Controlled synthesis and luminescent properties of erbium silicate nanostructures

Erbium silicate (Er2SiO5 and Er4Si3O12) nanostructures were successfully synthesized by a facile molten-salt approach in the presence of NaCI and surfactant. The synthesized products were structurally and morphologically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), whereas the luminescent properties were characterized by temperature-dependent luminescence measurements. The results revealed that the composition, crystalline phase, and yield of the final products can be readily controlled by choosing suitable surfactant and tailoring the molar ratio of reactants used for the reactions. Moreover, the single-crystalline nature of Er2SiO5 and of Er4Si3O12 nanostructures results in sharp photoluminescence (PL) of Er3+, and both nanostructures are immunized from temperature quenching of PL. We suggest that the nanostructures developed in the present work are promising building blocks for Si-based optoelectronics nanodevices.