In this study, Bi 3+ incorporation in NaYbF 4 :Er lattice and its influence on upconversion luminescence properties have been investigated in detail using techniques such as temperature-dependent luminescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The study was carried out to develop phosphors with improved upconversion luminescence. From photoluminescence and lifetime measurements it is inferred that luminescence intensity from NaYbF 4 :Er increases with Bi 3+ addition. The sample containing 50 at.% Bi 3+ ions exhibited optimum upconversion luminescence. Increased distance between Yb 3+ -Yb 3+ and Er 3+ -Er 3+ due to Bi 3+ incorporation into the lattice and associated decrease in the extent of dipolar interaction/self-quenching are responsible for increase in lifetime values and luminescence intensities from Er 3+ ions. Incorporation of Bi 3+ into NaYbF 4 :Er lattice reduced self-quenching among Yb 3+ -Yb 3+ ions and this facilitated energy transfer from Yb 3+ to Er 3+ . This situation also explains decrease in the extent of temperature-assisted quenching of emission from thermally coupled 2 H 11/2 and 4 S 3/2 levels of Er 3+ . Based on Rietveld refinement of XRD patterns it was confirmed that a maximum of 10 at.% of Bi 3+ added was incorporated into the NaYbF 4 :Er lattice and the remaining complex co-exists as a BiOF phase. These results are of significant interest in the area of development of phosphors based on Yb 3+ -Er 3+ upconversion luminescence.
K E Y W O R D SBiOF, lifetime, NaYbF 4 :Er, upconversion, XRD
| INTRODUCTIONUpconversion (UC) phosphors give anti-Stokes emission upon irradiation with near-infrared (NIR) light even at low power densities compared with other conventional nonlinear phenomena such as two photon absorption and second harmonic generation. [1][2][3] Such materials are potential candidates for optical thermal sensors [4] , light emitting displays [5,6] , upconversion laser sources [7,8] , cancer treatment [9] , and, most importantly, in solar cells [10] because of its light absorption over extended wavelength regions. Inorganic crystalline materials doped with activators such as Er 3+ , Tm 3+ , or Ho 3+ belong to the category of upconversion luminescent materials and some of these also find application in bio-imaging. [11,12] The abovementioned activators are best suited for the upconversion process because of their ladder-like energy level structure. Such UC materials are also co-doped with Yb 3+ for better absorption of 980 nm