Photonics (May 2024)

Rare-Earth-Ion (RE<sup>3+</sup>)-Doped Aluminum and Lanthanum Borates for Mobile-Phone-Interrogated Luminescent Markers

  • Katya Hristova,
  • Irena P. Kostova,
  • Tinko A. Eftimov,
  • Daniel Brabant,
  • Samia Fouzar

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11050434
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 5
p. 434

Abstract

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In this paper, we present the synthesis and luminescent spectra of rare-earth (RE)-doped aluminum and lanthanum borates intended to serve as narrow excitation–emission band fluorescent markers. We perform a detailed 3D excitation–emission matrix (EEM) analysis of their spectra, compare the measurements from both standard and mobile phone spectrometers, and outline the basic differences and advantages of each method. While smartphones have a different and non-uniform spectral response compared to standard spectrometers, it is shown that they offer a number of advantages such as contactless interrogation, efficient suppression of the UV excitation light, and simultaneous spectral analysis of spatially arranged arrays of fluorescent markers. The basic emission peaks have been observed and their corresponding electronic transitions identified. The obtained results show that the rare-earth-doped La and Al borates feature excitation–emission bandwidths as low 15 nm/12 nm, which makes them particularly appropriate for use as luminescent markers with UV LED excitation and smartphone interrogation.

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