Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 21, 2026

Low-energy Cathodoluminescence for OxyNitride Phosphors
Published on: November 15, 2016
Formation and dynamics of "waterproof" photoluminescent complexes of rare earth ions in crowded environment
Tetyana Ignatova1, Michael Blades, Juan G Duque
1Physics Department, Lehigh University, 16 Memorial Drive East, Bethlehem, PA 18020, USA.
Abstract:
Understanding behavior of rare-earth ions (REI) in crowded environments is crucial for several nano- and bio-technological applications. Evolution of REI photoluminescence (PL) in small compartments inside a silica hydrogel, mimic to a soft matter bio-environment, has been studied and explained within a solvation model. The model uncovered the origin of high PL efficiency to be the formation of REI complexes, surrounded by bile salt (DOC) molecules. Comparative study of these REI-DOC complexes in bulk water solution and those enclosed inside the hydrogel revealed a strong correlation between an up to 5×-longer lifetime of REIs and appearance of the DOC ordered phase, further confirmed by dynamics of REI solvation shells, REI diffusion experiments and morphological characterization of microstructure of the hydrogel.
More Related Videos
07:24Hyperspectral Imaging as a Tool to Study Optical Anisotropy in Lanthanide-Based Molecular Single Crystals
Published on: April 14, 2020
06:08Time-resolved Photophysical Characterization of Triplet-harvesting Organic Compounds at an Oxygen-free Environment Using an iCCD Camera
Published on: December 27, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Photoluminescence: Applications
Variables Affecting Phosphorescence and Fluorescence
Photoluminescence: Fluorescence and Phosphorescence
A pair of electrons in a...
Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human...