Abstract
Near-infrared quantum cutting involving the conversion of one visible photon into two near-infrared photons was demonstrated in Ca0.99−xYbxWO4: Tb0.01 phosphors. From the analysis of the refinement of x-ray diffraction patterns, the suitable concentration range of Yb3+ in Ca0.99WO4: 0.01Tb3+ was determined to be 0–20%. By investigating their luminescent spectra and decay lifetimes, second-order downconversion from Tb3+ to Yb3+ were proved and the possible quantum cutting mechanism was proposed. Quantum efficiency related to Yb3+ concentration was calculated and the maximum efficiency was reached at 140.4%. Because the energy of Yb3 + 2F7/2 → 2F5/2 transition matches well with the band gap of the crystalline Si, the Ca0.99−xYbxWO4: Tb0.01 phosphors could be potentially applied in silicon-based solar cells.
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Acknowledgment
The authors thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10874061), the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (200807300010), and the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars (50925206).
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Wang, Z., Wang, Y., Li, Y. et al. Near-infrared quantum cutting in Tb3+, Yb3+ co-doped calcium tungstate via second-order downconversion. Journal of Materials Research 26, 693–696 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2011.6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2011.6