1 research outputs found
Coupling of Ag Nanoparticle with Inverse Opal Photonic Crystals as a Novel Strategy for Upconversion Emission Enhancement of NaYF<sub>4</sub>: Yb<sup>3+</sup>, Er<sup>3+</sup> Nanoparticles
Rare-earth-ion-doped upconversion
(UC) nanoparticles have generated considerable interest because of
their potential application in solar cells, biological labeling, therapeutics,
and imaging. However, the applications of UC nanoparticles were still
limited because of their low emission efficiency. Photonic crystals
and noble metal nanoparticles are applied extensively to enhance the
UC emission of rare earth ions. In the present work, a novel substrate
consisting of inverse opal photonic crystals and Ag nanoparticles
was prepared by the template-assisted method, which was used to enhance
the UC emission of NaYF<sub>4</sub>: Yb<sup>3+</sup>, Er<sup>3+</sup> nanoparticles. The red or green UC emissions of NaYF<sub>4</sub>: Yb<sup>3+</sup>, Er<sup>3+</sup> nanoparticles were selectively
enhanced on the inverse opal substrates because of the Bragg reflection
of the photonic band gap. Additionally, the UC emission enhancement
of NaYF<sub>4</sub>: Yb<sup>3+</sup>, Er<sup>3+</sup> nanoparticles
induced by the coupling of metal nanoparticle plasmons and photonic
crystal effects was realized on the Ag nanoparticles included in the
inverse opal substrate. The present results demonstrated that coupling
of Ag nanoparticle with inverse opal photonic crystals provides a
useful strategy to enhance UC emission of rare-earth-ion-doped nanoparticles