Tb3+ luminescence enhancement of YAG:Tb3+ nanocrystals embedded in silica xerogel

The luminescence behavior of composite materials consisting of nanocrystals of Y3−xAl5O12:Tb (YAG:Tb3+) embedded into silica xerogel has been studied. Blue and green luminescence of the materials is due to a cross-relaxation effect in Tb3+ ions doped into a YAG lattice. The materials with YAG:Tb3+ nanocrystals immobilized in silica exhibit enhancement of Tb3+ luminescence in comparison with the macrocrystalline YAG:Tb3+ powder. The Tb3+ luminescence intensity of a composite material dried at room temperature can be improved when higher aliphatic alcohols are applied in a one-pot procedure during a sol–gel synthesis. On the other hand, the Tb3+ luminescence is quenched in the presence of Ag nanoparticles in the material. The composite material (YAG:Tb3+ in silica) exhibits thermal stability at higher temperatures and achieves the highest emission intensity after having been annealed at 700 °C.