Quantum size effect and emission enhancement by energy transfer in system: Nanosized SrTiO3 and Tb(III) ions entrapped on silica support

Nanoparticles of strontium titanate, SrTiO3, were used to enhance the luminescence emission intensity of terbium(III) ions embedded on oxide matrices. Both the optically active components were incorporated onto xerogels by impregnation of the xerogel samples immersed firstly in SrTiO3 sol and subsequently in a solution with Tb(III). The effect related to SrTiO3 nanoparticles of various sizes immobilized in a silica matrix influenced the band shifting and emission intensity changes of the nanostructures. A similar phenomenon is observed for emitting Tb(III) ions in the presence of nanosized SrTiO3, if both the components are immobilized in a silica matrix. Photoluminescence studies allow describing a plausible mechanism of enhanced Tb(III) emission that could be attributed to the energy transfer from excited SrTiO3 nanoparticles and/or silica support to Tb(III) ions.