Enhancement of Pr 3+ luminescence in TeO 2–ZnO–Nb 2O 5–MoO 3 glasses containing silver nanoparticles

Abstract

In this paper, we report the influence of silver nanoparticles (NPs) on the luminescence properties of TeO 2–ZnO–Nb 2O 5–MoO 3 glass doped with trivalent praseodymium (Pr 3+) ions. From the XRD, Raman and DTA measurements, glasses structural and thermal properties were determined. The experiments were performed with samples containing different concentrations of NPs controlled by heat-treatment of the glass. The enhancement of the Stokes luminescence with an increase of the NPs concentration was observed for these samples excited at 470 nm. The influence of the NPs on the frequency upconversion (anti-Stokes) emissions of Pr 3+ under excitation at 586 nm was also investigated, in resonance with the 3H 4→ 1D 2 transition. The excited Pr 3+ ions exchange energy in the presence of the nanoparticles, originating efficient conversion from orange to blue. The enhancement in the intensity of the luminescence at ∼493 nm, corresponding to the 3P 0→ 3H 4 transition, is due to the influence of the large local field on the Pr 3+ ions, which are located near the metallic nanoparticles.