Broadband downshifting luminescence of Cr3+/Yb3+-codoped fluorosilicate glass

Abstract Cr3+/Yb3+-codoped glasses were studied as broadband down shifting materials for improving solar cells’ efficiency. We observed Foster resonance energy transfers (FRET) from Cr3+: 4T2g to Yb3+: 2 F5/2. The ET efficiency was up to 84 %, and the measured quantum yield (QY) reached 21.51 %. The glass can convert solar photons in super wide UV–Vis range to near infrared photons with the minimum quantum yields larger than 10%. Thus, such materials can be applied for improving silicon solar cells’ conversion efficiency.