Enhanced upconversion emission of Dy3+-doped tellurite glass by heat-treated silver nanoparticles

Dy3+-doped lead sodium tellurite glasses containing silver nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by a melt-quenching technique and treated for different annealing time intervals above the glass transition temperature. The glass samples were characterized by UV-vis-IR absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscope imaging. Eight absorption peaks of Dy3+ ions were observed indicating the transitions from ground state to different excited states. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak of silver NPs was probed at 522 nm. Blue, yellow and red luminescence emissions were recorded at 485, 578 and 665 nm. The intensity of emission peaks for heat-treated samples containing silver NPs found to be 1.7-4 times larger than their singly-doped counterpart. Such enhancements are attributed to the modification of the local field due to difference between dielectric constants of metal and surrounding medium as the major factor, and energy transfer from nano-metal particles to Dy3+ ions as the minor aspect. The size distribution of silver NPs has a Gaussian shape with a maximum around 18 nm. The glasses can be nominated as promising materials for solid state lasers.