Lanthanide-based Fluorescence Up-Conversion materials present unique optical properties for applications ranging from biological imaging to data storage to solid-state lighting. They possess the ability to generate ultraviolet to near-infrared (UV-NIR) emissions from lower energy excitation through non-linear multi-photon events. Inorganic crystals, such as Y₂O₃, NaYF₄, and LaF₃, can be doped with single or multiple lanthanide ions, which under infrared laser excitation produce UV-NIR up-converted emission.

Typically, up-converted UV-NIR emissions are generated from 980 nm laser excitation of Yb ions, where subsequent f-block energy transfers and electron-phonon coupling within the crystal to their lanthanides, such as Er, Ho, or Tm, to produce higher energy, emissive f-block states. Since the emitted spectrum and associated lifetimes are a function of the crystal composition, the lanthanide ions present, the laser excitation density, and the phase (solution/solid/ film), a highly sensitive, precise instrument is needed to appropriately record accurate and reproducible data.

The FS5 Spectrofluorometer, equipped with 980 nm laser and a PM-1 pulse modulator box, provides a compact, straightforward, precise and reliable tool that is easy to operate for the acquisition of spectral and lifetime properties of lanthanide-based up-conversion materials.

Figure 1: Fluorescence Up-Conversion emission spectrum of NaY_0.77Yb_0.20Er_0.03F₄ phosphor

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Lanthanide-Based Fluorescence Up-Conversion Materials

FS5 Spectrofluorometer

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