Strong Red Up‐Conversion Emission in Thin Film Devices Based on Rare‐Earth Oxides Obtained from Templating 2D Coordination Networks

Abstract

Coordination networks (CNs) with tailorable multi-metallic composition were designed and then used as sacrificial materials to obtain promising materials with Up-conversion (UC) properties. The metal-organic precursors led to solid solutions of Rare-Earth Oxides (REO)Y2O3:Yb3+/Er3+ or Y2O3:Yb3+/Er3+/Gd3 through a calcination process. In order to obtain luminescent UC platforms, spin-coating technique was implemented to deposit these materials onto glass supports. The synthesized solids and the resulting films were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy – Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), infrared spectroscopy, powder (PXRD), and grazing incidence (GIXRD) X-ray diffraction techniques. Moreover, the photophysical properties of bulk and deposited Y2O3:Ln3+ doped oxides were evaluated after being irradiated with NIR wavelength (980 nm) laser to excite the Yb3+ sensitizer ion. Besides, decay emission profiles from each sample were also obtained and lifetime (τobs) values were calculated. These results open up the implementation of REO thin films obtained through CN calcination for promising applications such as solar cells and sensor devices.