Interpretation of europium(III) spectra

Photovoltaic (PV) technologies for solar energy conversion represent promising routes to green and renewable energy generation. Despite relevant PV technologies being available for more than half a century, the production of solar energy remains costly, largely owing to low power conversion efficiencies of solar cells. The main difficulty in improving the efficiency of PV energy conversion lies in the spectral mismatch between the energy distribution of photons in the incident solar spectrum and the bandgap of a semiconductor material. In recent years, luminescent materials, which are capable of converting a broad spectrum of light into photons of a particular wavelength, have been synthesized and used to minimize the losses in the solar-cell-based energy conversion process. In this review, we will survey recent progress in the development of spectral converters, with a particular emphasis on lanthanide-based upconversion, quantum-cutting and down-shifting materials, for PV applications. In addition, we will also present technical challenges that arise in developing cost-effective high-performance solar cells based on these luminescent materials.

Enhancing solar cell efficiency: the search for luminescent materials as spectral converters

Synthesis, Luminescent Properties, and Biomedical Applications Shili Gai,†,‡ Chunxia Li,† Piaoping Yang,*,‡ and Jun Lin*,† †State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China ‡Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology, Ministry of Education, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, 150001, P. R. China

Recent Progress in Rare Earth Micro/Nanocrystals: Soft Chemical Synthesis, Luminescent Properties, and Biomedical Applications

The synthesis of lanthanide-activated phosphors is pertinent to many emerging applications, ranging from high-resolution luminescence imaging to next-generation volumetric full-color display. In particular, the optical processes governed by the 4f-5d transitions of divalent and trivalent lanthanides have been the key to enabling precisely tuned color emission. The fundamental importance of lanthanide-activated phosphors for the physical and biomedical sciences has led to rapid development of novel synthetic methodologies and relevant tools that allow for probing the dynamics of energy transfer processes. Here, we review recent progress in developing methods for preparing lanthanide-activated phosphors, especially those featuring 4f-5d optical transitions. Particular attention will be devoted to two widely studied dopants, Ce3+ and Eu2+. The nature of the 4f-5d transition is examined by combining phenomenological theories with quantum mechanical calculations. An emphasis is placed on the correlation of hos...

Lanthanide-Activated Phosphors Based on 4f-5d Optical Transitions: Theoretical and Experimental Aspects.

Formation of Mn-doped ZnSe quantum dots (Mn:ZnSe d-dots) using nucleation-doping strategy was studied systematically and optimized through greener approaches. The resulting d-dots were with high (∼50%) photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (QY), which was achieved by the controlled formation of small-sized MnSe nanoclusters as the core and a diffused interface between the nanocluster core and the ZnSe overcoating layers. Synthesis of the d-dots under high temperatures (240−300 °C) was achieved by varying the structure of the metal carboxylate precursors, concentration of the inhibitors, free fatty acid, and concentration of the activation reagents, fatty amines. Highly emissive d-dots synthesized under desired conditions were found to be extremely stable upon thermal treatment up to the boiling point of the solvent (about 300 °C), which was quantitatively studied using in situ measurements. The PL peak of the d-dots was controllably tuned in a surprisingly large optical window, from 565 to 610 nm. These hi...

http://nathan.instras.com/MyDocsDB/doc-679.pdf

Efficient and Color-Tunable Mn-Doped ZnSe Nanocrystal Emitters: Control of Optical Performance via Greener Synthetic Chemistry

Rare earth ions (Tm3+, Er3+, and Yb3+)-doped cubic Gd2O3 nanocrystals were prepared by a simple sol−gel method. Raman and FT-IR spectra were measured to evaluate the vibrational feature of the samples. Under 980 nm laser excitation, blue (488 nm), green (564 nm), and red (661 nm) upconversion has been recorded in Gd2O3:Tm+Yb and Gd2O3:Er (Gd2O3:Er+Yb), respectively. A great enhancement of red emission and diminishment of green emission of Er3+ in Gd2O3:Er+Yb have been observed. Laser power and doping concentration dependence of the upconverted emissions were studied to understand the upconversion mechanisms. Excited absorption and energy-transfer processes are discussed as the possible mechanisms for the visible emissions.

Visible Upconversion in Rare Earth Ion-Doped Gd2O3 Nanocrystals

http://staff.ustc.edu.cn/~yinmin/papers/Y2O3.pdf

Optical properties of nanocrystalline Y2O3:Eu depending on its odd structure

Preparation and size effect on concentration quenching of nanocrystalline Y2SiO5:Eu

Blue upconversion of cubic Gd2O3:Er produced by green laser

Under selective excitation of the 3P0 level of the Pr3+ ion in YPO4, the emission spectra and fluorescence decay curves were measured at different concentrations and temperatures. The origin of the spectral line located at 16 318 cm-1 (612.8 nm) was discussed and attributed to the 1D2→ 3H4 transition. The process of concentration quenching for the 1D2 state was also studied. Using the Inokuti-Hirayama model, the non-exponential fluorescence decay curves of the 1D2 level were fitted. The result shows that dipole-quadrupole interaction between Pr3+ ions, which causes 1D2→ 1G4 and 3H4→ 3F4 cross-relaxation, results in the quenching of 1D2 emissions.

/pdf/luminescence-concentration-quenching-of-1d2-state-in-ypo4-3frvk7ve30.pdf

Shangda Xia

Papers

Visible Upconversion in Rare Earth Ion-Doped Gd2O3 Nanocrystals

Optical properties of nanocrystalline Y2O3:Eu depending on its odd structure

Preparation and size effect on concentration quenching of nanocrystalline Y2SiO5:Eu

Blue upconversion of cubic Gd2O3:Er produced by green laser

Luminescence concentration quenching of 1D2 state in YPO4:Pr3+