Intense ultraviolet upconversion luminescence from Tm3+/Yb3+:β-YF3 nanocrystals embedded glass ceramic

The infrared to ultraviolet upconversion emissions of Tm3+ I-1(6)-> F-3(4) (346 nm) and D-1(2)-> H-3(6) (362 nm) transitions, originating from the five- and four-photon upconversion processes, respectively, were observed in the Tm3+/Yb3+ codoped precursor glass and glass ceramic containing beta-YF3 nanocrystals. The ultraviolet luminescence of the glass ceramic is 30 times stronger than that of the precursor glass, which could be attributed to the decreased probability of the F-3(2)-> F-3(4) transition and the increased cross relaxation of F-3(2)+H-3(4)-> H-3(6)+D-1(2) resulted from the partition of rare earth ions into nanocrystals. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.