Rare Earth Ions Research Articles

Enhancement of Upconversion Luminescence through Three-Dimensional Design of Plasma Ti3O5-Coupled Structural Domain-Limiting Effects.

Upconversion luminescence plays a crucial role in various technological applications, and among the various valence states of lanthanide elements, Ln3+ has the highest stability. The 4f orbitals of these elements are in a fully empty, semifull, or full state. This special 4f electron configuration allows them to exhibit rich discrete energy levels. However, the 4f-4f transition of Ln3+ rare earth ions itself is prohibited, resulting in a lower luminescence efficiency. This limitation greatly hinders the practical application of upconversion luminescence. In this study, we report nanostructured luminescence-enhanced substrate platforms with both semiconductive local surface plasmons and spatially confined domain effects on a single defect semiconductor substrate. By coupling NaYF4:Yb-Er nanoparticle emitters to the surface of Ti3O5 NC-arrays plasmonic nanostructures, an ultrabright luminescence with a 32-fold increase in green emission and a 40-fold increase in red emission was achieved. Furthermore, the fluorescence resonance energy transfer characteristics observed in the R6G/NaYF4/Ti3O5 NC-array composite film enable accurate detection of fluorescent molecules. The results provide an innovative and intelligent approach to enhance the upconversion luminescence intensity of rare-doped nanoparticles and develop highly sensitive molecular detection systems based on the above luminescence enhancement.

Evidence and Practical Applications of Site Occupancy Theory (SOT) of Eu3+ in Scheelite Compounds.

The determination of the site occupancy of activators in phosphors is essential for precise synthesis, understanding the relationship between their luminescence properties and crystal structure, and tailoring their properties by modifying the host composition. Herein, one simple method was proposed to help determine the sites at which the doping of rare earth ions or transition metal ions occupies in the host lattice through site occupancy theory (SOT) for ions doped into the matrix lattice. SOT was established based on the fact that doping ions preferentially occupy the sites with the lowest bonding energy deviations. In order to provide detailed experimental evidence to prove the feasibility of SOT, several scheelite-type compounds were successfully synthesized using a high-temperature solid-phase method. When Eu3+ ions occupy a similar surrounding environment site, the photoluminescence spectra of the activators Eu3+ are similar. Therefore, by comparing the intensity ratio of photoluminescence spectra and the mechanism of all transitions of KEu(WO4)2, KY(WO4)2:Eu3+, Na5Eu(WO4)4, and Na5Y(WO4)4:Eu3+, it was proved that SOT can successfully confirm the site occupation when doped ions enter the matrix lattice. SOT was further applied to the sites occupied by Eu3+ ion-doped LiAl(MoO4)2 and LiLu(MoO4)2.

Efficient rare earth enrichment through highly reversible physisorption on a negatively charged few-layer nanobelt platform

Effective extraction of rare earth elements (REE) from the surrounding aqueous environment would relieve the thirsty demand of mining as well as the environmental pollution, thus advancing sustainability progress. Nevertheless, limited extraction capability and harsh enrichment conditions are still the notorious critical problems hindering this environmentally favorable path. Herein, we showcase a physisorption driving platform (InVO4) for effective REE enrichment. This delicately designed platform exhibits a unique few-layer structure and thus robust negatively charged surface in the aqueous environment, which implies its powerful attraction towards positively charged species. The adsorption trials towards REE ions have proved this anticipation with a superior adsorption capability of 317.3 mg/g towards Yb3+ and the adsorption reached quasi-equilibrium in only about 10 min. Moreover, this platform could be regenerated quickly and completely in a mild NaCl environment based on the quasi-cationic exchange strategy benefiting from the physisorption nature. Impressively, a ppb-level enrichment of REE ions from the aqueous was realized 78-fold increase from an initial concentration of 100 ppb. This environmentally benign and highly efficient adsorbent will be inspiring for a more sustainable utilization route for the recovery of REE resources.

Oxygen vacancy engineering and rare earth ion modification in Er-doped Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3–BaTiO3 for piezo-photocatalysis

The pursuit of high-performance piezo-photocatalysts through structural modifications has been a focal point of investigation within the realm of related scientific disciplines. In this study, we successfully designed Er-doped Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3–BaTiO3 combined with rare earth ion doping and solid solution modification, and the prepared particles exhibited homogeneous grain sizes and optimized concentrations of oxygen vacancies (OV). The synergistic incorporation of OV (accelerator for catalytic reaction) and Er3+ results in an impressive 12-fold enhancement of the piezo-photocatalytic rate when degrading the Rhodamine B dye. The optimal composition 0.96BNT-0.04BT-Er demonstrates outstanding electrochemical properties, including a superior photocurrent response and minimal impedance, highlighting its exceptional performance in piezo-photocatalysis. The fundamental enhancement in catalytic performance can be attributed to the reconfiguration of the band structure of 0.96BNT-0.04BT-Er, which has been meticulously calculated utilizing DRS and VB-XPS and the internal mechanism was explained in detail. This research serves as a source of inspiration for the investigation of solid solutions among piezo-photocatalysts and sheds light on the vital role of band structure in governing catalytic performance.

Time-delayed single satellite quantum repeater node for global quantum communications

Global-scale quantum networking faces significant technical and scientific obstacles. Quantum repeaters (QRs) have been proposed to overcome the inherent direct transmission range limit through optical fiber. However, QRs are typically limited to a total distance of a few thousand kilometers and/or require extensive hardware overhead. Recent proposals suggest that strings of space-borne QRs with on-board quantum memories (QMs) are able to provide global coverage. Here, we propose an alternative to such repeater constellations using a single satellite with two QMs that effectively acts as a time-delayed version of a single QR node. By physically transporting stored qubits, our protocol improves long-distance entanglement distribution with reduced system complexity over previous proposals. We estimate the amount of secure key in the finite block regime and demonstrate an improvement of at least three orders of magnitude over prior single-satellite methods that rely on a single QM, while simultaneously reducing the necessary memory capacity similarly. We propose an experimental platform to realize this scheme based on rare-earth ion doped crystals with appropriate performance parameters. By exploiting recent advances in quantum memory lifetimes, we are able to significantly reduce system complexity while achieving high key rates, bringing global quantum networking closer to implementation.

Enhancing Transparency in Non-Cubic Calcium Phosphate Ceramics: Effect of Starting Powder, LiF Doping, and Spark Plasma Sintering Parameters

Our objective is to achieve a new good-quality and mechanically durable high-transparency material that, when activated by rare earth ions, can be used as laser sources, scintillators, or phosphors. The best functional transparent ceramics are formed from high-symmetry systems, mainly cubic. Considering hexagonal hydroxyapatite, which shows anisotropy, the particle size of the initial powder is extremely important and should be of the order of several tens of nanometers. In this work, transparent micro-crystalline ceramics of non-cubic Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 calcium phosphate were fabricated via Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) from two types of nanopowders i.e., commercially available (COM. HA) and laboratory-made (LAB. HA) via the hydrothermal (HT) protocol. Our study centered on examining how the quality of sintered bodies is affected by the following parameters: the addition of LiF sintering agent, the temperature during the SPS process, and the quality of the starting nanopowders. The phase purity, microstructure, and optical transmittance of the ceramics were investigated to determine suitable sintering conditions. The best optical ceramics were obtained from LAB. HA nanopowder with the addition of 0.25 wt.% of LiF sintered at 1000 °C and 1050 °C.

Photocatalytic activity of barium titanate composites with zinc oxide doped with lanthanide ions for sulfamethoxazole degradation

This comprehensive study delves into the structural and optical characteristics of barium titanate (BT) and zinc oxide (ZnO) heterostructures doped with europium (Eu), erbium (Er), and ytterbium (Yb), alongside their application in the photodegradation of sulfamethoxazole antibiotic (SMX). The heterostructures, prepared via a hydrothermal process, exhibit a heterogeneous connection between doped ZnO nanoparticles and the BT dielectric material with crystalline nature and chemical composition. Moreover, a significant reduction in the bandgap of the doped BT@ZnO:Ln heterostructures compared to undoped counterparts, indicating successful dopant incorporation and the creation of new sub-bands within the bandgap. A minimal adsorption interaction between SMX and the nanomaterials was observed. While BT alone exhibited limited photocatalytic activity, doping with ZnO significantly enhanced performance. Notably, the BT@ZnO:Yb heterostructure exhibited exceptional SMX degradation (99%) within 60 minutes. Incorporation of rare-earth ions (Eu, Er, Yb) not only improved photocatalytic activity but also acted as electron scavengers, mitigating electron-hole recombination. Furthermore, the investigation into the reuse of BT@ZnO:Yb 5%mol showed sustained high efficiency over three cycles. Mechanistic insights into SMX degradation pathways highlight the predominant role of hydroxyl radicals and electron-hole processes. Overall, these findings contribute significantly to the advancement of photocatalytic materials based on composites doped with lanthanide ions for applications in environmental wastewater treatment.

Selective Separation of Rare Earth Ions from Mine Wastewater Using Synthetic Hematite Nanoparticles from Natural Pyrite

The separation of rare earth ions (RE3+) from aqueous solutions poses a significant challenge due to their similar chemical and physical characteristics. This study presents a method for synthesizing hematite nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs) through the high-temperature phase transition of natural pyrite for adsorbing RE3+ from mine wastewater. The characteristics of Fe2O3 NPs were studied using XRD, SEM, BET, XPS, FTIR, and Zeta potential. The optimal condition for RE3+ adsorption by Fe2O3 NPs was determined to be at pH 6.0 with an adsorption time of 60 min. The maximum adsorption capacities of Fe2O3 NPs for La3+, Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+, Sm3+, Gd3+, Dy3+, and Y3+ were 12.80, 14.02, 14.67, 15.52, 17.66, 19.16, 19.94, and 11.82 mg·g−1, respectively. The experimental data fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order models, suggesting that the adsorption process was dominated by monolayer chemisorption. Thermodynamic analysis revealed the endothermic nature of the adsorption process. At room temperature, the adsorption of RE3+ in most cases (La3+, Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+, Sm3+, and Y3+) onto Fe2O3 NPs was non-spontaneous, except for the adsorption of Gd3+ and Dy3+, which was spontaneous. The higher separation selectivity of Fe2O3 NPs for Gd3+ and Dy3+ was confirmed by the separation factor. Moreover, Fe2O3 NPs exhibited excellent stability, with an RE3+ removal efficiency exceeding 94.70% after five adsorption–desorption cycles, demonstrating its potential for the recovery of RE3+ from mine wastewater.

Fabrication of porous and highly defective CeO2-based catalysts for soot combustion with the strategy of soft-template addition and matrix doping by multiple rare earth elements

In this study, aiming to optimize the reactivity of CeO2 for soot combustion, rare earth elements (La, Pr, Sm and Y) co-doped CeO2 catalysts were synthesized via polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and glycine (GNC) combustion methods. The PVP-CeO2-Re catalyst maintains a high specific surface area (82.9 m2 g−1) and abundant porous structure, thus being able to enhance the soot contact efficiency. The co-doping of multiple rare earth ions improves also the redox properties of the catalyst and increases the surface defects/vacancies, which is crucial to form the active surface O2- and O22- species to participate in soot combustion. The oxygen exchange rate over the catalyst with gaseous O2 can be accelerated by raising the temperature, and the exchange mechanism changes from a mixture of the R1 and R2 mechanisms to a domination by the R2 mechanism. Notably, PVP-CeO2-Re catalyst shows not only excellent activity (T50=373 °C) but also good stability. Our work could provide some reference for the design of promising catalysts applied in diesel particulate filters.

Effect of A-site rare-earth ions on structure and magnetic properties of novel (Ln0.2Gd0.2La0.2Nd0.2Sm0.2)MnO3 (Ln = Eu, Ho, Yb) high-entropy perovskite ceramics

Single-phase high-entropy perovskite ceramics (Ln0.2Gd0.2La0.2Nd0.2Sm0.2)MnO3 (Ln-GLNSMO HEPCs) have been synthesized using solid-state reactions. The effect of A-site rare-earth ions (Ln = Eu, Ho, Yb) on the structure and magnetic properties was systematically investigated. The results show that all samples are orthorhombic phases (with a space group of Pbnm) and exhibit a strong crystallization trend sintered at 1300 °C for 16 h. All the HEPCs are composed of irregular spherical particles with smooth surfaces and show obvious hysteresis effects at T = 5 K. The changing Mn–O bond distance, Mn–O–Mn bond angle and the increase of Mn4+ ion concentration enhance the double exchange effect of Mn3+-O2--Mn4+, leading to different magnetic interactions. The residual magnetization Mr (coercivity Hc) of the samples is significantly enhanced, which is increasing from 0.13 emu/g (16.34 Oe) to 3.17 emu/g (97.07 Oe) due to the increase of configuration entropy, lattice distortion and the double exchange effect (DE). In addition, there is a strong relationship between the magnetic properties and the average radius of the A-site ions, in which Ho-GLNSMO HEPCs have a high Ms magnetism. This work is a valuable reference for the magnetic regulation of high-entropy ceramics based on rare-earth and entropy-stabilized perovskite types.

HfTiO4 transparent thick film phosphors activated with Eu3+, Dy3+, and Tb3+ ions

Hafnium (Hf)-based double oxides show promise as high-efficiency scintillators due to large effective atomic numbers and high relative density. However, the preparation of these scintillation crystals is challenging due to their high melting points and incongruent melting behavior. In the present study, we demonstrated that the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of single-phase HfTiO4 films on quartz glass substrate was successfully deposited at temperatures ranging from 973 to 988 K, with a TiO2 molar ratio in the precursor vapor of 25–45 mol% TiO2. The deposition rate of HfTiO4 reached 36 µm h−1. The films exhibited an in-line transmittance of 78 % relative to the raw glass substrate at a wavelength of 600 nm. When activated with Eu3+, Dy3+, and Tb3+ ions, the HfTiO4 films displayed red, yellow, and green photoluminescence emissions originated from the 4f–4f transitions of each trivalent rare-earth ion under ultraviolet light irradiation. HfTiO4 exhibited no intrinsic background emission, suggesting that the addition of a selected activator could yield a phosphor with the desired emission color range.

Decomposition of Luminescent Hydroxyapatite Scaffolds in Simulated Body Fluid.

We present a luminescence study investigating the dissolution of rare-earth-doped hydroxyapatite scaffolds in simulated body fluid (SBF), aiming to assess the luminescence stability of Tb-, Ce-, and Eu-doped scaffolds over time. Our findings reveal a consistent decrease in luminescence emission intensity across all samples over a four-week period in which the scaffolds were immersed in the SBF. In addition, energy-dispersive spectroscopy confirms a decrease in rare-earth ion concentration in the scaffolds with respect to time, whereas fluorescence spectroscopy shows the presence of rare-earth ions in the SBF, indicating the partial dissolution of the scaffolds over time. The use of rare-earth ions as luminescence markers provides insights into the mechanisms of apatite formation in hydroxyapatites. Thus, these scaffolds may find wider use in regenerative medicine, particularly in targeted drug delivery systems, where their luminescent properties have the potential to noninvasively track drug release.

Photoluminescence properties of Pb5(PO4)3Br:RE (RE = Dy3+, Eu3+ and Tb3+) phosphor synthesised using solid-state method.

This study describes the luminous properties of Pb5(PO4)3Br doped with RE3+ (RE = Dy3+, Eu3+ and Tb3+) synthesised using the solid-state method. The synthesised phosphor was characterised using Fourier-transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and photoluminescence measurements. Dy3+-doped Pb5(PO4)3Br phosphor exhibited blue and yellow emissions at 480 and 573 nm, respectively, on excitation at 388 nm. Eu3+-doped Pb5(PO4)3Br phosphor exhibited orange and red emissions at 591 and 614 nm, respectively, on excitation at λex = 396 nm. Pb5(PO4)3Br:Tb3+ phosphor exhibited the strongest green emission at 547 nm on excitation at λex = 380 nm. Additionally, the effect of the concentration of rare-earth ions on the emission intensity of Pb5(PO4)3Br:RE3+ (RE3+ = Dy3+, Eu3+ and Tb3+) phosphors was investigated.

High temperature structure and vibrational properties of ScXO4 (X= V5+ and P5+): A comparative study

ScVO4 and ScPO4 represent the zircon (xenotime) type structures with smallest trivalent cations, and that enable them to host both transition metal and rare-earth ions for applied optical materials. Thus, their crystal chemistry and thermophysical properties becomes relevance for their application in non-ambient conditions. In this report, high temperature crystal chemistry and vibrational properties of ScVO4 and ScPO4, as observed from in situ high temperature powder XRD and Raman spectroscopic studies, are reported. The comparative analyses of the results indicate that, though both are isostructural, they show drastically different thermal expansion behavior. In case of ScVO4, the c-axis shows significantly larger expansion compared to a-axis, while in ScPO4 the thermal expansion along and a and c-axes are more or less similar. At ambient condition, the thermal expansion anisotropy in ScPO4 and ScVO4 are 1.02 and 3.97, respectively. Additionally, ScPO4 shows relatively lower coefficient of volume thermal expansion compared to ScVO4, (αv = 23.64 × 10−6 K−1 for ScPO4 and 26.09 × 10−6 K−1 for ScVO4), and is contributed by the expansion of ScO8 units in their structures. The thermal expansion coefficients of ScO8 unit in ScPO4 and ScVO4 are 36.3 × 10−6 K−1 and 39.1 × 10−6 K−1, respectively. Temperature evolution of Raman modes indicates weakening of all the modes, except a symmetric stretching mode, with increasing temperature. The anharmonic analyses of the Raman modes indicate that implicit contributions in ScVO4 and ScPO4 are appreciably higher than the explicit contributions, and hence the changes in mode wavenumbers with volume play dominating role in governing their thermal expansion behaviors. Further, it is concluded that ScPO4 is characterized by more or less like rigid unit cell compared to ScVO4.

Tuning oxygen vacancy and missing linkers of defective MOF-808 for advanced adsorption of Yb(III) from aqueous solution

To improve the adsorption performance of rare earth elements by metal organic frameworks (MOFs) based adsorbents from aqueous solution, two kinds of defective MOF-808 with abundant oxygen vacancies are fabricated via the different strategies, and named as MOF-808-DLX and MOF-808-DSX, respectively. The as-prepared defective MOF-808 were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectrometer (IR), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), electron paramagnetic resonances (EPR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confirming the crystal structures, the morphologies, the presences of oxygen vacancies and missing-linker defects. In addition, the adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherms, and the effects of pH, different rare earth ions on adsorption performance, as well as the cyclic stability of two typical defective MOF-808 were carefully investigated. The results showed that MOF-808-DL1 and MOF-808-DS2 exhibited much higher adsorption capacities than the corresponding pristine MOF-808 at 30 °C and pH = 6. Furthermore, the adsorption mechanisms were clarified through energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Zeta potential, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, verifying the complexation interaction between Yb(III) and oxygen vacancies originated from Zr6 clusters both for MOF-808-DLX and MOF-808-DSX. Meanwhile, the electrostatics attraction also contributed to the adsorption of Yb(III) for MOF-808-DSX. In summary, this work provides two feasible strategies for manufacturing MOF-808 with missing-linkers defects to promote their potential applications in adsorbing Yb(III) from aqueous solutions.

Ultra-Broadband Plasmon Resonance in Gold Nanoparticles Precipitated in ZnO-Al2O3-SiO2 Glass

Optical materials with a tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) are of great interest for applications in photonics and optoelectronics. In the present study, we explored the potential of generating an LSPR band with an ultra-broad range of over 1000 nm in gold nanoparticles (NPs), precipitated through a thermal treatment in ZnO-Al2O3-SiO2 glass. Using optical absorption spectroscopy, we demonstrated that the LSPR band’s position and shape can be finely controlled by varying the thermal treatment route. Comprehensive methods including Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy were used to study the glass structure, while computational approaches were used for the theoretical description of the absorption spectra. The obtained results allowed us to suggest a scenario responsible for an abnormal LSPR band broadening that includes a possible interparticle plasmonic coupling effect taking place during the liquid–liquid phase separation of the heat-treated glass. The formation of gold NPs with an ultra-broad LSPR band in glasses holds promise for sensitizing rare earth ion luminescence for new photonics devices.

Influence of Pr3+ ions on structural, photoluminescence, dielectric, and mechanical properties of barium lithium fluoroborate glasses

The influence of Praseodymium Oxide (Pr6O11) on the physical, optical parameters, photoluminescence, dielectric, and mechanical properties for 20BaF2 + 10Li2O+(70-x) B2O3 + xPr6O11 (where x = 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mol %)] glasses was investigated. FTIR spectra of the borate glass network doped with Pr6O11 demonstrate the vibrational modes. The current study found that adding Pr3+ ions to the glass increased the glass density, packing density (VP), oxygen packing density (OPD), and rare earth ion concentration (N). The optical parameters include refractive index molar refraction and molar polarizability, optical transmission, and reflection loss. All the optical parameters increased except optical transmission decreased with the rising of Pr3+ ions in the glass. The photoluminescence emission intensity increased with the concentration of Pr3+ ions. The dielectric constant decreased while AC conductivity increased with the applied frequency, particularly in the high-frequency region. The elastic moduli, including longitudinal, shear, bulk, Young, and microhardness increased with increasing the content of Pr3+ ions in the glass.

Optical and photoluminescence properties of trivalent rare earth ions doped LiMgPO4

Trivalent rare-earth-activated luminescent materials have attracted a lot of attention due to their fascinating optical properties and broad range of applications. In this study, polycrystalline Sm and Eu-doped LiMgPO4 luminescent materials were synthesized using a solid-state reaction technique. The crystalline structures, morphological features, and optical characteristics of the synthesized materials were thoroughly investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The Rietveld refinement analysis confirmed the phase purity of synthesized phosphors. In addition, the strain induced owing to the incorporation of trivalent rare-earth ions and crystallite sizes of each synthesized material was estimated using the Williamsons-Hall (W-H) and modified Debye-Sherrer equations. The estimated results of the microstrain were reported to be 0.0010, 0.0023 and 0.0020. Subsequently, as a consequence of distinct peak profile options, the projected average crystallite size by both approaches was distinct. The UV–vis spectroscopy analysis reveals that Sm and Eu doped materials exhibit absorption bands around 402 nm and 396 nm and depicts the declining band gap values. The Photoluminescence (PL) spectra at 402 nm and 395 nm excitation wavelengths exhibited the distinctive emissions of both Sm3+ (4G5/2 → 6H7/2) and Eu3+ (5D0 → 7F2) ions emanating due to the intra-configurational f - f and 4 f − 4 f transitions. Finally, the CIE diagram explicitly demonstrates that the Sm and Eu-modified materials reveal their exceptional color purity. McCamy’s approach was used to determine various parameters of trivalent rare-earth doped materials. The correlated color temperature ( TCCT ) and their coordinates TCCT (ζ, β) was found to be 2287 K, 1900 K, 0.281, 0.632, and 0.302, 0.681 respectively. Temperature-dependent emission spectra exhibit excellent color and thermal stability at high temperatures. The obtained results in this study indicate that the synthesized luminescent materials can potentially be used in white light-emitting diode applications.

Sm2O3-doped all-inorganic perovskite nanocrystalline glass induces self-crystallization of CsPbBr3 nanocrystals and is used in WLEDs

All-inorganic perovskite quantum dots (QDs) in glass materials, specifically CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, I), are being considered as the next-generation fluorescent materials due to their impressive luminous performance and stability. However, the crystallization process of quantum dots within the glass presents uncontrollable challenge, leading to uneven crystallinity and subsequent reductions in light efficiency, thereby affecting practical applications. In glass ceramics doped with rare-earth oxides, the introduction of rare-earth ions as nucleating agents can promote the self-precipitation of nanocrystalline crystals within the glass. Building upon this principle, we have doped rare-earth ions into borosilicate glass for the first time to induce the self-crystallization of CsPbBr3 QDs. This approach effectively enhances the equilibrium distribution of quantum dots within the glass, resulting in a significant improvement in luminosity. Furthermore, the luminescence spectrum range of quantum dot-shaped luminescent glass materials can be finely tuned through rare-earth ion doping. This finding holds both theoretical and practical significance for their application in the field of lighting.

Effect of the Growth Conditions on Organic Crystals with Rare Earth Ions and 1,10-Phenanthroline.

Using a simple solution growth technique, we grow crystals with phenanthroline as a ligand and various rare earth ions: thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), gadolinium (Gd), lanthanum (La), neodymium (Nd), europium (Eu), and erbium (Er). We then selected the composition that forms thin plates with well-defined shapes, Er(NO3)Phen2, and explored the effects of various conditions on crystal formation and growth, including temperature regime, light illumination, and substrates where the crystals are formed and grown. The composition and local environment strongly affect the size and shape of microcrystals and substrate coverage. The use of gold substrates significantly enhances the crystal growing process. Elevated temperatures negatively affect the crystal growth.