Downconversion and upconversion emissions of GdPO4:Yb3+/Tb3+ and its potential applications in solar cells

摘要

GdPO4:Yb3+/Tb3+ powders were synthesized by a solid state reaction. The XRD patterns indicated that the obtained GdPO4:Yb3+/Tb3+ powders have the monoclinic phase. Under the excitation of lights in the ultraviolet region, GdPO4:Yb3+/Tb3+ powders show dominate green emission in the visible light region and emission band peaking at 980 nm in the infrared region along with shoulders at 1001 nm and 1024 nm, which originate from the D-5(4) -> F-7(j) (j = 6, 5, 4 and 3) transitions of Tb3+ and D-2(5/2) -> F-2(7/2) transitions of Yb3+ ions, respectively. Under the excitation of 980 nm, GdPO4:Yb3+/Tb3+ powders show dominate green emission in the visible light region, which is based on the cooperative energy transfer between two Yb3+ ions and one Tb3+ ion. The results present successful doping of rare earth ions in particles with both up and down conversion fluorescence properties that can be used as potential spectrum converter in solar cells. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.