Nano-silver enhanced luminescence of Eu3+-doped lead tellurite glass

• Eu3+-doped tellurite glasses containing silver nanoparticles are prepared.
• The surface plasmon resonance peak of silver nanoparticles is observed at 632 nm.
• The luminescence enhancement is attributed to localized electric field by metal.
• The quench of the luminescence is described by energy transfer from Eu3+ ions to metal.

Eu3+-doped lead sodium tellurite glasses containing silver nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by melt-quenching technique and annealed for different time intervals at above the glass transition temperature. The glasses were characterized by UV–Vis–IR absorption, photoluminescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscope imaging. Four absorption peaks of Eu3+ ion were observed due to transitions from ground state to different excited states in 400–600 nm region. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak of silver NPs was probed at 632 nm. Five emission lines were recorded at 568, 587, 614, 650 and 704 nm which were intensified in the order of ∼1.9 times for heat-treated samples containing silver NPs. The average size of NPs was estimated to be ∼10 nm. Different mechanisms for interaction of light with metal and luminescent ions are discussed. Such enhancements are attributed to the strong local electric field induced by SPR of silver NPs as the major factor, and energy transfer from surface of silver NP to Eu3+ ion. The glasses show promising properties for optical applications.

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