High efficient quantum cutting in Ce3+/Yb3+ co-doped oxyfluoride glasses

A kind of high efficient near infrared (NIR) quantum cutting oxyfluoride glasses co-doped with Ce3+ and Yb3+ had been synthesized. Due to the cooperative energy transfer (CET) from one Ce3+ to two Yb3+ ions, an intense characteristic NIR emission around 976 nm attributed to F-2(5/2) -> F-2(7/2) transition of Yb3+ was obtained when 322 nm ascribed to the 4f -> 5d transition of Ce3+ was selected as an excitation wavelength. The maximum quantum efficiency (QE) of our glasses was estimated to be 191.0%. The high efficiency of the glasses indicated that it could be a potential quantum cutting convertor for practical application to improve the photovoltaic energy conversion efficiency of crystalline Si solar cells. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.