Estudo do Sistema Vítreo SNABP (SiO2 Na2CO3 Al2O3 B2O3 PbO2) Nanoestruturado com Pontos Quânticos de PbS e Dopado com Íons Er3+

Abstract

The SNABP [40SiO2.30Na2CO3.1Al2O3.25B2O3.PbO2 (mol%)] glass system, nanostructured with PbS Quantum Dots (QDs) and/or doped with Er3+ ions, was successfully synthesized by the Fusion Method, when it was subjected to appropriate thermal annealing. The glass transition temperatures (Tg) were obtained by Differential Thermal Analyze (DTA), in which it was possible to define a suitable temperature to be used in the thermal annealing of the synthesized samples. As results of these thermal annealing, the formation and growth of PbS QDs have occurred in the glass environment. The optical properties of samples were investigated by Optical Absorption (OA), Photoluminescence (PL), and Photoluminescence with Temporal Resolution (PLTR). Moreover, the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-Ray Diffractometry were employed in study of morphological and structural properties of samples, respectively. The size dispersions of PbS QDs were determined from OA spectra. Once using both the Method and OA data, it was also possible to estimate the average diameters of these nanoparticles, which grow with the increase in annealing time. The characteristic transitions of Er3+ ions were clearly identified in OA spectra. In addition, it was observed that the increase in annealing time of samples had provoked amplification in the overlapping between PL bands of both the PbS QDs and Er3+ ions, as well as with the absorption 4I15/2 -> 4I13/2 of these ions. Thus, the PLTR measurements have confirmed the decrease in lifetime of the 4I13/2 level (of Er3+ ions), with the amplification in the overlapping of PL emissions. Finally, as a main result of this work, it was proved that the SNABP glass system, nanostructured with PbS QDs and doped with Er3+ ions, displays to be quite favorable to the radiative energy transfer process (from PbS QDs to Er3+ ions), as well as the occurrence of stimulated emission of 4I13/2 level.