Spectroscopic analysis of Eu doped silica-titania-polydimethylsiloxane hybrid ORMOSILs

Eu 3+ doped silica-titania-polydimethylsiloxane hybrid ORMOSILs were synthesized via a non-hydrolytic sol-gel route. The structural and thermal analyses of the samples confirmed that the matrix structure remains unaffected by doping with different concentrations of Eu 3+ ions. Photoluminescence (PL) studies performed at 394 nm on Eu 3+ doped ORMOSILs imply that they emit broad blue host emission and the characteristic Eu 3+ red emissions simultaneously. Also, the samples were excited at the charge transfer (CT) band and this confirmed the existence of an energy transfer path from the host to the Eu 3+ ions via Ti 4+ -O 2− -Eu 3+ bonds. The phonon energy of the host matrix was estimated by phonon sideband (PSB) analysis and the results were substantiated by Raman analysis. Judd-Ofelt (JO) parameters were also evaluated which give details about the local surroundings of the Eu 3+ ions in the system and these parameters were further used for predicting the radiative properties of 5 D 0 → 7 F 1,2,4 transitions of Eu 3+ ions. Furthermore, the quantum efficiency and CIE co-ordinates were evaluated and it was found that Eu 3+ doped silica-titania-polydimethylsiloxane ORMOSIL has an intense pinkish red emission with a quantum efficiency of 30.7%. Eu 3+ doped silica-titania-polydimethylsiloxane ORMOSIL emits broad blue host band and characteristic Eu 3+ emission peaks simultaneously when excited at 394 nm.