Three-Dimensional High Spatial Localization of Efficient Resonant Energy Transfer from Laser-Assisted Precipitated Silver Clusters to Trivalent Europium Ions

Abstract

We report on the 3D precipitation, using a direct laser writing approach, of highly fluorescent silver clusters in a Eu3+-doped silver-containing zinc phosphate glass. Micro-spectroscopy of fluorescence emission shows the ability to continuously adjust the local tri-chromatic coordinates in the CIE (Commission Internationale de l’Éclairage) chromaticity diagram between red and white colors, thanks to the laser-deposited dose and resulting tunable combination of emissions from Eu3+ and silver clusters. Moreover, continuous-wave and time-resolved FAST-FLIM spectroscopies showed a significant enhancement of the fluorescence emission of Eu3+ ions while being co-located with UV-excited laser-inscribed silver clusters. These results demonstrate the ability to perform efficient resonant non-radiative energy transfer from excited silver clusters to Eu3+, allowing such energy transfer to be highly localized on demand thanks to laser inscription. Such results open the route to 3D printing of the rare earth ions emission in glass.

Keywords

• silver clusters
• rare earth ions
• femtosecond laser inscription
• FLIM spectroscopy
• resonant transfers
• Dexter process