Li+ co-doping effect on the photoluminescence time decay behavior of Y2O3:Er3+ films

The effect of Li+ co-doping on photoluminescence time decay characteristics of Y2O3:Er3+ is reported for films deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis at 500 °C. The Er3+ content was fixed at 1.5 at% while the Li+ content in the spraying solution was varied from 1 to 4 at% in relation to Y3+. It is observed that the addition of Li+ content up to 2 at%, besides resulting in an increase of the luminescence emission intensity, modifies the luminescence time decay behavior as well. A simple model in which charge transfer from localized centers to the Er3+ ions is used to describe the evolution with time of the luminescence emission. The introduction of Li+ ions in Y2O3:Er3+ seems to have an impact on the charge transfer process and on the total number of Er3+ ions contributing to the luminescence emission.