Energy-transfer dependent down-conversion performance of Eu3+/Dy3+ co-activated alkali-fluoroborosilicate glasses for optoelectronic applications

In the realm of modern luminescence research, rare-earth-doped luminescent glasses have emerged as a significant area of interest, particularly within the category of lanthanide-activated materials. This study focuses on Dy 3+ and Eu 3+ co-activated alkali-fluoroborosilicate glasses, prepared using the melt quench method. A comprehensive luminescence investigation, including photoluminescence excitation, emission, decay profiles, and colorimetry analyses, was conducted to evaluate the energy transfer routes within the glasses. The increasing intensity of the 5 D 0 → 7 F 2 (Eu 3+ ) emission peak under 348 and 392 nm excitation, correlated with increasing Dy 3+ ion concentration, substantiates the existence of Dy 3+ →Eu 3+ energy transfer in the prepared glassy system. Decay profile analysis revealed a 42% energy transfer efficiency between the rare earth ions in the matrix. The estimated energy transfer probability rate (0.49–1.96 (×10 ³ s⁻¹)) and the calculated critical distance between Dy³ ⁺ and Eu³ ⁺ ions (1.0132–1.239 nm) confirm the presence of energy transfer in the synthesized glasses, with the AFBS1ED100 composition identified as the optimum sample due to its better luminescent characteristics. The superior white and red emission color characteristics (color purity of 91%) of these glasses, along with the overlap of their emission and excitation spectra with the solar irradiance spectrum, suggest their potential applications in solid-state lighting and various optoelectronic devices.