Luminescence Behavior of GdVO4: Tb Nanocrystals in Silica Glass-Ceramics

Abstract

Glass ceramics with GdVO4: Tb nanocrystals impregnated in the highly transparent silica glass were prepared by the porous glass and sintering process and confirmed by XRD, Raman spectrum, and TEM. Spectral analysis shows that there are multifarious energy transfer processes in GdVO4: Tb nanocrystals, such as VO43− → Tb3+, Gd3+ → VO43−, Gd3+ → VO43− → Tb3+, and Gd3+ → Tb3+, and the main one is VO43− → Tb3+. In this process, 3T1,2 → 1A1 transition of VO43− transfers the energy to Tb3+ and generates 5D3 → 7F6,5,4,3,2 and 5D4 → 7F5 transitions of Tb3+. The energy transfer efficiency is 29.5%, and the excitation wavelength range of Tb3+ ions can be shifted from 230–260 nm to 280–365 nm. This shows that GdVO4 can effectively change the excitation wavelength of Tb3+, which is conducive to the application of Tb3+ ions excited by LED light sources.

Luminescence of Binary-Doped Silica Aerogel Powders: A Two-Step Sol-Gel Approach

“…Inorganic silicate materials containing Eu 3+ and Tb 3+ are already known from a number of publications with a theoretical and applied focus [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Moreover, binary lanthanide aerogels are prepared during the search for porous materials with suitable optical and catalytic activities [12].…”

The Influence of Defects on the Luminescence of Trivalent Terbium in Nanocrystalline Yttrium Orthovanadate

“…Luminescent rare-earth (RE) oxides have been extensively explored both in terms of theoretical detailing of 4f–4f transitions and for their unique applicability in lighting, visualization, nonlinear optics, and biolabeling technologies. − RE vanadates (REVO 4 ) are chemically stable and remarkably versatile hosts for lanthanoid (Ln) optical centers with downshift and upconversion emissions, which enable emerging applications in nanothermometry, sensing, and catalysis. − While Eu 3+ -doped YVO 4 is an ubiquitous UV-excited red phosphor, ,,, the inactivity of Tb 3+ -doped YVO 4 is an intriguing aspect in the chemistry and spectroscopy of vanadate-based luminescent materials. ,, During the search for efficient lamp phosphors in the late 1960s, many groups reported the complete absence of Tb 3+ luminescence in YVO 4 as well as the strong quenching of other Ln 3+ emissions induced by Tb 3+ -codoping. − Even though some groups studied Tb 3+ emissions in lanthanum (LaVO 4 ) − or gadolinium (GdVO 4 ) − vanadates, papers mentioning any luminescence in tetragonal YVO 4 :Tb 3+ are scarce, ,,, and no spectra or detailed characterization have been reported. The description of the Tb 3+ luminescence in AXO 4 zircon-type solids has been mainly performed for yttrium phosphates (YPO 4 ), phosphovanadates (YP 1– x V x O 4 ), and arsenovanadates (YAs 1– x V x O 4 ), which are isostructural to YVO 4 . ,− …”