Active Sol-Gel Materials, Fluorescence Spectra, and Lifetimes

Abstract

Optical spectroscopy techniques are crucial tool for the assessment of sol-gel-derived materials, structures, and devices of interest in several high-tech and environmental application areas, the major one concerning photonics devices. Sol-gel materials are known since long time as a convenient host for rare earths and luminescent species and have been widely used for the fabrication of photonic confined structures. Their exploitation covers a range of application possibilities and system performance that are not solely ICT oriented but also concern lighting, laser, sensing, energy, environment, and health. The aim of the present paper is to highlight the application of the spectroscopic techniques to the characterization of active sol-gel materials and to present a brief overview of the efforts and progresses made in the area. After a brief summary of the fundamentals of the photoluminescence properties and of the measurement techniques, some specific arguments are discussed. The effect of oxydril group on the luminescence quenching in rare-earth-doped materials is discussed paying attention to the matrix solubility and energy-transfer mechanics. At this regard, the