Sensitized intense near-infrared downconversion quantum cutting three-photon luminescence phenomena of the Tm3+ ion activator in Tm3+ Bi3+:YNbO4 powder phosphor

In present study, the intense sensitized three photon near-infrared quantum cutting luminescence of Tm3+ ion activator in Tm3+ Bi3+:YNbO4 powder phosphor is reported. It is induced both by [{(1)G(4) -> H-3(4), H-3(6) -> H-3(5)} or {(1)G(4) -> H-3(5), H-3(6) -> H-3(4)}] and {H-3(4) -> F-3(4), H-3(6) -> F-3(4)} cross-energy transfer. We found that the 1820.0 nm F-3(4) -> H-3(6) luminescence intensity of Tm0.08Bi0.01Y0.91NbO4 powder phosphor excited by 302.0 nm is 151 and 8.38 times larger, compared to Tm0.005Y0.995NbO4 excited by 302.0 and 468.0 nm, in which the quantum cutting takes place between Tm3+ ions and Bi3+ ion only acts as sensitizer. To the knowledge of the authors, it is the first time that the effective Bi3+ sensitized near-infrared quantum cutting of Tm3+ ion activator has been reported. It can facilitate the probing of the next-generation environmentally friendly germanium solar cell. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America