Green Upconversion Emission Research Articles

Untypical tuneable emission activated by NIR radiation observed in gadolinium borate nanomaterials doped with Yb3+, Ho3+ and Ce3+ ions.

New luminescent nanoparticles with adjustable emission properties were synthesized via a hydrothermal method to investigate the effect of Ce3+ concentration on the tuneable emission properties of Yb3+/Ho3+ co-doped gadolinium borates. The synthesized samples' comprehensive structural and morphological analysis was conducted utilizing X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. To obtain highly crystalline nanoparticles GdBO3:Yb3+/Ho3+/Ce3+ characterized by intense and bright emission, they were annealed at 525°C and 925°C. Under the excitation of 972nm, the tunable yellow to green up-conversion (UC) emission was observed, while the Ce3+ concentration increased. This change correlated with a difference in the correlated color temperature from 4345K to 5442K, respectively. The untypical changes observed in the red-to-green (R/G) ratio, displaying a declining trend contrary to conventional expectations, allowed for the proposed mechanism for understanding their UC luminescence properties. The results obtained indicate that the Ce3+ doped GdBO3:Yb3+/Ho3+ nanoparticles demonstrate high application potential for anti-counterfeiting.

Rise and Decay of Photoluminescence in Upconverting Lanthanide-Doped Nanocrystals.

Nanocrystals (NCs) doped with lanthanides are capable of efficient photon upconversion, i.e., absorbing long-wavelength light and emitting shorter-wavelength light. The internal processes that enable upconversion are a complex network of electronic transitions within and energy transfer between dopant centers. In this work, we study the rise and decay dynamics of upconversion emission from β-NaYF4 NCs codoped with Er3+ and Yb3+. The rise dynamics of the red and green upconverted emissions are nonlinear, reflecting the nonlinear nature of upconversion and revealing the mechanisms that populate the emitting states. The excited-state decay dynamics are nonexponential. We unravel the underlying decay pathways using photonic experiments. These reveal the contributions of different upconversion pathways visually, as each pathway exhibits a distinct response to systematic variation of the local density of optical states. Moreover, the effect of the local density of optical states on core-only NCs is qualitatively different from core-shell NCs. This is due to the different balance between feeding and decay of the electronic levels that produce upconverted emission. The understanding of the upconversion dynamics provided here could lead to better imaging and sensing methods relying on upconversion lifetimes or guide the rational optimization of the dopant concentrations for brighter upconversion.

Upconversion luminescence and thermosensitive properties of NaGd(PO3)4:Yb3+/Er3+

High-sensitivity optical temperature measurement has attracted extensive attention in both fundamental studies and practical applications. In this study, a series of upconversion (UC) luminescence phosphors composed of NaGd(PO3)4 (NGP) doped with 20 at% Yb3+ and various concentrations of Er3+ (0.5 at% as the optimal concentration) was synthesized by high-temperature solid-state method. And their crystal structure and the distribution of lanthanide dopants were analyzed using X-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement verifies. Under 980 nm laser excitation, the obtained phosphors show the characteristic Er3+ upconversion green and red emission bands through two-photon processes. The fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) based on the thermal coupled states demonstrates the thermal sensing ability in a wide temperature range of 200–573 K. The thermal sensitivity is relatively high with the maximum absolute thermal sensitivity Sa of 0.53 % K−1 (523 K) and the maximum relative thermal sensitivity Sr of 2.60 % K−1. The phosphor NGP:Yb/Er also exhibits high repeatability as the thermal sensors reach 97 %. These findings postulate the potential of NGP:Yb/Er as a promising candidate in optical thermal sensing applications.

Tunable multimode emissions of Yb3+/Er3+-doped rare-earth-based Cs2NaYCl6 double perovskite crystals for versatile applications

Lead-free halide double perovskite materials are gaining recognition because of their excellent optoelectronic performance. However, achieving multimode luminescence with tunable emission colors in single-component double perovskites remains a significant challenge. Understanding the mechanism of trivalent lanthanide-ion doping could provide a valuable solution. Herein, we report the synthesis of rare-earth-based Cs2NaYCl6 double perovskites using a hydrothermal method. Efficient visible to near-infrared down-shifting (DS) photoluminescence and green up-conversion (UC) emissions were realized by incorporating Er3+ ions with abundant energy levels into the hosts. Notably, the DS and UC emission colors could both be adjusted by further introducing Yb3+ ions that acted as sensitizers, and the photoluminescence was significantly enhanced due to the strong absorption at 980 nm. Spectral analysis revealed that the high compatibility of lanthanide ions with the rare-earth-based double perovskites and cross-relaxation processes played a key role in achieving modulated emission and multiple excitation modes. This study aimed to understand the photophysical mechanism of lanthanide-ion-doped double perovskites, as well as to highlight their ability to modulate emissions. Furthermore, this study expands the versatile applications of lanthanide-ion-doped double perovskites in the fields of high-security anti-counterfeiting, tissue imaging, and night-vision systems.

The role of thickness on the structural and luminescence properties of Y2O3:Ho3+, Yb3+ upconversion films

The structural, surface, and upconversion (UC) luminescence properties of Y2O3:Ho3+,Yb3+ films grown by pulsed laser deposition, for different numbers of laser pulses, were studied. The crystallinity, surface, and UC luminescence properties of the thin films were found to be highly dependent on the number of laser pulses. The X-ray powder diffraction analysis revealed that Y2O3:Ho3+,Yb3+ films were formed in a cubic structure phase with an Ia 3¯\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\overline{3 }$$\\end{document} space group. The thicknesses of the films were estimated by using cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy, depth profiles using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the Swanepoel method. The high-resolution XPS was used to determine the chemical composition and oxidation states of the prepared films. The UC emissions were observed at 538, 550, 666, and 756 nm, assigned to the 5F4 → 5I8, 5S2 → 5I8, 5F5 → 5I8, and 5S2 → 5I7 transitions of the Ho3+ ions. The power dependence measurements confirmed the involvement of a two-photon process in the UC process. The color purity estimated from the Commission International de I’Eclairage coordinates confirmed strong green UC emission. The results suggested that the Y2O3:Ho3+,Yb3+ UC transparent films are good candidates for various applications, including solar cell applications.

Bimolybdate single crystals codoping with trivalent ytterbium and erbium ions for high-stable and high-sensitive optical thermometry

Replacing conventional powder polycrystalline materials with crystalline materials is an effective strategy to improve the sensing sensitivity, responsiveness, and anti-interference capabilities of the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) based optical temperature sensing techniques. In this work, Yb3+/Er3+ codoped bimolybdate single crystals, NaBi(MoO4)2 (NBM) with different Er3+ ion doping concentrations, were grown by the Czochralski method, in which is expected to be used for optical temperature sensing applications. The structure of the crystals was fully characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Under 980 nm laser excitation, the crystals demonstrated notable green and slight red upconversion (UC) emissions, and the mechanism of UC luminescence was thoroughly investigated. The luminescence intensity was found to be contingent upon the doping concentration, which gradually decayed with increase of Er3+ ions. The optical temperature sensing performance of Yb3+/Er3+ codoped NBM single crystals was evaluated by the FIR technique based on the thermally coupled level of Er3+ ions (2H11/2/4S3/2). The experimental findings revealed that the 10 at% Yb3+, 10 at% Er3+: NBM crystal exhibited highest sensor sensitivity among the synthesized crystals, with a maximum absolute sensitivity of approximately 1.22 % K−1 at 510 K. Furthermore, the temperature sensing characteristics of the crystals appeared to be dependent on the doping concentration of Er3+ ions. In summary, the Yb3+/Er3+ codoped NBM single crystal showcased excellent sensor sensitivity and held considerable promise as materials for optical temperature sensing applications.

Multi-mode up-conversion emission of Tm@Yb@Er phosphors for color modulation and thermometry

Rare earth doped up-conversion materials play an important role in information security, colorful display and temperature sensing. In this work, the up-conversion luminescence of NaYF4:0.2Tm/20Yb@NaYF4:20Yb@NaYF4:2Er/20Yb phosphors, synthesized by typical co-precipitation method, are investigated under different excitation condition. The emission color of sample can be tuned from yellow to blue-green through changing pump laser from 1550 to 980 nm because the Tm3+ ions in the core cannot be excited by 1550 nm laser. More interesting, the value of red-to-green (R/G) and blue-to-green (B/G) can be finely manipulated by tuning the excitation pulse width and frequency. This phenomenon can be interpreted by different rising processes of the green, red and blue up-conversion emission. In addition, the core-shell structured sample displays a temperature-dependent color change, ranging from blue-green to purple. The green emissions, radiated from thermal coupled levels (2H11/24S3/2), are used in thermometry and the max relatively sensing sensitivity reaches 0.01 K−1 at 303 K. The findings indicate that the core-shell Tm@Yb@Er phosphors, with excitation-dependent and temperature-dependent up-conversion luminescence, have potential applications in information security and temperature sensing.

Efficient green upconversion emission in transparent Teo2-Geo2 glass-ceramic obtained by billet extrusion

Transparent Yb3+/Er3+glass-ceramic was successfully obtained by the extrusion method. The extrusion of oxyfluoride tellurite-germanate glass co-doped with Yb3+and Er3+ions at 520°C resulted in the formation of Ba0:75Er0:25F2:25 nanocrystals, leading to an increase in the upconversion (UC) emission intensity of 35 times in glass-ceramic with respect to the glass. The glass to glass-ceramic transition was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission electron microscope (TEM). Also, the structural changes that occurred during crystallization were assessed using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, the pump power and temperature UC emission dependence of glass and glass-ceramic under 976 nm laser excitation were investigated in detail. The assessments showed that i) two-phonons are involved in the UC process and ii) the temperature has a significant influence over it. The Yb3+/Er3+ codoped glass-ceramic shows relatively high Sa and Sr values in a wide temperature range from 300 to 573 K, presenting the maximal Sa value of 3:50 x 10–3 at 573 K and the maximal Sr value of 6:30 x 10–3at 364 K. These results suggest that the glass-ceramic is a good candidate for optical applications such as luminescent thermometry.

Enhancing the blue and NIR emissions of NaBiF4:Er3+,Yb3+ phosphors by co-doping with Mg2+ or Mn2+

This work reports the morphological, structural, and photoluminescent properties of NaBiF4:Er3+/Yb3+ phosphors with and without Mg2+ or Mn2+ co-dopants. The XRD patterns showed that NaBiF4 (NBF) host and NaBiF4:Er3+/Yb3+ phosphors have a mixture of hexagonal and cubic phases, while the phosphors co-doped with Mg2+ or Mn2+ ions only presented a cubic phase. The analysis by microscopy revealed that the NaBiF4:Er3+/Yb3+ phosphors are composed of particles with quasi-spherical morphology, and adding the Mg or Mn co-dopants increased the particle size from 218-397 nm to 346–447 nm. The downconversion (DC) photoluminescence (PL) spectrum (λexc = 240 or 305 nm) of the undoped NBF host showed intense green emission (at 507 nm). After doping with the NBF host with Er3+/Yb3+ ions, violet-blue (403–472 nm) and NIR (804–852 nm) emissions were observed under UV excitation. Later, Mg2+ and Mn2+ co-dopants were incorporated into the NaBiF4:Er3+/Yb3+ system and enhanced the intensity of the NIR emission by 3–4.1 times. Furthermore, the NaBiF4:Er3+/Yb3+ phosphor doped with 5 mol% Yb3+ was annealed at 600 °C and excited with NIR light (980 nm). Such phosphor exhibited intense green (545 nm) and red (658 nm) upconversion (UC) emissions, which were not observed in the phosphors synthesized without annealing treatment. According to the CIE maps, the phosphors excited with UV and NIR light had their color coordinates in the blue and yellow regions, respectively. Overall, the phosphors studied here are promising lighting sources for biomedical applications such as bioimaging or biomarkers due to their intense NIR emission at 852 nm (not previously reported in the literature for the NaBiF4:Er3+/Yb3+ system).

Optical Temperature-Sensing Performance of La2Ce2O7:Ho3+ Yb3+ Powders.

In this paper, La2Ce2O7 powders co-activated by Ho3+ and Yb3+ were synthesized by a high temperature solid-state reaction. Both Ho3+ and Yb3+ substitute the La3+ sites in the La2Ce2O7 lattice, where the Ho3+ concentration is 0.5 at.% and the Yb3+ concentration varies in the range of 10~18% at.%. Pumped by a 980 nm laser, the up-conversion (UC) green emission peak at 547 nm and the red emission at 661 nm were detected. When the doping concentration of Ho3+ and Yb3+ are 0.5 at.% and 14% at.%, respectively, the UC emission reaches the strongest intensity. The temperature-sensing performance of La2Ce2O7:Ho3+ with Yb3+ was studied in the temperature range of 303-483 K, where the highest relative sensitivity (Sr) is 0.0129 K-1 at 483 K. The results show that the powder La2Ce2O7:Ho3+, Yb3+ can be a potential candidate for remote temperature sensors.

β-NaBiF4:Yb3+,Er3+:Novel green synthesis, crystal structure, upconversion luminescence and optical thermometry

Non-lanthanide based NaBiF4 host have evoked remarkable interest due to unique luminescent property and potential applications. Current synthetic methods are not environment friendly and causes pollution. This is the first report mentioning green synthetic innovative route to develop upconversion, crystalline, and temperature sensing material. Here, we deigned ultrasonic assisted green approach for successful synthesis of β-NaBiF4:Yb3+, Er3+ (size ∼25–100 nm) using Tabernaemontana divaricata leaves extract without any surfactant. Characterization techniques such as XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, EDX, and PL unveiled its properties. Green and red upconversion emissions (λex = 980 nm) were two-photon absorption process. The possible energy transfer and thermal quenching mechanism is discussed. Using thermally coupled levels (2H11/2 and 4S3/2) of Er3+, FIR based temperature sensing revealed ΔE ∼841 cm−1, linear response (R2 ∼0.99), outstanding relative sensitivity (Sr max∼ 1.4 % K−1 @294 K), good absolute sensitivity (Sa max∼ 0.29 %K−1 @ 398 K) and a low temperature resolution (δTmin = 0.35 K) over temperature range 294–398 K.

Site Preference Induced Dual‐Wavelength Mn2+ Upconversion in K2NaScF6:Yb3+, Mn2+ and Its Application in Temperature Sensing

AbstractThe realization of dual‐wavelength Mn2+ upconversion (UC) luminescence that exhibits different thermal responsive behaviors is promising for non‐invasive optical temperature sensing applications. However, it remains challenging to achieve such luminescence of Mn2+ ions. Herein, due to the site preference characteristics of Mn2+, color tunable and dual‐wavelength Mn2+ UC luminescence is achieved in K2NaScF6:Yb3+, Mn2+ by simply adjusting the Mn2+ doping concentration. Structural and spectral analysis as well as theoretical calculations reveal that the green and red UC emissions originate from two kinds of face‐sharing Yb3+‐Mn2+ dimers, which exhibit different luminescence properties, including different emission wavelength, excited state lifetime, full width at half maximum (FWHM), and luminescence thermal stability. This unique dual‐wavelength UC luminescence of Mn2+ provides a new type of fluorescence intensity ratio thermometer with absolute and relative sensitivities of up to 0.018 K−1 and 0.525% K−1, respectively. This work not only demonstrates the potential application of K2NaScF6:Yb3+, Mn2+ material in the field of optical thermometry but also provides new perspectives for designing multi‐band Mn2+ UC luminescence.

Blue and green upconverted emission in fluoroindate glasses under 808 nm excitation

In this study, the upconversion (UC) luminescence of fluoroindate glasses (InF3G) co-doped with Yb-Nd-Er (Tm) ions excited in the NIR-I biological window was analyzed. In the first system, UC emission of singly Er3+ doped InF3G under 808 nm excitation occurred to be more efficient than those observed in InF3G co-doped with Yb–Er and Yb-Nd-Er. The intensity of UC emission (InF3G-Er) was 22 % higher than InF3G-Yb-Er, and even more than two times higher than in the InF3G-Yb-Nd-Er sample. The effective energy transfer (η) between Nd3+- Yb3+ (η = 45 %) and Yb3+-Er3+ (η = 68 %), was reflected in the emission observed in the NIR region mainly, ascribed to Yb3+:2F5/2 → 2F7/2 (978 and 999 nm) and Nd3+:4F3/2 → 4I9/2 (1053 nm) transitions. Meanwhile, the samples co-doped with Tm3+ exhibited a strong dependence on Yb-Nd-Tm co-doping. Samples without Yb and Nd did not exhibit any UC emission due to the absence of pumping channel. This contrasts with the downshifting NIR emission, which was at least two times higher than those exhibited in samples co-doped Yb-Nd-Er. These results suggest that Tm3+ plays a crucial role in populating the lower-lying exited levels of Yb and Nd, influencing the overall emission behavior.

Single-particle Förster resonance energy transfer from upconversion nanoparticles to organic dyes.

Single-particle detection and sensing, powered by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), offers precise monitoring of molecular interactions and environmental stimuli at a nanometric resolution. Despite its potential, the widespread use of FRET has been curtailed by the rapid photobleaching of traditional fluorophores. This study presents a robust single-particle FRET platform utilizing upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), which stand out for their remarkable photostability, making them superior to conventional organic donors for energy transfer-based assays. Our comprehensive research demonstrates the influence of UCNPs' size, architecture, and dye selection on the efficiency of FRET. We discovered that small particles (∼14 nm) with a Yb3+-enriched outermost shell exhibit a significant boost in FRET efficiency, a benefit not observed in larger particles (∼25 nm). 25 nm UCNPs with an inert NaLuF4 shell demonstrated a comparable level of emission enhancement via FRET as those with a Yb3+-enriched outermost shell. At the single-particle level, these FRET-enhanced UCNPs manifested an upconversion green emission intensity that was 8.3 times greater than that of their unmodified counterparts, while maintaining notable luminescence stability. Our upconversion FRET system opens up new possibilities for developing more effective high-brightness, high-sensitivity single-particle detection, and sensing modalities.

Strong green upconversion emission from submicron spindle-shaped SrMoO4:Yb3+,Er3.

Upconversion luminescence (UCL) is a fluorescence process where two or more lower-energy photons convert into a higher-energy photon. Lanthanide (Ln3+)-doped UCL materials often suffer from weak luminescence, especially when directly synthesized by a hydrothermal (HT) process due to the existing hydroxyl group and undesirable arrangement of dopants within host lattices which quench luminescence and limit energy transfer. Therefore, additional heat treatment processes are required to enhance their UCL emission, even though direct hydrothermal synthesis without further heat treatment has the advantages of low energy consumption, fast synthesis, and wide applicability to generate UCL materials. In this study, via a HT process without annealing, we have produced Yb3+ and Er3+ co-doped SrMoO4 submicron spindles with a strong green UCL emission which can be seen with the naked eye, which HT produced oxide-based UCL materials often fail to demonstrate. We have investigated different HT synthesis conditions, such as temperature, time, pH and dopant composition, which control the nucleation, growth, lattice structure arrangement, and ultimately their UCL properties through XRD, SEM, EDS and UCL measurements. The bright green UCL from the SrMoO4:Yb,Er submicron spindles is further enhanced by post-synthesis annealing within a molten NaNO3/KNO3 system to prevent particle size growth. The green UCL intensity from the annealed SrMoO4:Yb,Er submicron spindles surpasses samples produced by the solid-state method and is comparable to that from the commercial NaYF4:Yb,Er sample. We have further studied the temperature-dependent luminescence of both the HT-prepared and molten-salt annealed SrMoO4:Yb,Er submicron spindle samples. The strong UCL from our SrMoO4:Yb,Er submicron spindles could warrant their candidacy for bioimaging and anticounterfeiting applications.

Excitation wavelength and pumping power dependent temperature sensing property of Nd3+/Yb3+/Er3+ triply-doped LaNbO4 phosphor

Optical thermometry based on the fluorescence intensity ratio technology between the thermally coupled energy levels of Er3+ has become a research hotspot, but it is often limited by excitation conditions, which reduces its universality and reliability. In this work, Nd3+/Yb3+/Er3+ triply-doped LaNbO4 phosphor with excellent up-conversion (UC) luminescence characteristic and reliable temperature sensing sensitivity has been prepared by solid-state reaction method. Intense green and weak red UC emissions were gained under 808 nm and 980 nm excitations. The temperature dependent UC luminescence property and temperature sensing behavior of the sample has been investigated. The results demonstrated that the intensity ratio of the two green emissions was insensitive to the excitation wavelength and pumping power of the lasers, and the maximum absolute sensitivity was derived to be 0.91 % K−1 at 481 K. This work provides a new material with reliable and high temperature sensing sensitivity for optical thermometers.

Th4+ Co‐doped YF3 : Yb3+, Er3+ Nanostructures for Enhanced Visible and NIR‐II Emissions and Potential Application as Cryogenic Thermometer

AbstractRemarkable enhancement in green and red upconversion (UC) emissions by 124 and 88 %, respectively was achieved whereas down‐conversion (DC) luminescence in NIR‐II region (~1540 nm) was improved by 20 % in Th4+ co‐doped YF3 : Yb3+,Er3+ nanocrystalline particles. The same is ascribed to lowering of symmetry via formation of asymmetric Er−F bonds and less symmetric Y3+ sites due to distortions on Th4+ co‐doping. Benefiting from the distinct temperature response of stark sublevels of the 4S3/2 and 4F9/2 states, we have proposed a strategy for luminescence intensity ratios (LIR) based thermometry involving thermally coupled (TCL) stark sub‐levels. This can be promising in more accurate temperature read‐out at cryogenic temperatures (~ −193 °C). Using the same, high Sa and Sr values of 0.0139 K−1 (80 K) and 0.682 % K−1(80 K) were obtained for 4S3/2 (1)/4S3/2 (2)→4I15/2 transitions. Higher Sa and Sr values of 0.226 K−1 (80 K) and 2.627 %K−1(80 K) were obtained for 4F9/2 (1)/4F9/2 (2)→4I15/2 transitions. The high sensitivity values were obtained than that reported for the YF3 host. We believe this work with improved UC luminescence on Th4+ addition will be boon to cryogenic temperature‐sensing.

Multipath optical thermometry realized by electronic levels and Stark sublevels of Er3+

High-performance optical thermometer that can operate in the long-wavelength range of the second near infrared (1500 nm–1700 nm, NIR-IIb) biological window is in desperate need for bio-medical treatment. In this paper, a multipath temperature sensor Y3NbO7: Yb3+/Er3+ with pure cubic phase is synthesized by the high temperature solid state method. Under the excitation of 980 nm wavelength, efficient green upconversion emission attributed to thermally coupled Er3+: 2H11/2/4S3/2 levels are found, through which an excellent temperature sensing properties are realized with the maximal absolute and relative sensitivity of approximately 0.54 % K−1 and 1.37 % K−1 as well as the minimal temperature resolution of about 0.024 K. More importantly, the sample exhibits remarkable temperature detection capacity in deep tissues, which is implemented by the thermally coupled Stark sublevels of Er3+: 4I13/2 locating just in the NIR-IIb sub-window. Thanks to this appropriate response wavelength range, the maximal penetration depth of the NIR-IIb optical thermometer in the biological tissues can reach up to 8 mm. All the findings indicate that the present sample is a supernormal multipath thermometric probe with detectability in the deep biological tissues.

Sensitizing effect of Yb3+ ions on 1.53 µm broadband and 548nm upconversion green emissions of Er3+-doped TeO2–WO3–GeO2 glasses

The Er3+-doped transparent glasses were the significant materials to design solid state visible lasers, near infrared lasers, upconverters, sensors and fiber amplifiers. The effect of Yb3+ sensitization on 1.53 µm broadband and 548 nm upconversion green emissions in TeO2–WO3–GeO2–ErF3–YbF3 (TWGErYb) glasses were studied. They were characterized through structural, optical absorption, near infrared and upconversion studies. The Judd-Ofelt theory was adopted to estimate several spectroscopic and radiative parameters. The laser characteristic parameters such as stimulated emission cross sections, gain band widths, figure of merit and quantum efficiencies were evaluated. Conveying the energy from Yb3+ to Er3+ ions and the reasons for non-radiative losses were highlighted. The quenching in luminescence of 1.53 µm broadband, the 548 nm upconversion green emissions and the enhanced decay time values due to self-absorption were studied. The fitting of decay curves of Er3+: 4I13/2 and Er3+: 4S3/2 emission states at higher Yb3+concentrations (≥1.5 mol%) to Inokuti-Hirayama model were discussed. The TWGErYbx glasses containing 0.5Er3+/2.5Yb3+ show proficiency to design 548 nm green solid state lasers and 1.53 µm broadband fiber lasers.

Upconversion luminescence and optical thermometry behaviors of Yb3+ and Ho3+ co-doped GYTO crystal

Optical thermometry based on the upconversion (UC) luminescence intensity ratio (LIR) has attracted considerable attention because of its feasibility for achievement of accurate non-contact temperature measurement. Compared with traditional UC phosphors, optical thermometry based on UC single crystals can achieve faster response and higher sensitivity due to the stability and high thermal conductivity of the single crystals. In this study, a high-quality 5 at% Yb3+ and 1 at% Ho3+ co-doped Gd0.74Y0.2TaO4 single crystal was grown by the Czochralski (Cz) method, and the structure of the as-grown crystal was characterized. Importantly, the UC luminescent properties and optical thermometry behaviors of this crystal were revealed. Under 980 nm wavelength excitation, green and red UC luminescence lines at 550 and 650 nm and corresponding to the 5F4/5S2 → 5I8 and 5F5 → 5I8 transitions of Ho3+, respectively, were observed. The green and red UC emissions involved a two-photon mechanism, as evidenced by the analysis of power-dependent UC emission spectra. The temperature-dependent UC emission spectra were measured in the temperature range of 330–660 K to assess the optical temperature sensing behavior. At 660 K, the maximum relative sensing sensitivity (Sr) was determined to be 0.0037 K−1. These results highlight the significant potential of Yb,Ho:GYTO single crystal for optical temperature sensors.Graphical abstract