Synthesis Improvement of Yb~(3+)-activated SnO_2 Nanocrystals

摘要

Yb~(3+) doped SnO_2 nanocrystals were synthesized, using the hydrolytic route in the presence of starch as the size stabilizer. Starting from salt precursors, the nanopowders obtained with various YbYb~(3+) loads are thermally stable up to 600 °C. They were characterized by XRD, solid state NMR, TEM, ICP and TG-MS techniques. The nanocrystal Cassiterite structure, with a size of a few nanometers (< 6 nm), was identified by XRD, NMR and Raman measurements confirming a homogeneous dispersion of Yb~(3+) ions in the lattice. The preliminary assessment of the spectroscopic features of nanocrystals was performed by absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The typical Yb~(3+) absorption peak, centred at 977 nm, and an intense ~2F_(5/2)→~2F_(7/2) Yb~(3+) emission band were observed.