Luminescence improvement of Sm3+ doped fluoro-phosphate glass by silver species

Abstract Sodium fluoro-phosphate glasses co-activated with Sm3+ ions and silver nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared. X-ray diffraction pattern shows the formation of crystalline silver phases embedded in the glassy host. The Raman spectroscopy, TEM measurements, optical absorption, and photoluminescence (PL) results indicated that the evolution of Ag species (including Ag+, molecular-like Ag clusters, and Ag nanoparticles) is very sensitive to the amount of silver introduced in the host matrix. The absorption spectra show the apparition of a new visible absorption band assigned to the surface Plasmon resonance (SPR) of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), for high Ag doping levels. Based on absorption and PL spectra, the Judd-Ofelt parameters and radiative properties of Sm3+ ions were evaluated. A significant improvement of both PL intensity and PL lifetime is noted. All the obtained results are encouraging for possible application of Sm3+ doped fluoro-phosphate glasses sensitized from Ag species in laser emission and LEDs phosphors.