Coupling between surface plasmon resonance and Sm3+ ions induced enhancement of luminescence properties in fluoro-tellurite glasses

Abstract

Fluoro-tellurite glasses co-activated with Samarium (Sm 3+) ions and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were prepared using melt quenching technique. The nucleation and growth of Ag NPs were controlled by thermal annealing process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) and PL lifetime spectroscopy were used to examine the annealing time dependence of the structural and luminescent properties. The amorphous nature of glasses has been confirmed by XRD spectra. The transmission electron microscopy images show the presence of silver NPs having an average diameter in the range of 20-40 nm. Selected area electron diffraction pattern (SAED), as well as EDX analysis spectrum confirm the presence of Ag NPs. Based on the absorption results, the intensity parameters Ω t (t=2, 4, 6), the radiative transition probability (A T), fluorescence branching ratio (β JJ') and radiative lifetimes (τ r) of Sm 3+ ions were calculated using Judd-Ofelt theory. The results suggest that Sm 3+ ions have been incorporated into Ag NPs, which intensified the electromagnetic field around Sm 3+ ions. The luminescence properties of Sm 3+ doped glasses were investigated. It was found that the presence of silver NPs nucleated and growth during the annealing process, improves the photoluminescence (PL) intensity and the PL lifetime relative to the transition from the 4 G 5/2 state to 6 H 5/2 , 6 H 7/2 , 6 H 9/2 and 6 H 11/2 states. Maximum enhancement is observed for the sample heat treated for 8 h. Such enhancement is mainly attributed to the local electric field created by the SPR of Ag NPs. whereas; the quenching is due to the energy transfer from Sm 3+ ions to the silver nanoparticles as well as to the non-plasmonic, molecule likes Ag-particles (ML-Ag). The present results indicate that the glass heat-treated for 8 h has good prospect for Laser emissions at 600 nm.

Impact of Ag2O Content on the Optical and Spectroscopic Properties of Fluoro-Phosphate Glasses

“…A similar shift in the band gap due to the addition of Ag 2 O was also reported in [30]. The presence of silver nanoparticles is known to lead to an absorption band at ~400 nm, due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Ag NPs [2,7]. As shown in Figure 2a, no absorption band at ~400 nm can be seen indicating that Ag are dispersed in the network in a small size of Ag species.…”

“…Recently, particular interest has been paid to glasses containing Ag nanoparticles (NPs) due to the spectacular improvement of luminescence properties, which benefit photonic applications [6,7]. In fact, collective charge density oscillations at the Ag NP surface, known as surface plasmon resonance (SPR), offers an opportunity to improve the photoluminescence (PL) properties of RE in glasses.…”

Controlled formation of gold nanoparticles with tunable plasmonic properties in tellurite glass

“…However, most of the published research only provided TEM images of the Au/Ag doped tellurite glasses showing the formation of crystalline NPs [17][18][19] , with no further evidence con rming the elemental nature of the observed crystalline NPs. In addition, distinct LSPR features in tellurite glasses have been demonstrated in only a few reports 20,21 . The ability to tune the location and intensity of the LSPR band remains a challenge.…”

Visible and near-infrared photoluminescence enhanced by Ag nanoparticles in Sm3+-doped aluminoborate glass

“…Among the rare-earth ions, Sm 3+ has a 4f 5 electron configuration and shows strong PL in the orange-red ( 580-660 nm) and near-infrared regions (~0.95-1.32 μm) under excitation at  = 400 nm, which makes Sm 3+ -doped glasses good candidates for solar spectral converters [20,21]. Several researchers have focused on the PL enhancement owing to Sm 3+ via SPR in various glass matrixes, such as tellurite-based glass [22][23][24][25], phosphate-based glass [26,27], lead-based glass [28], oxyfluoride glass [29], antimony glass [30], chloroborosilicate glass [31], and ion-exchanged alkali containing glass [32,33]. Feras et al enhanced the PL intensity of Sm 3+ up to seven times in tellurite glass [22].…”

“…Several researchers have focused on the PL enhancement owing to Sm 3+ via SPR in various glass matrixes, such as tellurite-based glass [22][23][24][25], phosphate-based glass [26,27], lead-based glass [28], oxyfluoride glass [29], antimony glass [30], chloroborosilicate glass [31], and ion-exchanged alkali containing glass [32,33]. Feras et al enhanced the PL intensity of Sm 3+ up to seven times in tellurite glass [22]. Karmakar et al reported that, in chloroborosilicate glass doped with Ag nanoparticles, the PL of Sm 3+ at = 600-650 nm was slightly enhanced by up to 4% [31].…”