Luminescent Nd3+ doped silicone-urea copolymers

A simple method for the preparation of rare earth ion-doped polymers, which display luminescence, is reported. For this purpose silicone-urea copolymers were doped with Nd(NO3)3·6H2O. Various structural and physicochemical properties of the resultant materials were investigated. FTIR studies indicated strong interaction of Nd3+ ions with urea groups, but no interaction with siloxane backbone, which is expected. Absorption measurements in the visible and near infrared region were performed and the radiative decay rates and branching ratios for the meta-stable 4F3/2 level were determined by using Judd-Ofelt theory. The samples were also excited at 800 nm and emission spectra were observed in the near infrared at 905, 1059, and 1331 nm. In Nd3+ doped silicone-urea systems the highest emission cross section at 1059 nm was determined to be 60.7×10−21 cm2. Spectroscopic parameters determined in this study suggest that Nd3+ doped silicone-urea copolymers are promising candidates for the development of fiber lasers or amplifiers near 1.06 and 1.3 μm.