Investigation of Silver Nanostructures and Their Influence on the Fluorescence Spectrum of Erbium-Doped Glasses

Abstract

Sodium borate glasses embedded with silver were made by the melt quenching technique. Glass transition temperature was recorded by thermal analysis of the sample. As made glasses revealed emission in the visible region under nitrogen laser and excimer laser excitations. Heat treatment was used to induce silver metallic particles. Absorption spectra revealed a peak at 417 nm due to surface Plasmon resonance. Particle size was estimated to be 2.6 ± 0.2 nm. Erbium and silver co-doped multielement oxide glasses were made by the melt quenching technique followed by heat treatment to induce nanoparticles. In heat treated samples, Er3+ luminescence increased 4× due to enhanced field in the vicinity of silver particles. Under excimer laser excitation, Er3+ and 2% Ag co-doped glass revealed Er3+ transitions due to enhanced field at the rare-earth ions. Under 795 nm laser excitation Er3+ green upconversion signals are found to be 4× stronger in 2% Ag co-doped, heat treated sample, than the others.