Plasmonic enhanced luminescence in Er3+:Ag co-doped tellurite glass

A series of erbium doped zinc tellurite glass samples with and without nanoparticles are prepared by the conventional melt-quenching method and their structural and spectroscopic characterizations are measured. Effect of silver nanoparticles on optical properties of samples is studied by annealing them for different time intervals. Efficient enhancement of upconversion emissions in the entire visible region is observed after 2 h annealing and assigned to strong localized electric field in vicinity of nanoparticles under excitation at 786 nm. The quench of green emissions (4S3/2 → 4I15/2) by longer annealing time interval is described by energy transfer from silver nanoparticles to erbium ions. Improvements of radiative emissions show that the proposed glass and technique are promising to develop solid state lasers, color displays and nanophotonics devices.

► Erbium-doped zinc tellurite glass with and without silver nanoparticles were prepared.
► TEM imaging confirms the reduction and growth of nanoparticles after annealing.
► Plasmon absorption bands of silver nanoparticles were observed in visible region.
► Efficient enhanced upconversion were obtained after 8 h annealing.
► The quench of 550 nm emission was discussed by energy transfer from Ag to Er3+ ions.