Luminescence properties in Tb3+/Yb3+ codoped phosphate glasses for solar cells

Tb3+/Yb3+ codoped phosphate glasses were prepared by the melt-quenching method. The photoluminescence properties were investigated to prove the occurrence of energy transfer from Tb3+ to Yb3+. The emission intensity dependence on excitation (486 nm, Tb3+: D-5(4)) power confirmed that the coexistence of two different down-conversion mechanisms: cooperative energy transfer and cross-relaxation. In addition, the energy conversion efficiency (ECE) of solar cell covered by the 0.5 mol% Tb3+ and 0.5 mol % Yb3+ codoped glass was measured which increased by 0.34% comparing with the cell covered by host glass. Although the increase of device efficiency is not so high, the down-conversion glasses are promising for practical applications to enhance the energy efficiency of solar cells. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.