Downshifting Layer of Europium‐Doped NaGdF4: From the Optimization of the Sol–Gel Process to the Luminescent Properties
The key issue for a wide application of solar energy is the possibility to establish an innovative photovoltaic technology that allows a more efficient energy conversion. In this direction, the use of additional layers in the well‐established silicon‐based modules represents a challenging strategy....
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Wiley-VCH
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Advanced Photonics Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/adpr.202400153 |
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| author | Anna Lucia Pellegrino Francesca Lo Presti Francesca Loschi Adolfo Speghini Graziella Malandrino |
| author_facet | Anna Lucia Pellegrino Francesca Lo Presti Francesca Loschi Adolfo Speghini Graziella Malandrino |
| author_sort | Anna Lucia Pellegrino |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The key issue for a wide application of solar energy is the possibility to establish an innovative photovoltaic technology that allows a more efficient energy conversion. In this direction, the use of additional layers in the well‐established silicon‐based modules represents a challenging strategy. In this context, the present work is devoted to the optimization of a downshifting (DS) system made of the NaGdF4 matrix in the form of thin film as a host material for the europium‐luminescent ions. The Eu‐doped NaGdF4 system is fabricated through a sol–gel approach starting from a mixture of Na(hfa)•tetraglyme, Gd(hfa)3•diglyme, and Eu(hfa)3•diglyme in ethanol solution. The operative parameters are finely tuned to pursue the formation of compact and polycrystalline films. Particularly, the annealing treatment, the nature of the substrate, and the doping ion percentage are the key parameters for the reproducible and selective formation of NaGdF4 in the form of the beta (hexagonal) crystal structure with promising luminescent properties. Morphological, structural, and compositional features are deeply studied through field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction analysis, and energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis, respectively. The luminescence investigations confirm the properties of the Eu‐doped NaGdF4 as DS system. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cace8e3211bf4181a9ccade2e9ccdc05 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2699-9293 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley-VCH |
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| series | Advanced Photonics Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-cace8e3211bf4181a9ccade2e9ccdc052025-08-20T03:11:58ZengWiley-VCHAdvanced Photonics Research2699-92932025-05-0165n/an/a10.1002/adpr.202400153Downshifting Layer of Europium‐Doped NaGdF4: From the Optimization of the Sol–Gel Process to the Luminescent PropertiesAnna Lucia Pellegrino0Francesca Lo Presti1Francesca Loschi2Adolfo Speghini3Graziella Malandrino4Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche Università di Catania and INSTM UdR Catania V.le A. Doria 6 95125 Catania ItalyDipartimento di Scienze Chimiche Università di Catania and INSTM UdR Catania V.le A. Doria 6 95125 Catania ItalyNanomaterials Research Group (NRG) ‐ Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Università di Verona and INSTM UdR Verona Strada le Grazie 15 37134 Verona ItalyNanomaterials Research Group (NRG) ‐ Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Università di Verona and INSTM UdR Verona Strada le Grazie 15 37134 Verona ItalyDipartimento di Scienze Chimiche Università di Catania and INSTM UdR Catania V.le A. Doria 6 95125 Catania ItalyThe key issue for a wide application of solar energy is the possibility to establish an innovative photovoltaic technology that allows a more efficient energy conversion. In this direction, the use of additional layers in the well‐established silicon‐based modules represents a challenging strategy. In this context, the present work is devoted to the optimization of a downshifting (DS) system made of the NaGdF4 matrix in the form of thin film as a host material for the europium‐luminescent ions. The Eu‐doped NaGdF4 system is fabricated through a sol–gel approach starting from a mixture of Na(hfa)•tetraglyme, Gd(hfa)3•diglyme, and Eu(hfa)3•diglyme in ethanol solution. The operative parameters are finely tuned to pursue the formation of compact and polycrystalline films. Particularly, the annealing treatment, the nature of the substrate, and the doping ion percentage are the key parameters for the reproducible and selective formation of NaGdF4 in the form of the beta (hexagonal) crystal structure with promising luminescent properties. Morphological, structural, and compositional features are deeply studied through field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction analysis, and energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis, respectively. The luminescence investigations confirm the properties of the Eu‐doped NaGdF4 as DS system.https://doi.org/10.1002/adpr.202400153Eu‐dopinghexagonal NaGdF4thin filmsX‐ray diffractions |
| spellingShingle | Anna Lucia Pellegrino Francesca Lo Presti Francesca Loschi Adolfo Speghini Graziella Malandrino Downshifting Layer of Europium‐Doped NaGdF4: From the Optimization of the Sol–Gel Process to the Luminescent Properties Advanced Photonics Research Eu‐doping hexagonal NaGdF4 thin films X‐ray diffractions |
| title | Downshifting Layer of Europium‐Doped NaGdF4: From the Optimization of the Sol–Gel Process to the Luminescent Properties |
| title_full | Downshifting Layer of Europium‐Doped NaGdF4: From the Optimization of the Sol–Gel Process to the Luminescent Properties |
| title_fullStr | Downshifting Layer of Europium‐Doped NaGdF4: From the Optimization of the Sol–Gel Process to the Luminescent Properties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Downshifting Layer of Europium‐Doped NaGdF4: From the Optimization of the Sol–Gel Process to the Luminescent Properties |
| title_short | Downshifting Layer of Europium‐Doped NaGdF4: From the Optimization of the Sol–Gel Process to the Luminescent Properties |
| title_sort | downshifting layer of europium doped nagdf4 from the optimization of the sol gel process to the luminescent properties |
| topic | Eu‐doping hexagonal NaGdF4 thin films X‐ray diffractions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/adpr.202400153 |
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