Near-infrared quantum cutting in Tb 3+ and Yb 3+ -doped Y 2 O 3 nanophosphors

Properties of the quantum-cutting phosphors are dependent on various factors such as dopant concentration, crystallinity, homogeneity, particle size and surface morphology. Effective control of the above parameters can enhance the quantum-cutting ability of the phosphor material. Nano-sized particles of Y 2 O 3 :Tb 3+ ,Yb 3+ were prepared with a solution-based co-precipitation method and subsequent calcination. Effective control of the reaction parameters and doping concentration helped to produce uniform nanostructures with high quantum-cutting efficiency up to 181.1 %. The energy transfer mechanism between Tb 3+ and Yb 3+ was studied by considering their spectroscopic properties and time-resolved spectroscopy. The high efficiency and small particle size of the quantum-cutting phosphor Y 2 O 3 :Tb 3+ ,Yb 3+ make it a suitable candidate for its application in solar cells.