Laser spectroscopy of rare earth ions in lead borate glasses and transparent glass-ceramics

Rare earth doped lead borate glasses and transparent glass-ceramics have been studied using optical spectroscopy. Based on the absorption, emission and its decay and the Judd-Ofelt calculations, several radiative and laser parameters for Ln ³⁺ (Ln = Pr, Nd, Eu, Dy, Er, Tm) were evaluated. The large values of luminescence lifetime, quantum efficiency of excited state and room temperature peak stimulated emission cross-section suggest efficient laser transitions of Ln ³⁺ ions in lead borate glasses. The obtained results indicate that lead borate glasses and glass-ceramics containing Ln ³⁺ ions are promising host matrices for solid-state laser applications.     

Radiationless Energy Transfer Between Rare-Earth Ions in Solutions and its Application to the Investigation of Complexation Processes

Radiationless energy transfer between rare-earth ions (Ln³⁺) in solutions has some features: 1) the electronic transitions in Ln³⁺ complexes causing the luminescence of energy donor and the absorption of energy acceptors are forbidden by Laporte's rule and are weakly intensive. Therefore the critical radius (R_o) of energy transfer between the rare-earth ions for dipole-dipole mechanism is close to that for exchange-resonant mechanism. This fact presents difficulties for unequivocal interpretation of the energy transfer mechanism. 2) The plus-three lanthanide ions exist in solution as a set of complexes with different number of charged ligands in the inner coordination sphere and hence with different total charge of complexes.     

Ln(III)-cored complexes based on 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone ligand for near infrared emission: Energy transfer pathway and transient absorption behavior

Lanthanide(III)-cored complexes based on 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTA) ligand for near infrared (NIR) emission have been developed to investigate the energy transfer pathway from the antenna ligand to the Ln³⁺ ion. Their photophysical studies indicate the sensitization of Ln³⁺ luminescence by energy transfer through the excited triplet state of β-diketone ligand. Nanosecond (ns) transient absorption behavior of Ln³⁺-[TTA]₃(terpy) complexes at room temperature is explored. The triplet-triplet absorption spectrum for Gd³⁺-[TTA]₃(terpy) is observed under degassed condition, whereas it is hardly observed in Er³⁺-[TTA]₃(terpy) complex. The sensitizing process in Er³⁺-[TTA]₃(terpy), through the triplet state of TTA ligand to Er³⁺ ion, is also independent on the presence of oxygen. It indicates that the energy transfer rate through the excited triplet state of β-diketone ligand to Er³⁺ ion occurs approximately faster than that of the oxygen quenching rate.     

A cross-relaxation mechanism of fluorescence quenching in complexes of lanthanide ions with organic ligands

For the first time, direct experimental evidence of a new mechanism for the quenching of fluorescence of organic ligands (L) in complex compounds with lanthanide ions (Ln³⁺) is obtained. By analogy with the mechanism of luminescence quenching upon pair interactions of Ln³⁺ ions in inorganic systems, this mechanism is called the cross-relaxation mechanism. The experiments are performed with complexes of Tb³⁺ with dianions of halogen-substituted fluoresceins (HSFs): 4,5-dibromo-and 4,5-diiodofluorescein, eosin B, eosin, erythrosin, and Rose Bengal in dimethyl sulfoxide. In accordance with this mechanism—exchange energy transfer, L^2?(*S ₁), Tb³⁺(⁷ F ₆)→L^2?(T ₁), Tb³⁺(⁷ F _{5, 4}), allowed by the spin selection rules—an increase in the quantum yield of formation of the triplet state (Φ_T) of a ligand L^2? and a decrease in the quantum yield of fluorescence (Φ_fl) are found to take place upon complexation. The efficiency of this process amounts to ～1 in accordance with the equality Φ_fl+Φ_T=1, valid for solutions of HSFs. The possibility of other processes leading to a similar effect, specifically, recharging of the system (as for complexes of HSFs with Eu³⁺ and ³⁺) is considered. An example of inductive resonance interactions in complexes of HSFs with Pr³⁺ is given. The manifestation of equilibrium between outer-sphere and inner-sphere complexes in the photophysics of complexes of metals with HSFs is discussed.

     

Optical spectroscopy of lanthanides doped in wide band-gap semiconductor nanocrystals

Currently, tripositive lanthanide (Ln³⁺) ions doped wide band-gap semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) have been the focus of research interest due to their distinct optical properties and potential applications in optical devices and luminescent biolabels. Because of the low absorptions of parity-forbidden 4f-4f transitions for Ln³⁺, it is highly anticipated that the luminescence of Ln³⁺ ions embedded in wide band-gap NC lattices can be sensitized efficiently via exciton recombination in the host. For this purpose, the successful incorporation of Ln³⁺ into the lattices of semiconductor NCs is of utmost importance, which still remains intractable via conventional wet chemical methods. Here, the most recent progress in the optical spectroscopy of Ln³⁺ ions doped wide band-gap semiconductor NCs is discussed. Much attention was focused on the optical properties including electronic structures, luminescence dynamics, energy transfer as well as the up-conversion emissions of Ln³⁺ ions in ZnO, TiO₂, SnO₂ and In₂O₃ NCs that were synthesized in our laboratory using wet chemical methods.     

Inversion of the relative probabilities of the f-f and f-d transitions in the Ln3+ lanthanide ions at their radio- and sonoexcitation as compared to photoexcitation

The results of measuring the efficiencies of the formation of electronically excited states of the Ln³⁺ lanthanide ions in aqueous solutions in the processes of radioluminescence and multibubble sonoluminescence are analyzed. In both cases, electronic excitation occurs due to inelastic collisions of Ln³⁺ ions with (for radioluminescence) charged ionizing particles in liquid and (for multibubble sonoluminescence) high-energy particles, primarily electrons, in the gas phase of cavitation bubbles. In both processes, the efficiencies of exciting ions whose luminescence states appear in the 4f-5d transitions (Ce³⁺ and Pr³⁺) are significantly lower (by an order of magnitude or larger) than the efficiencies of exciting ions whose luminescence states appear in the 4f-4f transitions (Gd³⁺ and Tb³⁺). Therefore, the probability of the f-d transitions is lower than the probability of the f-f transitions in lanthanide ions excited by collisions with the charged particles and the relative probabilities of these transitions are inverted in these processes as compared to photoexcitation. Original Russian Text ? G.L. Sharipov, 2007, published in Pis’ma v Zhurnal éksperimental’noĭ i Teoreticheskoĭ Fiziki, 2007, Vol. 85, No. 9, pp. 559–562.     

NIR-luminescence from ternary lanthanide [Ho, Pr and Tm] complexes with 1-(2-naphthyl)-4,4,4-trifluoro-1,3-butanedionate

The ligand 1-(2-naphthyl)-4,4,4-trifluoro-1,3-butanedionate (Htfnd) has been employed to synthesize six novel ternary-lanthanide complexes in which the synergic ligands were 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (dione) and 4,5-diazafluoren-9-one (dafone), respectively. Two series of complexes Ln(tfnd)₃dione and Ln(tfnd)₃dafone (Ln=Ho, Pr, Tm) were obtained. These complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared spectra and diffused reflectance. After ligand-mediated excitation, Ln(tfnd)₃dione and Ln(tfnd)₃dafone all show the characteristic NIR luminescence of the corresponding Ln³⁺ ions (Ln=Ho, Pr, Tm). This can be attributed to the efficient energy transfer from ligands to central Ln³⁺ ions, via an antenna effect. The indirect energy transfer in the complexes has been investigated and the differences in the luminescence intensity between Ln(tfnd)₃dione and Ln(tfnd)₃dafone were discussed in detail. The excellent luminescent performances enable these NIR-luminescent complexes to have potential applications in optical amplification operating at 1300 or 1500 nm.     

Sensitized luminescence properties of dinuclear lanthanide macrocyclic complexes bearing a benzophenone antenna

Dinuclear lanthanide (Ln=Tb³⁺ or Eu³⁺) complexes (Ln₂L2) of two octadentate macrocyclic polyaminopolycarboxylic ligands connected through a benzophenone (BP) moiety (L2) have been synthesized. Sensitized luminescence properties of Ln₂L2 in water have been studied in comparison to those of BP-conjugated mononuclear Ln complexes (LnL1). The luminescence intensity of Tb₂L2 is lower than that of TbL1 because of lower triplet quantum yield of the BP moiety. In contrast, Eu₂L2 shows higher intensity than EuL1. For both Eu complexes, energy level of triplet excited-state BP (³BP*) is only 3 kJ mol⁻¹ higher than that of ⁵D₂ excited-state of Eu³⁺. The ⁵D₂ state formed by a triplet-energy transfer (TET) from ³BP* is therefore deactivated by a back energy transfer (BET) to the ground-state BP, resulting in low luminescence intensity of EuL1. In contrast, within Eu₂L2, TET from ³BP* to ⁵D₀ state of two Eu³⁺ ions is accelerated, thus leading to higher luminescence intensity. Another notable feature of Eu₂L2 is the luminescence quantum yield independent of its concentration. In contrast, for EuL1 system, an intermolecular BET occurs from ⁵D₂ state of Eu³⁺ to the ground-state BP conjugated to another EuL1 complex, resulting in a yield decrease with the concentration increase.     

Energy transfer from the singlet levels of diketones and dyes to lanthanide ions in nanoparticles consisting of their diketonate complexes

The energy transfer from the S ₁ levels of p-phenylbenzoyltrifluoroacetone (PhBTA) and dyes to different Ln³⁺ ions is studied in nanoparticles (NPs) composed of complexes of this diketone with Ln³⁺ and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) and doped with dye molecules. The quenching rate constants in the NPs consisting from complexes of Pr³⁺, Nd³⁺, Sm³⁺, Eu³⁺, Ho³⁺, Er³⁺, and Tm³⁺ are determined from the data on the quenching of sensitized (cofluorescence) and ordinary fluorescence of coumarin 30 (C30) and rhodamine 6G (R6G). The quenching rate constants vary from ≤5 × 10¹¹ to 10¹³ s^?1 for the fluorescence quenching of PhBTA by different Ln³⁺ ions, while the quenching of dye fluorescence occurs at rates of the order of 10⁹ s^?1. In the case of complexes with the Pr³⁺ ions, the fluorescence quenching of PhBTA in NPs composed of its complexes is accompanied by sensitized luminescence of Pr³⁺. The quenching observed is due to a nonradiative energy transfer from the S ₁ states of ligands and dyes to these ions. It is shown that in NPs composed of complexes with Eu³⁺, Yb³⁺, and Sm³⁺ the cofluorescence of C30 is quenched via the electron-transfer mechanism. The study of quenching of cofluorescence and fluorescence of dyes in NPs composed of mixed complexes of La³⁺ and Nd³⁺ (Ho³⁺) shows that the observed quenching of fluorescence and cofluorescence is governed mainly by the quenching of the S ₁ state of dyes when the Nd³⁺ (Ho³⁺) content does not exceed 5–10% and by the quenching of the S ₁ state of a ligand when the Nd³⁺ (Ho³⁺) content exceeds 50%. It is assumed that the high rate constant of energy transfer from the S ₁ level of ligands to ions Pr³⁺, Nd³⁺, Ho³⁺, Er³⁺, and Tm³⁺ in NPs composed of beta-diketonate complexes is caused by exchange interactions.     

Sensitized luminescence of Eu and Tb macrocyclic complexes bearing benzophenone antennae

Sensitized luminescence behavior of lanthanide (Ln=Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺) macrocyclic cyclen (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) complexes bearing one or four benzophenone (BP) moieties as antenna (LnL1 and LnL4) has been studied in water. Despite higher molar extinction coefficient of EuL4 owing to four antennae, it shows only one-thirtieth the luminescence intensity of EuL1. Energy level of triplet excited-state of BP antenna (E_T) is only a few kJ mol⁻¹ higher than that of ⁵D₂ excited-state of Eu³⁺, thus promoting a back energy transfer (BET) from ⁵D₂ of Eu³⁺ to ground-state BP antennae. On EuL4 bearing four antennae, BET occurs more rapidly than that on EuL1, thus exhibiting much weaker luminescence. For Tb complexes, the energy gap between E_T of BP antenna and ⁵D₄ excited state of Tb³⁺ is large enough (>13 kJ mol⁻¹), such that practically no BET occurs. The luminescence intensity of TbL4 is, however, lower (two-third) than that of TbL1. Time-resolved luminescence measurement reveals that hydration number of Tb³⁺ within TbL4 is twice that within TbL1. This is because the structural distortion of ligands on TbL4, caused by an intramolecular dipole-dipole interaction among the BP antennae, allows coordination of higher number of H₂O molecules to Tb³⁺, thus leading to a strong Tb luminescence quenching via O-H oscillators.     

Luminescence of Ln3+ and WO 2 2+ ions in wolframylphosphate glasses

We investigate the luminescent properties of potassium wolframylphosphate glasses doped with Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺, and Dy³⁺ ions whose luminescence is excited by donor-acceptor interaction between the active WO ₂ ²⁺ and Ln³⁺ ions, as well as the migration of energy in the subsystems of each type of the active ions. Comparison of the obtained data with the results of investigation of the spectroscopic properties of Ln³⁺ in uranylphosphate materials shows that a sufficiently high degree of the ionicity of bonds of Ln³⁺ with the atoms of its first coordination sphere is preserved in wolframylphosphate matrices. We show that three stages of the decomposition of electron excitations are typical of the WO ₂ ²⁺ ions in wolframylphosphate glasses doped with Ln³⁺ and two stages in nonactivated glasses. The electron excitation energy transfer in the WO ₂ ²⁺ −Ln³⁺ system occurs due to induction-resonance interaction. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 5, pp. 620–625, September–October, 1997.     

Potential PDP phosphors with strong absorption around 172 nm: Rare earth doped NaLaP2O7 and NaGdP2O7

NaLaP₂O₇ and NaGdP₂O₇ powder samples are prepared by solid-state reactions at 750 and 600 °C, respectively, and the VUV-excited luminescence properties of Ln³⁺ (Ln=Ce, Pr, Tb, Tm, Eu) in both diphosphates are studied. Ln³⁺ ions in both hosts show analogous luminescence. For Ce³⁺-doped samples, the five Ce³⁺ 5d levels can be clearly identified. As for Pr³⁺ and Tb³⁺-doped samples, strong 4f-5d absorption band around 172 nm is observed, which matches well with Xe-He excimer in plasma display panel (PDP) devices. As a result, Pr³⁺ can be utilized as sensitizer to absorb 172 nm VUV photon and transfer energy to appropriate activators, and Tb³⁺-doped NaREP₂O₇(RE=La, Gd) are potential 172 nm excited green PDP phosphors. For Tm³⁺ and Eu³⁺-doped samples, the Tm³⁺-O²⁻ charge transfer band (CTB) is observed to be at 177 nm, but the CTB of Eu³⁺ is observed at abnormally low energy position, which might originate from multi-position of Eu³⁺ ions. The similarity in luminescence properties of Ln³⁺ in both hosts indicates certain structural resemblance of coordination environment of Ln³⁺ in the two sodium rare earth diphosphates.     

Design and Synthesis of a Terbium(III) Complex-Based Luminescence Probe for Time-Gated Luminescence Detection of Mercury(II) Ions

Time-gated luminescence detection technique using lanthanide complexes as luminescent probes is a useful and highly sensitive method. However, the effective application of this technique is limited by the lack of the target-responsive luminescent lanthanide complexes that can specifically recognize various analytes in aqueous solutions. In this work, a dual-functional ligand that can form a stable complex with Tb³⁺ and specifically recognize Hg²⁺ ions in aqueous solutions, N,N,N ¹ ,N ¹ -{[2,6-bis(3′-aminomethyl-1′-pyrazolyl)-4-[N,N-bis(3″,6″-dithiaoctyl)-aminomethyl]- pyridine]} tetrakis(acetic acid) (BBAPTA), has been designed and synthesized. The luminescence of its Tb³⁺ complex is weak, but can be effectively enhanced upon reaction with Hg²⁺ ions in aqueous solutions. The luminescence response investigations of BBAPTA-Tb³⁺ to various metal ions indicate that the complex has a good luminescence sensing selectivity for Hg²⁺ ions, but not for other metal ions. Thus a highly sensitive time-gated luminescence detection method for Hg²⁺ ions was developed by using BBAPTA-Tb³⁺ as a luminescent probe. The dose-dependent luminescence enhancement of the probe shows a good linearity with a detection limit of 17 nM for Hg²⁺ ions. These results demonstrated the efficacy and advantages of the new Tb³⁺ complex-based luminescence probe for the sensitive and selective detection of Hg²⁺ ions.     

Energy transfer and photoextinction from Ln to Tb and Eu in aqueous chloride solutions

Energy transfer and photoextinction from Ln³⁺ to Tb³⁺ and Eu³⁺ in aqueous chloride solutions were studied by absorption, emission and excitation spectra. The energy gaps below the luminescent terms of Gd³⁺, Tb³⁺ and Eu³⁺ are spanned by 10, 5 and 4 quanta, respectively, of the highest energy vibration in aqueous solution, and luminescence is observed in each case. This is not so for other Ln³⁺ where nonradiative deactivation dominates over luminescence. It was verified that only Gd³⁺ could transfer energy to Tb³⁺ and Eu³⁺ ions in aqueous or acid solutions. The ions Pr³⁺, Nd³⁺, Sm³⁺, Dy³⁺, Ho³⁺ and Er³⁺ exhibited strong competitive absorption at certain wavelengths, resulting in the photoextinction of Tb³⁺ and Eu³⁺ emission.     

Fluorescence enhancement of Ln doped nanoparticles

Fluorescence emission of Ln³⁺ doped nanoparticles is influenced by many factors. Enhancement of fluorescence emission of Ln³⁺ doped nanoparticles can be achieved either through an external approach or an internal adjustment. The external approaches mainly include application of core/shell configuration and metal or semiconductor nanoparticles. Varying the crystal phase of the nanoparticle or introducing a codopant sensitizer are the internal approaches frequently used to obtain fluorescence enhancement, which are through inner adjustments to change the local structure, local symmetry and interaction with active ions. In the current work, efforts to obtain luminescence enhancement in Ln³⁺ doped nanoparticles through external or internal approaches are reviewed. The important roles of local symmetry and asymmetric interactions with optically active ions are extensively discussed.     

Study of lanthanide liquid-crystalline complexes by Photoacoustic and luminescence spectroscopy

Lanthanide complexes Ln(bta)₃L₂ (Ln³⁺: Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺ and Ho³⁺; bta: benzoyltrifluoroacetonate; L: N-octadecyl-2-hydroxy-4-tetradecyloxybenzal- dimine) are synthesized. Their photoacoustic (PA) spectra are reported and interpreted. In the region of ligand absorption, PA intensity increases for Eu(bta)₃L₂, Tb(bta)₃L₂ and Ho(bta)₃L₂, respectively. It is found that the PA intensity of the ligand bears a relation to the intramolecular energy transfer process. By comparison with luminescence spectra, the energy transfer process and phase transition of lanthanide complexes are studied from two aspects: radiative and nonradiative processes.     

Efficient Sensitized Luminescence of Binuclear Ln(III) Complexes Based on a Chelating Bis-Carbacylamidophosphate

Binuclear rare earth complexes Ln₂L₃phen₂ (Ln^III?=?Nd^III, Sm^III, Eu^III, Tb^III, Dy^III, Yb^III and Y^III) with bis-CAPh type ligand - tetramethyl N,N′-(2,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluoro-1,5-dioxopentane-1,5-diyl)bis(phosphoramidate) (H₂L) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, NMR, absorption and luminescence spectroscopy. Luminescence measurements were performed for all the complexes in solid state and for the Eu^III, Tb^III and Y^III complexes - in solution in DMSO as well. The effective energy transfer from organic ligands to Ln^III ions strongly sensitizes the Ln^III ions emission and under excitation by UV light, the complexes exhibited bright characteristic emission of lanthanide metal centers. It was found that the energy level of the ligands lowest triplet state in the complexes matches better to resonance level of Eu^III rather than Tb^III ion. Depending on temperature the emission decay times of solid europium and terbium complexes were in the range of 1.5–2.0 ms. In solid state at room temperature the Eu^III complex possess intense luminescence with very high intrinsic quantum yield 91% and decay time equal 1.88 ms.

     

Characterization of free radicals generated from the reaction of Fe3+/Fe2+ withtert-butyl hydroperoxide and the effect of lanthanide ions

The inhibitory effects of lanthanide ions on the generation of free radicals from the reaction of Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺ withtert-butyl hydroperoxide (^tBuOOH) were investigated by electron spin resonance (ESR) utilizing 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) as a spin trap. Peroxyl, alkoxyl, and carbon-centered free radicals generated from Fe³⁺-^tBuOOH system were successfully trapped by DMPO, whereas peroxyl radicals were not trapped in Fe²⁺-^tBuOOH system. Peroxyl and alkoxyl radicals are initial radical species generated from Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺ systems, respectively. The carbon-centered radicals (^⋅CH₃) might be attributed to β-scission reaction of these alkoxyl radicals. The ESR signals of DMPO adducts of these radicals were quenched in the presence of lanthanides (Ln³⁺ or [Ln(cit)₂]³⁻), in concentration-dependent fashion. Moreover, the quenching effect of Ln³⁺ is closely related to the time the Ln³⁺ was added into the free-radical-triggered systems. The results reveal that there might be various mechanisms responsible for inhibiting generation and transformation of the free radicals. If Ln³⁺ and iron react with peroxide simultaneously, the complex formation of Ln³⁺ with^tBuOOH will be the main mechanism of the competitive inhibitory effect of Ln³⁺. Whereas if Ln³⁺ is added after iron, the inhibitory effect on the ESR signal of DMPO adducts might be interpreted preferentially by the coordination and magnetic dipole-dipole interaction between Ln³⁺ and DMPO adducts.     

Synthesis,crystal structure,and luminescence properties of CaY2Ge3O10:Ln3+, Ln = Eu,Tb

The crystal structure and luminescence properties of CaY₂Ge₃O₁₀:Ln³⁺ (Ln = Eu, Tb) germanates synthesized via a conventional solid-state reaction and an ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid complexing process are studied. The CaY_{2 ? x} Ln _x Ge₃O₁₀ (Ln = Eu, Tb; x = 0–1.0, 2.0; Δx = 0.1) solid solutions have a monoclinic structure (space group P2₁/c, Z = 4), in which dopant ions occupy three nonequivalent noncentrosymmetric sites with different Ca²⁺/Ln³⁺ ratios. The effect of the synthesis methods, dopant concentrations, and excitation wavelengths on the luminescence properties of the compounds obtained is determined.     

Photoluminescence properties of red-emitting phosphors Ln3BWO9:Eu3+ (Ln=Y,La, Gd)

Undoped and Eu³⁺ activated Ln₃BWO₉ (Ln=Y, La, Gd) were prepared by the Pechini method and characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy. All the samples have the hexagonal phase after heat treatment in the range of 850–1000 °C. The Eu³⁺ doped samples emit high-purity red light with peak maximum at about 617 nm under excitation of UV light (～285 nm) at room temperature. When the doping concentration of Eu³⁺ is about 20–30%, luminescence intensity reaches the maximum. Luminescence decay curves indicate that Ln₃BWO₉:Eu³⁺ exhibits a fast decay time of about 0.5 ms. A possible luminescence mechanism has also been proposed. It is worth noting that both the absorption of host lattice and the charge transfer (CT) transition of Eu³⁺ are of great importance to the promising luminescent performance of Ln₃BWO₉:Eu³⁺.