Silver nanoparticles enhanced luminescence of Eu3+-doped tellurite glass

• Published in: Journal of luminescence 2014-10, Vol.154, p.316-321
• Main Authors: Amjad, Raja J., Dousti, M.R., Sahar, M.R., Shaukat, S.F., Ghoshal, S.K., Sazali, E.S., Nawaz, Fakhra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Equations of state, phase equilibria, and phase transitions; Exact sciences and technology; Glass; Glass transitions; Luminescence; Materials science; Nanopowders; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Optical constants: refractive index, complex dielectric constant, absorption, reflection and transmission coefficients, emissivity; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of bulk materials and thin films; Photoluminescence; Physics; Silver NPs; Specific phase transitions; Surface plasmon resonance
• ISSN: 0022-2313; 1872-7883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jlumin.2014.05.009

A series of silver nanoparticles (NPs) embedded zinc–tellurite glass is prepared by the melt-quench method. In order to nucleate and reduce the silver ions (Ag+) to silver NPs (Ag0) heat treatment with different time intervals above the glass transition temperature is carried out. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential thermal analyses (DTA), UV–vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy are used to study the annealing time dependent optical properties. The glass transition temperature (Tg) from DTA for an as prepared sample is 296°C. TEM image displays the homogeneous distribution of silver NPs with average diameter ~8 to 27nm. From UV–vis-NIR spectra, the observed localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) bands are found to be located within the range 487–501nm for the samples with AgCl. Furthermore, under an excitation of 395nm, four bands are observed at 585, 612, 650, 698nm which corresponds to the 5D0-7F0;1;2;3;4 transitions of Eu3+ ions. Moreover, luminescence intensity of all the bands is increased due to the presence of silver nanostructures. The hypersensitive transition 5D0-7F2 of Eu3+ is much more enhanced (~1.9 times) mainly due to the local field effect of silver NPs. •A series of Eu3+ and silver NPs co-embedded zinc–tellurite glass is prepared.•TEM confirms the successful nucleation of silver NPs inside the glass host (d~8nm).•Luminescence is enhanced by annealing the sample upto 12h.•Enhancement is attributed to the local field effect of silver NPs.