Abstract
Tin oxide (SnO
2)-layers-doped terbium and europium ions are elaborated by the sol–gel method on silicon substrates. After annealing at 500
°C, the transmission electron microscopy revealed a crystallization of tin oxide.
The emission properties of rare-earth in SnO
2 are studied systematically against temperature annealing and Tb
3+ concentration. The PL spectrum is optimal after annealing at 900
°C and the corresponding photoluminescence (PL) decay is nearly exponential, showing that the sample is homogenous and the PL process can be described by two levels system.
The concentration effect shows a quenching of the PL intensity for Tb
3+ concentration above 4%. From the investigation of the decay rate from the
7F
5 state within terbium concentration, we show that self-quenching is insured by dipole – dipole interaction. The evolutions of both PL intensity and PL lifetime versus temperature are studied. The PL intensity and PL lifetime are enhanced by deposing SnO
2:Tb
3+ and SnO
2:Eu
3+ in porous silicon. We show that an efficient excitation transfer from Si nanocrystallites to RE ions can occur.