| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1522911 | Materials Chemistry and Physics | 2013 | 6 Pages |
Er-doped LaPO4 microspheres have been synthesized by spray pyrolysis and the near infrared (NIR) properties have been characterized. It has been found that, following an adequate post-annealing treatment, the emission properties are remarkably improved. The NIR luminescence intensity is highly enhanced and its decay time increases to a value almost coincident with the reported radiative lifetime, which implies that the quantum yield approaches η ≈ 100%. This improvement in luminescence characteristics is probably related to the suppression of residual OH− radicals, that otherwise act as NIR luminescence quenchers, and to the increase in material's crystallinity.
► LaPO4:Er synthesis with microspherical morphology. ► Study of luminescent properties of Er ions in the microspheres. ► Enhancement of the 4I13/2 quantum efficiency after thermal treatments. ► Improvement of the NIR luminescent signal at 1.5 μm.
