidal nanocrystals into a polymer matrix to make a nanocomposite as well as transparent films without altering the optical properties of the nanocrystals. The colloidal nanocomposite was coated over a UV LED to fabricate white LEDs. Finally, when the concentration of the dopant (Mn²⁺ ) ions was tuned the correlated color temperature (CCT) values varied between cool white light and daylight region.

Enhanced visible and near infrared emissions via Ce(3+) to Ln(3+) energy transfer in Ln(3+)-doped CeF3 nanocrystals (Ln = Nd and Sm)

We report the enhancement of both visible and near infrared (NIR) emissions from Nd(3+) ions via Ce(3+) sensitization in colloidal nanocrystals for the first time. This is achieved in citrate capped Nd(3+)-doped CeF3 nanocrystals under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation (λex = 282 nm). The lasing transition ((4)F3/2 → (4)I11/2) at 1064 nm from Nd(3+)-doped CeF3 nanocrystals has much higher emission intensity via Ce(3+) ion sensitization compared to the direct excitation of Nd(3+) ions. The nanocrystals were prepared using a simple microwave irradiation route. Moreover, the study has been extended to Sm(3+)-doped CeF3 nanocrystals which show strong characteristic emissions of Sm(3+) ions via energy transfer from Ce(3+) ions. The energy transfer mechanism from Ce(3+) to Nd(3+) and Sm(3+) ions is proposed.