Ag nanoaggregates as efficient broadband sensitizers for Tb3+ ions in silica-zirconia ion-exchanged sol-gel glasses and glass-ceramics
Journal article, 2018

In this paper we report the study of down-shifting silica-zirconia glass and glass-ceramic films doped by Tb3+ions and Ag nanoaggregates, which combine the typical spectral properties of the rare-earth-ions with the broadband sensitizing effect of the metal nanostructures. Na-Tb co-doped silica-zirconia samples were obtained by a modified sol-gel route. Dip-coating deposition followed by annealing for solvent evaporation and matrix densification were repeated several times, obtaining a homogeneous crack-free film. A final treatment at 700 °C or 1000 °C was performed to control the nanoscale structural properties of the samples, resulting respectively in a glass (G) or a glass-ceramic (GC), where tetragonal zirconia nanocrystals are surrounded by an amorphous silica matrix. Ag introduction was then achieved by ion-exchange in a molten salt bath, followed by annealing in air to control the migration and aggregation of the metal ions. The comparison of the structural, compositional and optical properties are presented for G and GC samples, providing evidence of highly efficient photoluminescence enhancement in both systems, slightly better in G than in GC samples, with a remarkable increase of the green Tb3+PL emission at 330 nm excitation: 12 times for G and 8 times for GC samples. Furthermore, after Ag-exchange, the shape of Tb3+excitation resembles the one of Ag ions/nanoaggregates, with a broad significant absorption in the whole UV-blue spectral region. This broadband enhanced downshifting could find potential applications in lighting devices and in PV solar cells.

Sol-gel

Rare earths

Ag nanoaggregates

Broadband sensitizers

Downshifting

Author

F. Enrichi

Enrico Fermi Historical Museum of Physics and Study and Research Centre

Luleå University of Technology

Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia

S. Belmokhtar

Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi

A. Benedetti

Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia

A. Bouajaj

Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi

E. Cattaruzza

Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia

F. Coccetti

Enrico Fermi Historical Museum of Physics and Study and Research Centre

E. Colusso

University of Padua

M. Ferrari

Enrico Fermi Historical Museum of Physics and Study and Research Centre

Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies

P. Ghamgosar

Luleå University of Technology

F. Gonella

Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia

Enrico Fermi Historical Museum of Physics and Study and Research Centre

Maths Karlsson

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

A. Martucci

University of Padua

R. Ottini

Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia

P. Riello

Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia

G. C. Righini

Enrico Fermi Historical Museum of Physics and Study and Research Centre

Istituto Di Fisica Applicata Nello Carrara

E. Trave

Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia

A. Vomiero

Luleå University of Technology

S. You

Luleå University of Technology

L. Zur

Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies

Enrico Fermi Historical Museum of Physics and Study and Research Centre

Optical Materials

0925-3467 (ISSN)

Vol. 84 668-674

Subject Categories

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Materials Chemistry

Other Materials Engineering

DOI

10.1016/j.optmat.2018.07.074

More information

Latest update

12/10/2018