2
G. Sui et al. / Journal of Alloys and Compounds 834 (2020) 155242
presenting the optical transitions of Yb3þ in powders.
2.3. Characterization
To evaluate the optical transition of Yb3þ in powdered phos-
phors, in this work, we proposed a method to calculate the tran-
sition rates, absorption cross section and emission cross section,
and this method was used for Yb3þ in NaYF4 phosphor. The
NaYF4:10 mol% Er3þ/20 mol% Yb3þ and NaYF4:10 mol%Er3þ pow-
ders were prepared via an auto-combustion-assisted fluoridation
The X-ray powder diffractometer (Shimadzu XRD-600, Japan)
equipped with Cu-K
a
1 radiation source (
l
¼ 1.5406 Å) was used to
study the crystal structure and the phase purity of the prepared
samples. The measurement of diffuse-reflection spectrum was
accomplished on a spectrophotometer UV-3600 (Shimadzu, Japan)
which was equipped with an integrated sphere accessory (Ante,
China, 206-23851-91).
method, and the absorption cross sections of NaYF4:10 mol% Er3þ
/
20 mol% Yb3þ and NaYF4:10 mol% Er3þ powders were corrected by
using our previous method [20]. Then the optical transition prop-
erty of Yb3þ in NaYF4 phosphor was studied.
2.4. Numerical calculation method
In the J-O theory, the representations of the oscillator strength
or radiative transition rate for any transition intra-4f configuration
contain three phenomenological parameters. These three param-
2. Experimental and numerical calculation method
2.1. Chemicals
eters are widely known as J-O parameters Ul
(
l
¼ 2, 4, 6), by using
which the radiative transition properties of the studied RE ion can
be predicted. Therefore, to confirm these J-O parameters for the
studied RE ion in a material from the experimentally measured
spectrum, three observable transitions at least are required in the
spectrum. It is well known that Yb3þ has only one excited state 2F5/2
Yttrium oxide (Y2O3, 99.99%), ytterbium oxide (Yb2O3, 99.99%)
and erbium oxide (Er2O3, 99.99%) used in the experiments were
provided by Shanghai Second Chemical Reagent Factory (China).
Analytically pure glycine (Gly), ammonium fluoride (NH4F), sodium
fluoride (NaF) and hydrochloric acid were purchased from Tianjin
Reagent Chemicals Co., Ltd (China).
2
in its 4f configuration, thus only one absorption transition F7/
2 / 2F5/2 can be observed in the infrared region at around 980 nm
in the absorption spectrum or diffuse-diffraction spectrum for Yb3þ
contained materials. Therefore, it is impossible to confirm the J-O
parameters of Yb3þ from the traditional J-O calculation route, thus
resulting in the difficulty of evaluating radiative transition prop-
erties of Yb3þ. In this work, we developed a route for confirming the
radiative transition rate, absorption and emission cross sections of
Yb3þ in NaYF4 by using Er3þ as a reference ion. The detailed
calculation process is presented below.
2.2. Synthesis of RE3þ doped
b-NaYF4 phosphors
All the samples studied in this work were prepared via following
two steps. The technical flow for preparing each sample was exactly
the same, but the composition (namely the doping concentration)
was changed based on the investigation requirement.
Step I: Synthesis of superfine Ln2O3 (Ln ¼ Y, Er or Yb) powders
It is known that the absorption peak of 2F7/2 / 2F5/2 transition of
4
Yb3þ is overlapped with the absorption peak of I15/2
/
4I11/2
In this step, the lanthanide oxides were transformed from raw
materials with larger particle sizes (usually several micrometers)
into superfine powders with smaller sizes (usually around hundred
nanometers) via a well-known auto-combustion reaction [31]. The
aim of this treatment is to improve fluoridation probability in the
next step by using NH4F as Fꢀ source.
Firstly, proper amounts of raw materials Y2O3, Er2O3 and Yb2O3
were dissolved into dilute nitric acid to form Ln (NO3)3 (Ln ¼ Y, Er or
Yb) aqueous solutions. Then a certain amount of Gly powder was
also dissolved into the Ln (NO3)3 (Ln ¼ Y, Er or Yb) solution to obtain
the precursor solution for auto-combustion reaction. The above
precursor solution was heated in a resistance furnace under
vigorous stirring condition. Until the water in the solution was
almost evaporated off, then the combustion reaction happened. As
a consequence, the superfine Ln2O3 (Ln ¼ Y, Er or Yb) powders were
obtained, and then the received powders were calcinated at 500 ꢁC
for 1 h so as to get rid of the NOꢀ3 and OHꢀ groups as well as the
residual Gly. Finally, the superfine Ln2O3 (Ln ¼ Y, Er or Yb) powders
were obtained after the calcination.
transition of Er3þ. Therefore, to use the Er3þ ion as reference for
confirming the absorption cross section of Yb3þ in Er3þ/Yb3þ
4
codoped NaYF4 phosphor, the absorption cross section of I15/
/
4I11/2 transition of Er3þ should be confirmed at first. The ab-
2
4
sorption cross section of I15/2
/
4I11/2 transition of Er3þ was
calculated by using the J-O parameters of Er3þ single-doped NaYF4
phosphor. The J-O parameters were obtained via the route we
presented in our previous work [20]. The specific calculation pro-
cess and results will be described in Section 3.2.1.
4
The sum of the absorption cross sections of I15/2
/
4I11/2
transition of Er3þ and 2F7/2 / 2F5/2 transition of Yb3þ in Er3þ/Yb3þ
codoped NaYF4 phosphor was already confirmed in Ref. [20].
Therefore, the absorption cross section of 2F7/2 / 2F5/2 transition of
Yb3þ can be readily derived by subtracting the absorption cross
4
sections of I15/2
/
4I11/2 transition of Er3þ in Er3þ single-doped
NaYF4 from the sum. The detailed calculation and the results will
be described in Section 3.2.2. Once the absorption cross section for
the only transition of Yb3þ is obtained, the emission cross section
and the radiative transiton rate for 2F5/2 / 2F7/2 transition of Yb3þ
can be confirmed via McCumber theory, which will be described in
Step II: Fluoridation synthesis of RE3þ doped NaYF4 phosphor
In this step the RE3þ doped NaYF4 phosphors will be produced
by using the superfine Ln2O3 (Ln ¼ Y, Er or Yb) powders, NaF and
NH4F as starting materials. The starting materials, NaF and Ln2O3
(Ln ¼ Y, Er or Yb) were mixed based on the chemical stoichiometric
ratio, and excessive NH4F were added into reactant mixture. The
precursor reactant mixture was well mixed and sent into a muffle
furnace, which were then kept at 500 ꢁC for 1 h. Finally, the ex-
pected sample of NaYF4:10 mol% Er3þ/20 mol% Yb3þ and
NaYF4:0.5 mol% Er3þ powders were obtained after the muffle
furnace was cooled down to room temperature.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Crystal structure
First of all, the crystal structure of the obtained samples should
be checked since the synthesis route is newly developed. To this
end, the XRD patterns for both NaYF4:10 mol% Er3þ/20 mol%Yb3þ
and NaYF4:0.5 mol% Er3þ were measured and are shown in Fig. 1.
Meanwhile, the XRD pattern taken from JCPDS card No. 28e1192 is
also shown in Fig.1 at the bottom for comparative purpose. It can be