Improved resonant energy transfer and light emission from SnO₂ nanocrystals and Er³⁺ embedded in silica films via Yb³⁺ co-doping

Abstract

SiO2-SnO2:Er3+ thin films co-doped with Yb3+ ions have been prepared by the sol-gel method. By controlling the Yb3+ concentration, the enhanced Er3+-related near infrared (NIR) emission is achieved under 325 nm excitation. The energy transfer efficiency (ETE) from SnO2 to rare earth is investigated by photoluminescence decay curves. It is found that with the increase of Yb3+ ion concentration to 15 mol%, the ETE gradually increases to ∼68.7%. The comprehensive spectroscopic analysis results demonstrate that both improved ETE and a new energy transfer channel from SnO2 nanocrystals to Er3+ ions via the Yb3+ intermediate state contribute to the Er3+-related NIR emission enhancement.

Alkaline earth metal ion doping to enhance the light emission from Er3+:SnO2 nanocrystal Co-doped silica films

“…Rare earth doped silica materials have been widely investigated due to their unique luminescence properties. [1][2][3][4][5] In particular, the emission of erbium (Er 3+ ) ions at around 1.55 mm falls within the minimum loss window for fiber optic communications. Therefore, it is a promising path to fabricate an ideal Si-based light source and realize monolithic optoelectronic integration by doping Er 3+ ions into silica thin films.…”