Infrared photoluminescence of sol–gel spin-coated films of rare-earth activated lanthanum silicate

A series of phosphors with composition La9.33−x−y−zSi6O24O2 (x=Er, y=Ce, z=Yb) with the silicate oxyapatite structure were synthesized by a sol–gel spin-coating technique. The products formed as well-crystallized laminae 6–8 nm thick. Spectroscopic measurements in the near-infrared showed that excitation through Ce3+ enhances 1.53 μm emission of Er3+ by a factor of 50, while the effect of Yb3+ is to quench the luminescence.

► Lanthanum silicate with the oxyapatite structure can be synthesized by a sol–gel spin-coating technique.
► Er3+ activations yield a relatively weak emission at 1.53 μm.
► Ce3+ co-activation increases the infrared emission by about 50 times.