Photoluminescence enhancement of Eu3+ by energy transfer from Bi2+ to Eu3+ in bismuth glass nanocomposites

Abstract

Bi²⁺-enhanced photoluminescence of Eu³⁺ doped Bi⁰-bismuth glass nanocomposites are demonstrated here. The generation of bismuth nanoparticles (NPs) and its typical surface plasmon resonance at 460 nm are controlled by the oxidative method instead of the conventional reduction technique during melt-quench processing. TEM images evidence the presence of spherical Bi⁰ NPs of 10–15 nm sizes and SAED pattern reveals their crystalline rhombohedral phase formation. The enhanced photoluminescence of Eu³⁺ is found to occur at 613 and 703 nm due to ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ and ⁵D₀→⁷F₄ transitions respectively. We believe that it has happened due to energy transfer from Bi²⁺ to Eu³⁺.