Dual-mode infrared photon-excited synergistic effect in Er3+-doped NaYF4 glass ceramics

Abstract

Transparent NaYF4:Er3+ glass ceramics was fabricated by conventional melt-quenching technique. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses show that NaYF4:Er3+ glass ceramics are precipitated among the glass matrix. A synergistic effect between two infrared up-conversion processes is observed in NaYF4:Er3+ glass ceramics through controlling the dual wavelength (980 and 1545 nm) excitation source. The synergistic effect originates from an abnormal energy transfer between Er3+ ions, in which the Er3+ ions in metastable states excited by 980 photons are excited again by the 1545 photons. The 192.26% absolute enhancement of the 669 nm red emission is realized through the synergistic effect of infrared up-conversion induced by the 980 and 1545 nm dual-mode excitation. This work presents an effective method to reduce energy consumption through changing the up-conversion route under dual-mode excitation.