Confining energy migration in upconversion nanoparticles towards deep ultraviolet lasing

Xian Chen, Limin Jin, Wei Kong, Tianying Sun, Wenfei Zhang, Xinhong Liu, Jun Fan, Siu Fung Yu, Feng Wang

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

305 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Manipulating particle size is a powerful means of creating unprecedented optical properties in metals and semiconductors. Here we report an insulator system composed of NaYbF 4:Tm in which size effect can be harnessed to enhance multiphoton upconversion. Our mechanistic investigations suggest that the phenomenon stems from spatial confinement of energy migration in nanosized structures. We show that confining energy migration constitutes a general and versatile strategy to manipulating multiphoton upconversion, demonstrating an efficient five-photon upconversion emission of Tm 3+ in a stoichiometric Yb lattice without suffering from concentration quenching. The high emission intensity is unambiguously substantiated by realizing room-temperature lasing emission at around 311 nm after 980-nm pumping, recording an optical gain two orders of magnitude larger than that of a conventional Yb/Tm-based system operating at 650 nm. Our findings thus highlight the viability of realizing diode-pumped lasing in deep ultraviolet regime for various practical applications.
Original languageEnglish
Article number10304
JournalNature Communications
Volume7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 7 Jan 2016

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Physics and Astronomy

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