title: Nanoparticulate coatings with efficient up-conversion properties.
abstract: Nanoparticulate films with high up-conversion emission (UC) properties were prepared by spray-deposition of nanometer-sized YVO4:Yb,Er particles. The optical properties of YVO4:Yb,Er were optimized upon annealing before the film deposition in order to get the highest possible UC signal in the considered type of system. Thanks to a simple model and some time-resolved spectroscopic investigations, the contribution of the scattering to the UC signal could be separated from the intrinsic properties (crystallinity, surface defects) of the material. The films obtained by this technique present the advantages of having both high UC and good transparency.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Ecole Polytechnique , CNRS UMR 7643 Route de Saclay, 91 128 Palaiseau Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dantelle
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calderón-Villajos
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zaldo
authors.forename: Concepción
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cascales
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gacoin
keywords: YVO4; films; rare-earth; scattering; up-conversion