Broadband emission from Ce3+/Mn2+/Yb3+ tri-doped oxyfluoride glasses for glass greenhouse

In this work, a kind of oxyfluoride glasses tri-doped with Ce3+/Mn2+/Yb3+ ions was prepared by a simple and fast high temperature melting method. Under excitation with 300 nm light, two meaningful broad band emissions (ranged from 340 to 500 nm and 510-700 nm) were obtained, which matched well with the absorption of the chlorophylls. Under near-infrared (980 nm) excitation, an abnormal up-conversion luminescence was demonstrated in the oxyfluoride glasses by the energy transfer from Yb3+ to Mn2+. In addition, the up-conversion emission has a red shift along with the increase of the doping concentration of Mn2+, which would contribute to match the action spectrum of photosynthesis better. Our materials will be favored to extend the utilization of solar energy in glass greenhouse for plant cultivation.