Comparison of terbium photoluminescence from ion implanted and sol–gel-derived films

In this work, we investigate the photoluminescence (PL) of terbium-doped films fabricated by ion implantation and sol–gel synthesis. Terbium implantation was carried out into SiO2, ZrO2 and Al2O3 thin film fabricated by dry processes onto silicon substrates followed by heat treatment in vacuum at a temperature ranging from 473 to 873 K during 30 min. Sol–gel-derived films were fabricated onto monocrystalline silicon or porous anodic alumina substrates by spin-on deposition of titania or alumina-based sol containing aqueous-alcohol solution of terbium nitrate. PL measurements were carried out at temperatures from 10 to 300 K. Comparison of PL data obtained from Tb-implanted SiO2, ZrO2 and Al2O3 films allows the conclusion that ZrO2 is the best host material for Tb3+ ions, revealing a set of sharp well resolved bands corresponding to 5D4–7FJ electron transitions of Tb3+ ions with the maximum at 546 nm. Tb PL was found to be 15–20 times stronger for xerogels fabricated onto porous anodic alumina 30-μm-thick in comparison with ion implanted thin films.