Microwave hydrothermal synthesis and infrared to visible upconversion luminescence of Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped bismuth molybdate nanopowder

This paper reports the microwave hydrothermal synthesis and infrared to visible upconversion luminescence of Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped Bi2MoO6 nanopowder. Crystal structure, morphology and chemical composition were analyzed by means of X-ray Diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Raman Spectroscopy. Upconversion luminescence properties were studied in detail. The infrared to visible upconversion luminescence has been investigated in Er3+/Yb3+ doped Bi2MoO6 with different Yb3+ concentrations. Intense green and red upconversion emissions around 532, 545, and 655 nm corresponding to the 2H11/2, 4S3/2, and 4F9/2 transitions, respectively, to the 4I15/2 ground state were observed when excited by CW laser radiation at 980 nm. The effect of Yb3+ on the upconversion luminescence intensity was analyzed and the upconversion luminescence mechanism was explained in terms of the energy transfer process. From this study, it confirms that the like fluorides, and germinate glasses, metal oxide nanoparticles could also be a potential host to achieve desired upconversion luminescence.