Localized surface plasmon resonance interaction with Er3+-doped tellurite glass

We show the annealing effect on silver and Erbium-doped tellurite glasses in the formation of nanoparticles (NPs) of silver, produced by the reduction of silver (Ag+-> Ag-0), aiming to an fluorescence enhancement. The absorption spectra show typical Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) band of Ag-0 NP in addition to the distinctive absorption peaks of Er3+ ions. Both observations demonstrate that the photoluminescence enhancement is due to the coupling of dipoles formed by NPs with the Er3+ I-4(13/ 2)-> I-4(15/2) transition. This plasmon energy transfer to the Er3+ ions was observed in the fluorescence spectrum with a blue-shift of the peaks. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America