Efficient Sensitized Photoluminescence from Erbium Chloride Silicate via Interparticle Energy Transfer.

Hao Shen,Huabao Shang,Deren Yang,Dongsheng Li,Yuhan Gao

doi:10.3390/ma15031093

Hao Shen, Huabao Shang + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15031093

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Abstract

In this study, we prepare Erbium compound nanocrystals and Si nanocrystal (Si NC) co-embedded silica film by the sol-gel method. Dual phases of Si and Er chloride silicate (ECS) nanocrystals were coprecipitated within amorphous silica. Effective sensitized emission of Er chloride silicate nanocrystals was realized via interparticle energy transfer between silicon nanocrystal and Er chloride silicate nanocrystals. The influence of density and the distribution of sensitizers and Er compounds on interparticle energy transfer efficiency was discussed. The interparticle energy transfer between the semiconductor and erbium compound nanocrystals offers some important insights into the realization of efficient light emission for silicon-based integrated photonics.

Highlights

Rare earth ion (RE3+)-containing luminescent materials, which possess abundant and sharp emissions via intra-4f transitions, have been gaining considerable interest in many areas such as optical amplifiers for telecommunications [1], solid-state light sources [2], bio-sensors [3], solar cells [4], etc
We demonstrate that the efficient sensitized emission of crystalline Er chloride silicate (ECS) can be achieved via interparticle energy transfer from Si nanocrystal (Si NC)
There is a competition between Er3+ and Si NC luminescence, that is, Er3+ emission increases with increasing Er:Si ratio accompanying a quenching of Si NC emission discussed above. These results provide strong evidence of an effective energy transfer from the excitons confined in Si NC to the Er3+

Summary

Introduction

Rare earth ion (RE3+)-containing luminescent materials, which possess abundant and sharp emissions via intra-4f transitions, have been gaining considerable interest in many areas such as optical amplifiers for telecommunications [1], solid-state light sources [2], bio-sensors [3], solar cells [4], etc. The concentration quenching effect would be severe owing to the formation of optically inactive erbium precipitates and clusters inside the host when the doping density exceeds solid solubility [12]. Crystalline erbium compounds, such as Er2Si2O7 [13] and erbium chloride silicate (ECS) [14], have been expected to overcome the solubility limit because erbium ions are periodically arranged at lattice sites. Giant net optical gain over 100 dB/cm has been realized in single-crystal ECS nanowires [15]

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