Cooperative downconversion in GdAl3(BO3)4:RE3+,Yb3+ (RE=Pr, Tb, and Tm)

Zhang, Q. Y.; Yang, Guo; Jiang, Zhonghong

doi:10.1063/1.2757595

Cited by 220 publications

(150 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…A large number of downconversion materials able to convert high-energy photons into multiple lower-energy photons have recently been developed [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] . The downconversion process occurs by energy transfer between luminescent centers, either lanthanide ions with a wide range of energy levels or organic molecules with low-energy triplet states 31,32 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-photon quantum cutting in Gd2O2S:Tm3+ to enhance the photo-response of solar cells

Martín-Rodríguez

Zhang

et al. 2015

Light Sci Appl

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Conventional photoluminescence (PL) yields at most one emitted photon for each absorption event. Downconversion (or quantum cutting) materials can yield more than one photon by virtue of energy transfer processes between luminescent centers. In this work, we introduce Gd 2 O 2 S:Tm 31 as a multi-photon quantum cutter. It can convert near-infrared, visible, or ultraviolet photons into two, three, or four infrared photons of ,1800 nm, respectively. The cross-relaxation steps between Tm 31 ions that lead to quantum cutting are identified from (time-resolved) PL as a function of the Tm 31 concentration in the crystal. A model is presented that reproduces the way in which the Tm 31 concentration affects both the relative intensities of the various emission lines and the excited state dynamics and providing insight in the quantum cutting efficiency. Finally, we discuss the potential application of Gd 2 O 2 S:Tm 31 for spectral conversion to improve the efficiency of next-generation photovoltaics. Keywords: downconversion; infrared emission; quantum cutting; solar cells; spectral conversions INTRODUCTION Over the last decade, advanced luminescent materials exhibiting downconversion, also known as quantum cutting or quantum splitting, have been developed 1,2 . In this process, a high-energy photon is converted into two or more lower-energy photons, with a quantum efficiency of potentially well over 100% 3 . If the downconverted photons are in the visible range, this concept is of interest for color conversion layers in conventional lighting applications 1,2,4-6 . New exciting possibilities of downconversion to infrared (IR) photons lie in next-generation photovoltaics, aiming at minimizing the spectral mismatch losses in solar cells [7][8][9][10][11] .Spectral mismatch is the result of the broad width of the spectrum emitted by the sun. Semiconductor absorber materials absorb only photons with an energy hn higher than the band gap E g 7 . To absorb many photons and produce a large electrical current, absorber materials must therefore have a small bandgap. However, because excited charge carriers rapidly thermalize to the edges of a semiconductor's conduction and valence bands, a high voltage output requires an absorber with a large band gap. Hence, materials with low transmission losses (leading to a large current) have high thermalization losses (leading to a low voltage) and vice versa 12,13 . These spectral mismatch losses constitute the major factor defining the relatively low ShockleyQueisser limit 14 , the maximum light-to-electricity conversion efficiency of 33% in a single-junction solar cell, obtained for a band gap of approximately 1.1 eV (1100 nm) 13 .Efficiencies higher than 33% can be reached with multi-junction solar cells, where a stack of multiple absorber materials are each optimized to efficiently convert different parts of the solar spectrum to

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-photon quantum cutting in Gd2O2S:Tm3+ to enhance the photo-response of solar cells

Martín-Rodríguez

Zhang

et al. 2015

Light Sci Appl

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“…[7][8][9][10] A well-known example is Gd 3+ -Eu 3+ couple that features the interesting and appreciable QY 190% for LiGdF 4 :Eu 3+ and 194% for BaF 2 :Gd 3+ ,Eu 3+ in the visible spectral region. 7,9 Recently, near-infrared (NIR) downconversion has been studied in numerous materials, practically for Ln 3+ -Yb 3+ (Ln = Tb, Tm, Pr, Er, Nd, and Ho) couples, [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] where one Ln 3+ donor ion is proposed to cooperatively or resonantly excite two neighboring Yb 3+ acceptor ions. However, in most of these cases where NIR luminescence originates only from Yb 3+ through the first-order energy transfer (ET) from Ln 3+ , 18,19 QS does actually not occur.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced three-photon near-infrared quantum splitting in β-NaYF4:Ho3+ by codoping Yb3+

Huang

et al. 2012

AIP Advances

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An efficient three-step sequential three-photon near-infrared (NIR) quantum splitting (QS), involving the emission of three NIR photons from an absorbed ultraviolet (UV) photon in β-NaYF4:Ho3+, has been demonstrated. Codoping Yb3+ can increase the NIR emissions significantly through the first- and second-step cross-relaxation. The involved mechanisms of three-step NIR QS in Ho3+-Yb3+ have been well demonstrated by the static and dynamic photoluminescence, monitored excitation and time-resolved fluorescence spectra. An internal quantum yield (QY) of 246% for the Yb3+ codoped β-NaYF4:Ho3+ is estimated on the basis of experimental data and theoretical considerations, which is much more than the total QY of 124% for the β-NaYF4:Ho3+ three-photon NIR QS. This research may open up promising new perspectives for designing efficient photonic devices.

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“…codoped phosphors and glasses. [10][11][12] The majority of studies for QC in Pr 3+ -Yb 3+ couple focussed on single crystals. [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31] However, QC has been seldom studied in the fluoride glass which has been demonstrated to be a valid alternative host to support an effective QC process.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling of downconverter based on Pr3+-Yb3+ codoped fluoride glasses to improve sc-Si solar cells efficiency

Song

Jiang

2012

AIP Advances

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Quantum cutting via a two-step resonant energy transfer in a spectral downconverter of Pr3+-Yb3+ codoped fluoride glass is investigated numerically by proposing up and solving the theoretical model of rate equations and power propagation equations. Based on the optimal Pr3+-Yb3+ concentration and the thickness of the spectral downconverter, the total power conversion efficiency of 175% and total quantum conversion efficiency of 186% are obtained. The performance of a sc-Si solar cell covered with a spectral downconverter is evaluated with the photovoltaic simulation programme PC1D. For sc-Si solar cells, the energy conversion efficiency of 14.90% for the modified AM1.5G compared to a 12.25% energy conversion efficiency for the standard AM1.5G has been obtained, and the simulated relative energy conversion efficiency for the sc-Si solar cell approaches up to 1.21. Our results show that the use of a spectral downconverter yields better sc-Si solar cell performance compared to the standard AM1.5G irradiation. The paper also provides a framework for investigating and optimizing the rare-earth doped spectral downconverter, potentially enabling a sc-Si solar cell with an efficiency improvement

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Cooperative downconversion in GdAl3(BO3)4:RE3+,Yb3+ (RE=Pr, Tb, and Tm)

Cited by 220 publications

References 18 publications

Multi-photon quantum cutting in Gd2O2S:Tm3+ to enhance the photo-response of solar cells

Multi-photon quantum cutting in Gd2O2S:Tm3+ to enhance the photo-response of solar cells

Enhanced three-photon near-infrared quantum splitting in β-NaYF4:Ho3+ by codoping Yb3+

Modeling of downconverter based on Pr3+-Yb3+ codoped fluoride glasses to improve sc-Si solar cells efficiency

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