Synthesis and Characterization of Sm³⁺/Yb³⁺ Codoped Oxychloride Tellurite Glasses for Solar Cell Enhancement via...

This study presents the synthesis and characterization of novel oxychloride tellurite glasses codoped with Sm³⁺/Yb³⁺. These materials were investigated for their potential applications as spectral converters to enhance the efficiency of silica-based solar cells. Optical spectroscopy revealed the successful incorporation of both rare-earth ions in the glass matrix. It was observed that with the increase of Yb³⁺ ion concentration, the lifetime of the ⁴G_5/2 state of Sm³⁺ ions decreased considerably, indicating an efficient energy transfer mechanism between the Sm³⁺/Yb³⁺ pair. A notable energy transfer efficiency of 76% was achieved for the sample containing 3 mol % of YbCl₃. The observed visible-to-near-infrared spectral conversion properties make these glasses promising candidates for improving the performance of silicon solar cells by better matching the solar spectrum to the optimal response range of a photovoltaic device.