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Synthesis and Optical Properties of KYF 4 /Yb, Er Nanocrystals, and their Surface Modification with Undoped KYF 4
Author(s) -
Schäfer Helmut,
Ptacek Pavel,
Zerzouf Otmane,
Haase Markus
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.200800368
Subject(s) - materials science , nanocrystal , photon upconversion , surface modification , particle size , chemical engineering , ethylenediamine , colloid , particle (ecology) , solvent , nanoparticle , nanotechnology , analytical chemistry (journal) , doping , inorganic chemistry , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , chemistry , oceanography , geology , engineering
KYF 4 /Yb 3+ , Er 3+ nanocrystals with a mean diameter of approximately 13 nm were synthesized at 200 °C in the high boiling organic solvent N ‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine (HEEDA). The particles crystallize in the cubic phase known from α ‐NaYF 4 and form transparent colloidal solutions in tetraethylene glycol (TEG) or propanol. Solutions containing 1 wt % of the nanocrystals in TEG display visible upconversion emission upon continuous wave (CW) excitation at 978 nm. Growing undoped KYF 4 on the surface of the KYF 4 /Yb 3+ , Er 3+ nanocrystals increases the upconversion efficiency by more than a factor of 20. The XRD data of these particles, display a slight increase in the mean particle size from 13 to 15.5 nm, indicating that only a part of the subsequently added KYF 4 shell material is deposited onto the particle surface. Nevertheless the performed surface modification obviously leads to core/shell structured particles.