Visible and NIR luminescence of nanocrystalline β-Ga2O3:Er3+ prepared by solution combustion synthesis

In this paper we report on facile solution combustion synthesis of erbium doped β-Ga2O3 with urea as fuel. The product was characterized using powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). X-ray diffraction and TEM showed that the material is nanostructured. Luminescence properties of β-Ga2O3:Er are studied with excitation in near infrared (Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm) and visible (argon laser at 514.5 nm). A strong NIR emission of Er3+ in the window of minimal optical loss in silica based optical fibers, due to the 4I13/2→4I15/2 transition at 1.55 μm has been observed. Codoping with Yb3+ significantly increases the intensity of that important emission.