Environment segregation of Er3+ emission in bulk sol–gel-derived SiO2–SnO2 glass ceramics

Er-doped (100-x) SiO 2 –x SnO 2 glass–ceramic monoliths were prepared using a sol–gel method. Raman spectroscopic measurements showed the structural evolution of the silica matrix caused by the formation and the growth of SnO 2 nanocrystals. Analysis of the photoluminescence properties shows that the quantity of Er 3+ ions embedded in the vicinity of SnO 2 nanocrystals could be controlled by the SnO 2 concentration. We give spectroscopic evidence of energy transfer to erbium ions provided by SnO 2 nanocrystals in the silica matrix. The 4 I 13/2 level decay curves present a double-exponential profile with two lifetimes associated to rare-earth ions in two different environments.