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Effects of size and surface on luminescence properties of submicron upconversion NaYF4:Yb,Er particles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Du Yuan ,
Guang Shun Yi  and
Gan Moog Chow
Guang Shun Yi*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119260, Republic of Singapore
Gan Moog Chow*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119260, Republic of Singapore
*
a) Currently at nanoBright Technologies Pte Ltd., Singapore 609964, Republic of Singapore.
b) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: msecgm@nus.edu.sg
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Abstract

Bulk NaYF4:Yb,Er particles (∼1.4 μm particle size) were synthesized using a hydrothermal method. As-synthesized particles were subsequently ball milled to three average particle sizes, namely, ∼260 nm, 160 nm, and 100 nm. The x-ray diffraction pattern showed an hcp phase for as-synthesized and ball-milled particles with a predominant (100) peak. Room temperature emission spectra showed no size dependent peak shifts or peak broadening. The intensities of both green and red emissions decreased with increasing milling time. Segregation of Er ions was detected on the surfaces of milled particle that reduced the sensitizer-activator transition probability, resulting in decreased emission intensities. The green-to-red emission ratio was correlated to the surface enrichment of Er, which affected the cross-relaxation of luminescence dynamics.

Keywords

ErLuminescenceX-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)

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Articles
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Journal of Materials Research , Volume 24 , Issue 6 , June 2009 , pp. 2042 - 2050
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2009

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