Preparation and Applications of Rare-Earth-Doped Ferroelectric Oxides

Abstract

Ferroelectric oxides possess abundant fascinating physical functionalities, such as electro-optic, acousto-optic, and nonlinear optical characteristics, etc. However, most pristine ferroelectric oxides exhibit no efficient luminescent properties due to the indirect and wide bandgap. Rare-earth-doped phosphors demonstrate advantages such as sharp emission bandwidths, large Stokes shift, high photonstability, and low toxicity. The combination of rare-earth ions and ferroelectric oxides has shown great potential in optical sensing, lighting, solar cells, and other applications. Rare-earth-doped ferroelectric oxides exhibit efficient upconversion or downconversion luminescence in the range of ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared (NIR) regions. In this article, the preparation process of rare-earth-doped ferroelectric oxides and the preparation methods of thin films are introduced. Their recent applications in optical sensing, lighting, and solar cells are highlighted. The review concludes with a brief summary of all related branches and discusses the potential direction of this field.