The effect of BaF₂, MgF₂, and AlF₃ on the structural and luminescent properties of gallo-germanate glass (BGG) doped with erbium ions was investigated. A detailed analysis of infrared and Raman spectra shows that the local environment of erbium ions in the glass was influenced mainly by [GeO]₄ and [GeO]₆ units. Moreover, the highest number of non-bridging oxygens was found in the network of the BGG glass modified by MgF₂. The ²⁷Al MAS NMR spectrum of BGG glass with AlF₃ suggests the presence of aluminum in tetra-, penta-, and octahedral coordination geometry. Therefore, the probability of the ⁴I_13/2→⁴I_15/2 transition of Er³⁺ ions increases in the BGG + MgF₂ glass system. On the other hand, the luminescence spectra showed that the fluoride modifiers lead to an enhancement in the emission of each analyzed transition when different excitation sources are employed (808 nm and 980 nm). The analysis of energy transfer mechanisms shows that the fluoride compounds promote the emission intensity in different channels. These results represent a strong base for designing glasses with unique luminescent properties.

In this paper 1400 nm–2200 nm broadband emission under 808 nm and 976 nm laser diodes excitation in germanate glasses co-doped with (0.35–0.7) Er₂O₃/(0.35–0.7) Tm₂O₃/(0–0.15) Ho₂O₃ (mol%) are presented. Flattened luminescence profiles were achieved as a result of RE content optimization in glasses co-doped with 0.35Er₂O₃/0.7Tm₂O₃/0.15Ho₂O₃, (λ_exc = 808 nm) and 0.7Er₂O₃/0.35Tm₂O₃/0.07Ho₂O₃, (λ_exc= 976 nm). The second, glass characterized by the widest emission range, has been used for the fabrication of double-clad optical fiber with 15 µm/250 µm (core/outer cladding) diameters. The optimization of broadband spectrum in glass and optical fiber was performed as the result of the superposition of 1550 nm (Er³⁺: ⁴I_13/2 → ⁴I_15/2), 1800 nm (Tm³⁺: ³F₄ → ³H₆), and 2000 nm (Ho³⁺:⁵I₇ → ⁵I₈) emission bands. The influence of optical fiber length and pump wavelength on near-infrared amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) features have been determined. As a result, the broadest bandwidth of ASE (415 nm - 3 dB and 731 nm – 10 dB) was obtained in 5 m length optical fiber under 808 nm pumping. It is significantly broader than in silica and tellurite fibers, which showed the advantage of RE triply-doped germanate optical fiber.

Nanophosphors are widely used, especially in biological applications in the first and second biological windows. Currently, nanophosphors doped with lanthanide ions (Ln³⁺) are attracting much attention. However, doping the matrix with lanthanide ions is associated with a narrow luminescence bandwidth. This paper describes the structural and luminescence properties of co-doped LaPO₄ nanophosphors, fabricated by the co-precipitation method. X-ray structural analysis, scanning electron microscope measurements with EDS analysis, and luminescence measurements (excitation 395 nm) of LaPO₄:Eu³⁺/Nd³⁺ and LaPO₄:Eu³⁺/Nd³⁺/Yb³⁺ nanophosphors were made and energy transfer between rare-earth ions was investigated. Tests performed confirmed the crystal structure of the produced phosphors and deposition of rare-earth ions in the structure of LaPO₄ nanocrystals. In the range of the first biological window (650–950 nm), strong luminescence bands at the wavelengths of 687 nm and 698 nm (⁵D₀ → ⁷F₄:Eu³⁺) and 867 nm, 873 nm, 889 nm, 896 nm, and 907 nm (⁴F_3/2 → ⁴I_9/2:Nd³⁺) were observed. At 980 nm, 991 nm, 1033 nm (²F_5/2 → ²F_7/2:Yb³⁺) and 1048 nm, 1060 nm, 1073 nm, and 1080 nm (⁴F_3/2 → ⁴I_9/2:Nd³⁺), strong bands of luminescence were visible in the 950 nm–1100 nm range, demonstrating that energy transfer took place.

The radiation conversion phenomenon is used for UV sensing applications with rare earth doped phosphors. This paper presents the results of structural and optical measurements of undoped and europium doped LaPO4 phosphors. LaPO4 phosphors with 1% mol, 2% mol, and 5% mol of europium were fabricated by the co-precipitation method. The effect of Eu3+ concentrations on the luminescence characteristics under UV LED excitation was investigated. The maximum quantum efficiency of luminescence (c.a. 82%) was obtained in sampled doped with 5% of europium. Full Text: PDF ReferencesM. Runowski, "Nanotechnologia – nanomateriały, nanocząstki i wielofunkcyjne nanostruktury typu rdzeń/powłoka", Chemik 68, 9, 766-775 (2014). DirectLink J. Zhou, J.L. Leano Jr., Z. Liu, D. Jin, K.-L. Wong, R.S. Liu, et al., "Impact of Lanthanide Nanomaterials on Photonic Devices and Smart Applications", Small 14, 1801882 (2018). CrossRef Z. Li, Y. Zhang, G. Han, "Lanthanide-Doped Upconversion Nanoparticles for Imaging-Guided Drug Delivery and Therapy", Springer Series in Biomater. Sci. Eng. 6, 139-164, (2016). CrossRef M. Lin, Y. Zhao, S. Wang, M. Liu, Z. Duan, Y. Chen, et al., "Recent advances in synthesis and surface modification of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles for biomedical applications", Biotechnol. Adv. 30, 1551-1561 (2012). CrossRef H. Su, Y. Nie, H. Yang, D. Tang, K. Chen, T. Zhang, "Improving the thermal stability of phosphor in a white light-emitting diode (LED) by glass-ceramics: Effect of Al2O3 dopant", J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 38, 2005-2009 (2018). CrossRef J. Huang, X. Hu, J. Shen, D. Wu, C. Yin, R. Xiang, et al., "Facile synthesis of a thermally stable Ce3+:Y3Al5O12 phosphor-in-glass for white LEDs", Cryst. Eng. Comm 17, 7079-7085 (2015). CrossRef R. Zhang, H. Lin, Y. Yu, D. Chen, J. Xu, Y. Wang, "A new-generation color converter for high-power white LED: transparent Ce3+:YAG phosphor-in-glass", Laser Photon. Rev. 8, 158-164 (2014). CrossRef B. Zheng, Y. Bai, H. Chen, H. Pan, W. Ji, X. Gong, et al., "Near-Infrared Light-Excited Upconverting Persistent Nanophosphors in Vivo for Imaging-Guided Cell Therapy", ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 10, 19514 (2018). CrossRef J. Qiao, G. Zhou, Y. Zhou, Q. Zhang, Z. Xia, "Divalent europium-doped near-infrared-emitting phosphor for light-emitting diodes", Nature Communications 10 (1), 5267 (2019). CrossRef V. Singh, A. Kumar, C. Mehare, H. Jeong, S. Dhoble, "UV/VUV excited photoluminescence of Tb3+ doped LaPO4 green emitting phosphors for PDP applications", Optik 206, 163733 (2020). CrossRef G. Han, Y. Wang, C. Wu, J. Zhang, "Hydrothermal synthesis and vacuum ultraviolet-excited luminescence properties of novel Dy3+-doped LaPO4 white light phosphors", Mat. Res. Bull. 44 (12), 2255-2257 (2009). CrossRef K. S. Gupta, P. S. Ghosh, M. Sahu, K. Bhattacharyya, R. Tewari, V. Natarajan, "Intense red emitting monoclinic LaPO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles: host–dopant energy transfer dynamics and photoluminescence properties", RSC Adv. 5, 58832-58842 (2015). CrossRef

Glass-ceramic is semi-novel material with many applications, but it is still problematic in obtaining fibers. This paper aims to develop a new glass-ceramic material that is a compromise between crystallization, thermal stability, and optical properties required for optical fiber technology. This compromise is made possible by an alternative method with a controlled crystallization process and a suitable choice of the chemical composition of the core material. In this way, the annealing process is eliminated, and the core material adopts a glass-ceramic character with high transparency directly in the drawing process. In the experiment, low phonon antimony-germanate-silicate glass (SGS) doped with Eu³⁺ ions and different concentrations of P₂O₅ were fabricated. The glass material crystallized during the cooling process under conditions similar to the drawing processes’. Thermal stability (DSC), X-ray photo analysis (XRD), and spectroscopic were measured. Eu³⁺ ions were used as spectral probes to determine the effect of P₂O₅ on the asymmetry ratio for the selected transitions (⁵D₀ → ⁷F₁ and ⁵D₀ → ⁷F₂). From the measurements, it was observed that the material produced exhibited amorphous or glass-ceramic properties, strongly dependent on the nucleator concentration. In addition, the conducted study confirmed that europium ions co-form the EuPO₄ structure during the cooling process from 730 °C to room temperature. Moreover, the asymmetry ratio was changed from over 4 to under 1. The result obtained confirms that the developed material has properties typical of transparent glass-ceramic while maintaining high thermal stability, which will enable the fabrication of fibers with the glass-ceramic core.