(722i) Plasmon-Enhanced Upconversion Emission of Hexagonal Er3+, Yb3+ Co-Doped Lutetium Oxyfluoride Using Silver Nanoparticles

In this work, Ag@LuOF: Er³⁺, Yb³⁺ micro-hexagonal composites were prepared. X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results confirm that Ag nanoparticles with size around 30 nm have been uniformly immobilized on the surface of LuOF: Er³⁺, Yb³⁺ hexagons. Upconversion spectra under near-infrared laser excitation suggest that the emission intensity of LuOF: Er³⁺, Yb³⁺ is significantly enhanced by combining with Ag nanoparticles. Possible mechanisms for the plasmon-enhancement on upconversion have been proposed based on the analysis of absorption spectra and decay lifetime curves. Because of the near-infrared excitation, high upconversion intensity, and pure red emission, the Ag@LuOF: Er³⁺, Yb³⁺ composites exhibit promising applications in solid-state lighting, biological labeling, and imaging.