Intense Single Red Emission Induced by Near‐Infrared Irradiation Using a Narrow Bandgap Oxide BiVO4 as the Host for Yb3+ and Tm3+ Ions

As a new way of producing a single red emission under near‐infrared (NIR) irradiation, the possibility of using a narrow bandgap oxide as the host for the sensitizer Yb3+ ion as well as a suitable activator ion such as Ho3+, Er3+, or Tm3+ is considered, because the host can absorb the emissions of the activator ion higher in energy than the red emission. To verify this new concept, BiVO4:Yb3+,Tm3+ using a sol–gel method is prepared and its photoluminescence properties are characterized. BiVO4 has the bandgap of ≈2.4 eV so that, under NIR irradiation, it absorbs the blue and other higher‐energy emissions of Tm3+. As a consequence, BiVO4:Yb3+,Tm3+ exhibits an intense single red emission under the NIR irradiation. The high‐energy emissions absorbed by the host generate electron–hole pairs in the host, so that BiVO4:Yb3+,Tm3+ acts as a photocatalyst under NIR irradiation although the host alone cannot absorb the NIR light. NIR‐induced upconversion luminescence (UCL) and photocatalysis in the region of red lights can be achieved by employing a semiconducting oxide as the host for sensitizer and activator lanthanide ions.

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