Effect of Yb(3+) on the Crystal Structural Modification and Photoluminescence Properties of GGAG:Ce(3+)

Gadolinium gallium aluminum garnet (GGAG) is a very promising host for the highly efficient luminescence of Ce(3+) and shows potential in radiation detection applications. However, the thermodynamically metastable structure would be slanted against it from getting high transparency. To stabilize the crystal structure of GGAG, Yb(3+) ions were codoped at the Gd(3+) site. It is found that the decomposition of garnet was suppressed and the transparency of GGAG ceramic was evidently improved. Moreover, the photoluminescence of GGAG:Ce(3+),xYb(3+) with different Yb(3+) contents has been investigated. When the Ce(3+) ions were excited under 475 nm, a typical near-infrared region emission of Yb(3+) ions can be observed, where silicon solar cells have the strongest absorption. Basing on the lifetimes of Ce(3+) ions in the GGAG:Ce(3+),xYb(3+) sample, the transfer efficiency from Ce(3+) to Yb(3+) and the theoretical internal quantum efficiency can be calculated and reach up to 86% and 186%, respectively. This would make GGAG:Ce(3+),Yb(3+) a potential attractive downconversion candidate for improving the energy conversion efficiency of crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells.