Energy transfer rates of KYsub(3)Fsub(10):Yb:Nd:Tm crystals

Abstract

In this work we present the spectroscopic properties of KY3F10 (KY3F) single crystals doped with thulium and also co-doped with ytterbium and/or neodymium, KY3F:Yb:Nd:Tm and KY3F:Nd:Tm. The most important processes that lead to the thulium up conversion emissions were identified. The absorption spectra of the samples were measured at room temperature in the range of 200 nm-1200 nm. The emission spectra were obtained by exciting the samples with a 797 nm laser diode and were analyzed using a lock-in amplifier technique. A time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy technique was employed to measure the luminescence decays and to determine the mechanisms involved in the energy transfer upconversion processes. Analysis of the energy transfer processes dynamics in KY3F:Yb:Tm:Nd crystal, using selective pulsed-laser excitations, shows that the energy transfer from Nd3+ to Yb3+ ions is the mechanism responsible for the enhancement of the blue up-conversion efficiency when compared with the Yb:Tm system. In the case of KY3F:Nd:Tm it is observed emissions at 350, 355 and 452 nm excited by an additional Yb:Tm step cross relaxation, Yb (2F5/2) : Tm (1G4) that populates the 1D2 (Tm3+) excited level. A study of the energy transfer processes in KY3F:Yb:Tm:Nd crystal showed that the 1G4 excited level is mainly populated by the sequence of two nonradiative energy processes that starts well after the Nd3+ and Tm3+ excitation at 797nm: Nd (4F3/2) → Yb (2F7/2) followed by Yb (2F5/2) → Tm (3H4) → Tm (1G4).