The influence of CdSe and ZnSe nanoparticles on the optical properties of Sm3+ ions in lead
borate glasses
Journal of Nanoparticle Research
Saisudha B. Mallur, William D. Heidorn, Stephen O. Fatokun, Krishna D. Joshi, Sandip S. Bista,
Panakkattu K. Babu*
Department of Physics, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL 61455, USA
*Corresponding author: [email protected], Telephone: 1-309-298-2743
Intensity (arb.units)
458 nm
285 nm
200
250
300
355 nm
350
400
450
500
550
600
Wavelength (nm)
.
Figure 1. Excitation spectrum of Dy3+ ions in lead borate glasses containing CdSe nanoparticles
with 574 nm emission wavelength of Dy3+.
Figure 1 shows the excitation spectrum of Dy3+ ions in lead borate glasses containing
CdSe nanoparticles (NPs) with the emission wavelength of Dy3+ set at 574 nm. The most intense
and sharp excitation peak of Dy3+ ions is observed at 458 nm and a few weak peaks due to Dy3+
ions and a broad peak from CdSe NPs are observed between 350 and 430 nm
(a)
574 nm
662 nm
482 nm
16 hours
6 hours
(b)
Intensity (arb. units)
Intensity (arb. units)
355 nm excitation
574 nm
458 nm exitation
482 nm
662 nm
16 hours
6 hours
1 hour
450
500
550
600
Wavelength (nm)
650
700
1 hour
500
550
600
650
700
Wavelength (nm)
Figure 2. Fluorescence spectra of Dy3+ ions in lead borate glasses containing CdSe nanoparticles
(a) under 355 nm excitation (b) under 458 nm excitation
In Figure 2, we present the fluorescence spectra of Dy-doped lead borate glasses containing
CdSe NPs, obtained with two different excitation wavelengths. (Ooi H G (2016), Optical Properties
of Dy-doped Lead and Bismuth Borate Glasses -Effect of Glass Composition, Metal and
Semiconducting Nanoparticles, MS Dissertation, Department of Physics, Western Illinois
University). As can be seen from this figure, both sets of spectra show peaks characteristic of Dy3+
emission occurring at 482 nm, 574 nm and a weak peak at 662 nm. However, for the 355 nm
excitation, we can also observe a broad background with the Dy3+ emission peaks superimposed on
it. The broad background emission arises from CdSe NPs and it occurs for all the three samples
indicating that CdSe NPs with different average sizes and distribution can be excited with 355 nm
excitation. However, the fluorescence spectra obtained for the same set of samples with 458 nm
excitation, we do not observe any emission from CdSe NPs. This clearly supports our claim that
CdSe NPs in this glass system show fluorescence only when the samples are excited with 355 nm.
Intensity (arb.units)
480 nm
404 nm
355 nm
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
Wavelength (nm)
Figure 3. Excitation spectrum of Sm3+ ions in lead borate glasses containing CdSe nanoparticles
with 598 nm emission wavelength
Figure 3 shows the excitation spectrum of Sm3+ doped lead borate glasses containing
CdSe NPs with 598 nm emission wavelength of Sm3+. In this excitation spectrum, we can observe
that the most intense peak is obtained at 480 nm and only a very weak peak of Sm3+ and a broad
peak of CdSe NPs are observed near 355 nm.
598 nm
Intensity (arb.units)
563 nm
647 nm
300
400
500
600
700
800
Wavelength (nm)
Figure 4. Fluorescence spectra of Sm3+ ions in lead borate glasses containing CdSe nanoparticles
under 355 nm excitation.
In Figure 4, we present the fluorescence spectra of Sm-doped lead borate glasses containing
CdSe NPs using the 355 nm excitation. The broad emission from the CdSe NPs can be very clearly
seen for the wavelength region below 600 nm confirming the results obtained with the Dy-doped
lead borate glasses that CdSe NPs show fluorescence emission only when the excitation wavelength
is in the UV region. However, the fluorescence spectra obtained for the same set of samples with
480 nm excitation (Figure 9 in the manuscript), we do not observe any emission from CdSe NPs.
This clearly supports our observation that CdSe NPs in our glasses show fluorescence only when
the samples are excited with 355 nm.