[Preparation and characterization of upconversion phosphor based on AlF3-YbF3 : Er3+]

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Solid-state Chemistry
• Luminescence

Context:

• Rare-earth doped fluoride materials are crucial for optical applications.
• Understanding dopant concentration effects is key to optimizing luminescence.
• High-temperature solid-phase synthesis is a common method for phosphor preparation.

Purpose:

• To investigate the effect of erbium (Er3+) concentration on the upconversion luminescence of AlF3-YbF3 phosphors.
• To characterize the crystal structure and analyze the luminescence properties of the synthesized phosphors.
• To determine the excitation mechanism responsible for the observed red emission.

Summary:

• AlF3-YbF3 : Er3+ phosphors were synthesized using a high-temperature solid-phase reaction.
• X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the crystal structure, and fluorescence emission spectra revealed upconversion luminescence.
• Maximum red emission intensity was achieved at 0.7 mol% Er3+ doping, attributed to a two-photon excitation process (fitted slope of 2.24).

Impact:

• Provides optimal doping concentration for enhanced red emission in AlF3-YbF3 : Er3+ phosphors.
• Elucidates the two-photon excitation mechanism for red emission, aiding in material design.
• Contributes to the development of novel phosphors for applications requiring efficient upconversion luminescence.