Tm3+-sensitized up- and down-conversions in nano-structured oxyfluoride glass ceramics

Tm3+-sensitized up-conversion and down-conversion are studied in transparent glass ceramics embedded with β-YF3 nanocrystals. Upon excitation at 1220 nm, where crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells no longer absorb, the sub-bandgap photons could be converted to the higher-energy ones via up-conversion. In addition, under excitation at 468 nm (a wavelength close to the peak in the air-mass 1.5 global solar spectrum), one blue photon might be split in up to two near-infrared ones via down-conversion. In both cases, the frequency-converted photons match the spectral response of c-Si solar cell well. Hopefully, the investigated luminescent materials may act as the spectral conversion layers to reduce the sub-bandgap transmission and charge carrier thermalization losses of c-Si solar cells, and in turn, enhance the energy efficiency.

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► UC and DC are achieved in a single-ion sensitized phosphor for PV applications.
► The most intense fractions of AM 1.5G spectrum below/above c-Si bandgap are absorbed.
► The converted photons match the optimal spectral response of c-Si.