Fast and intense green emission of Tb(3+) in borosilicate glass modified by Cu(.).
We present photoluminescence properties of Tb(3+) doped borosilicate glasses modified by Cu(+). Around 5-time enhanced emission at 541 nm due to the superposed emission of Tb(3+) and Cu(+) is observed under the deep UV excitation. Excitation spectra demonstrate a greatly increased absorption of Tb(3+) ions in the deep UV region towards the Cu(+) excitation band, while the shortened Cu(+) emission lifetime of glasses in association with presence of Tb(3+) ions implies an energy transfer process from Cu(+) to Tb(3+) ions. Meanwhile, the Tb(3+) emission lifetime is significantly shortened from the conventional millisecond level (~4 ms) to the microsecond regime up to around 90 μs. This most likely starts with the role of Cu(+) as a co-activator by initiating the d-f orbital hybridization process via an interaction with Tb(3+), thus relaxing the spin forbidden transition of Tb(3+) ions to the partially allowed one. Moreover, combination of emissions from Cu(+) and Tb(3+) ions generates a composite green emission with adjustable CIE (Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage) chromaticity coordinates achievable by co-doping Cu(+)/Tb(3+) in the different ratio and/or altering the excitation wavelength from deep UV to near UV region.
East China University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai 200237, China.
Fanshu
F
Xia
East China University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai 200237, China.
Siyuan
S
Liu
East China University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai 200237, China.
Yang
Y
Wang
East China University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai 200237, China.
Jiayi
J
Mao
East China University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai 200237, China.
Xinxi
X
Li
East China University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai 200237, China.
Yiqun
Y
Wang
East China University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai 200237, China.
Guorong
G
Chen