Room-temperature green upconversion luminescence in LaMgAl11O19:Mn2+, Yb3+ upon infrared excitation

We present a spectroscopic study of the green upconversion luminescence of Mn2+ upon near infrared Yb3+ excitation in LaMgAl11O19 codoped with manganese and ytterbium. Excitation at 975 nm with a diode laser resonant with the F-2(7/2) --> F-2(5/2) Yb3+ transition induces a broad emission band centered at 514 nm and assigned to the T-4(1) --> (6)A(1) transition of tetrahedral Mn2+. The upconversion luminescence can be seen by the naked eye up to 500 K. This finding is a promising step in order to use the Mn2+ - Yb3+ system as a potential candidate for display phosphors by upconversion. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3220059]