Recent progress in lanthanide-doped luminescent glasses for solid-state lighting applications-a review

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Solid-State Lighting
• Luminescent Materials

Background:

• Current white light-emitting diodes (wLEDs) rely on phosphors and epoxy resins, facing issues like thermal/moisture degradation and poor color rendering.
• Phosphor-embedded glass-ceramics present an alternative but risk host-phosphor reactions.
• Lanthanide-doped glasses emerge as a promising, stable, and easily manufactured alternative for wLEDs, avoiding phosphors and epoxy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review recent advancements in singly, doubly, and triply lanthanide-doped glasses for solid-state lighting.
• To explore their application in both down-shifting and up-conversion white light emission.
• To detail theoretical aspects, synthesis, and properties relevant to wLED applications.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on lanthanide-doped glass synthesis and characterization for wLEDs.
• Analysis of energy transfer mechanisms, including quantum dot/nanoparticle sensitization.
• Evaluation of radiative and colorimetric properties for white light generation.

Main Results:

• Lanthanide-doped glasses exhibit high thermal and chemical stability, transparency, and facile manufacturing.
• Singly, doubly, and triply doped glasses demonstrate potential for efficient white light emission via down-shifting and up-conversion.
• Strategies like doping in low phonon energy glasses and energy transfer enhancement improve luminescent properties.

Conclusions:

• Lanthanide-doped glasses represent a next-generation material for robust and efficient solid-state white lighting.
• Further optimization of doping strategies and host materials can overcome current challenges.
• These materials offer broad application potential beyond general lighting.