Enhancing optical properties of Lu3Al5O12:Ce3+ by cost-effective silica-based photonic crystals

Abstract

Light-induced interactions between a commercially available green phosphor; Lu3Al5O12:Ce3+ (LuAG:Ce3+); and silica photonic crystals (PC) have been investigated in terms of absorption, excitation- and emission-based properties, respectively. The composites were prepared by embedding the phosphorus and other additives homogeneously in a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) matrix in form of thin films. When entrapped in the polymer, the additive-free LuAG:Ce3+ exhibited two efficient absorption bands centered at 346 and 450 nm, respectively. A broadband emission at 538 nm and a Stoke’s Shift of 88 nm were observed when excited by blue light; at 450 nm. When the Ce-free and Ce-doped photonic crystals were utilized along with the LuAG:Ce3+, the emission intensities of the composites were enhanced at 19- and 18-fold with respect to the PC-free forms. Additionally, average decay times of the individual phosphor and silica-modified phosphor composites were measured as 64, 550, 772, and 830 µs, respectively.