On the origin of near-IR luminescence in SiO2 glass with bismuth as the single dopant. Formation of the photoluminescent univalent bismuth silanolate by SiO2 surface modification

Near infrared photoluminescent bismuth(I) silanolate centers ((≡Si-O)3Si-O-Bi) were prepared on the surface of SiO2 xerogel, by the treatment in the vapors of bismuth(I) chloride. The optical properties of these groups are almost identical to that of photoluminescent centers in the bulk SiO2 glasses with bismuth as the single dopant.