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Radiation trapping occurs in rare-earth-doped active media with strong spectral overlap of luminescence and ground-state absorption. It is demonstrated experimentally that a confocal measurement mitigates the influence of radiation trapping on the measured luminescence lifetime, hence allowing for direct extraction of the lifetime from the measured decay curves. The radiation trapping effect is largely suppressed by probing a small sample volume and rejecting the photons reemitted from the unpumped region. This non-destructive measurement method is applied to ytterbium (Yb3+) activated potassium double tungstate crystalline layers with Yb3+ concentrations ranging from 1.2 at.% up to 76 at.% (~8 × 1019 - 5 × 1021 cm-3). The measured lifetime values are comparable to the results reported for Yb3+-doped potassium double tungstate powder diluted in liquid., QC 20170608

Here we present the fabrication of LEDs based on porous GaN produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and reviewed the work done that allowed demonstrating p-n junction rectifiers and MOS diodes in a simple manner and without involving post-growth steps to induce porosity. p-n junction rectifiers exhibited stable rectification in the range ±1¿±5 V, with very stable values of current with time. MOS diodes were fabricated in a single growth step formed by a MgO dielectric interlayer in between Mg-doped porous GaN and a Mg-Ga metallic alloy. Despite the high resistivity observed in the LEDs fabricated, that induced a turn on voltage of ¿13 V, the emission consisted only in one peak centered at 542 nm. Our porous GaN films exhibit random porosity when compared to arrays of nanostructures, however, their easy deposition over large areas without dominating leakage currents is promising for wideband gap applications.

In this paper we study the optical properties of nanoporous gallium nitride (GaN) epitaxial layers grown by chemical vapour deposition on non-porous GaN substrates, using photoluminescence, cathodoluminescence, and resonant Raman scattering, and correlate them with the structural characteristic of these films. We pay special attention to the analysis of the residual strain of the layers and the influence of the porosity in the light extraction. The nanoporous GaN epitaxial layers are under tensile strain, although the strain is progressively reduced as the deposition time and the thickness of the porous layer increases, becoming nearly strain free for a thickness of 1.7 ¿m. The analysis of the experimental data point to the existence of vacancy complexes as the main source of the tensile strain.

Porous GaN layers are grown on silicon from gold or platinum catalyst seed layers, and self-catalyzed on epitaxial GaN films on sapphire. Using a Mg-based precursor, we demonstrate p-type doping of the porous GaN. Electrical measurements for p-type GaN on Si show Ohmic and Schottky behavior from gold and platinum seeded GaN, respectively. Ohmicity is attributed to the formation of a Ga2Au intermetallic. Porous p-type GaN was also achieved on epitaxial n-GaN on sapphire, and transport measurements confirm a p-n junction commensurate with a doping density of 1018 cm 3. Photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence confirm emission from Mg-acceptors in porous p-type GaN.

Europium-doped La2O3 nanocrystalline powders with sizes ranging from 4 nm to 300 nm have been obtained by the modified Pechini, hydrothermal with conventional furnace, hydrothermal with microwave furnace, and precipitation with ultrasonic bath methods. X-ray diffraction techniques were used to study the evolution of the prepared gels towards the desired crystalline phase. We determined the size and the morphology of the nanoparticles by electronic microscopy. Finally, we studied and analyzed the luminescence properties of the trivalent europium in the hexagonal La2O3 nanocrystals by photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence.

Increasing Yb3+ absorption efficiency is currently desired in a number of applications including bioimaging, photovoltaics, near infrared driven photocatalysis or ultra-short pulsed solid-state lasers. In this work, silver nanoparticles, which are connected forming disordered networks, have been self-assembled on Yb3+ doped RbTiOPO4 crystals to produce a remarkable enhancement of Yb3+ absorption, and hence in the photoluminescence of this ion. The results are interpreted taking into account the near-field response of the plasmonic networks, which display strong amplification of the electric field at the maximum of Yb3+ excitation at around 900 nm, together with the anisotropic character of the Yb3+ transitions in RbTiOPO4. We show that in the near field regime, the scattering of the plasmonic networks produces additional polarization field components to those of the incident field, which allows access to the largest transition dipolar moment of Yb3+ ions in RbTiOPO4. As a result, a much more efficient route for Yb3+ excitation takes place at the immediacy of the plasmonic networks. This work provides fundamental insights for improving the optical properties of rare earth ions by the suitable design of metallic nanoparticle arrangements, and constitutes a promising step towards the development of new multifunctional solid-state lasers.

Macrodefect-free samples of Yb3+:KLu(WO4)2, Yb3+:Nb:RbTiOPO4 and Yb3+:KGd(PO3)4 laser crystals were grown using the Top Seeded Solution Growth ¿ Slow Cooling technique. Structural and morphological studies related with the three materials were carried out and discussed. The dispersion of the refractive indices was measured and Sellmeier equations were constructed which are valid in the UV-Vis-IR range. The Stark splitting of the two electronic states of trivalent ytterbium was determined and the CW laser generation was demonstrated in these hosts. This paper shows a review of the main results achieved in FiCMA-FiCNA-URV laboratories in relation with these laser materials in the last years.

We developed a new compact, low-cost and non-invasive temperature sensor based on a ratiometric luminescence technique. The setup included a commercial digital color sensor, which collects simultaneously signals in the blue, green and red regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, usually used to assess the quality of computer screens and used for the first time here as a sensor for luminescent thermometry, coupled to an optical system that focuses an excitation laser beam onto luminescent nanoparticles emitting at least in two of these electromagnetic regions, which simplifies considerably the design, alignment and measurement procedures of setups used up to now for the same purpose. The same optical system collects the emission arising from the luminescent nanoparticles and directs it towards the digital color sensor through a dichroic mirror. We probed the potentiality of this setup for luminescence thermometry in the biological range of temperatures using Er,Yb:NaYF, and up to 673 K for microelectronic applications using Tm,Yb:GdVO up-converting nanoparticles. The thermal sensitivity obtained in both cases is similar to that previously reported for the same kinds of nanoparticles using conventional systems. This validates our setup for temperature measurements. Also, we developed new flexible and transparent polymer composites, in which we embedded upconversion luminescent nanoparticles of Er,Yb:NaYF in PDMS, a standard polymer for microfluidic devices used for biomedical studies, which allow fabricating thermometric microfluidic chips in which temperature can be determined using our setup. The thermal sensitivity for these composites is slightly smaller than that of the bare nanoparticles, bur still allowing for precise and fast temperature measurements.

We studied the temperature-dependent luminescence of GdVO nanoparticles co-doped with Er (1 mol %) and Yb (20 mol %) and determined their thermal sensing properties through the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technique. We also analyzed how a silica coating, in a core-shell structure, affects the temperature sensing properties of this material. Spectra were recorded in the range of biological temperatures (298-343 K). The absolute sensitivity for temperature determination calculated for the core-shell nanoparticles is double the one calculated for bare nanoparticles, achieving a thermal resolution of 0.4 K. Moreover, silica-coated nanoparticles show good dispersibility in different solvents, such as water, DMSO, and methanol. Also, they show good luminescence stability without interactions with solvent molecules. Furthermore, we also observed that the silica coating shell prevents progressive heating of the nanoparticles during prolonged excitation periods with the 980 nm laser, preventing effects on their thermometric applications.

We present the crystal growth, optical spectroscopy, and room temperature continuous-wave (CW) laser operation of monoclinic Ho:KLu(WO4) 2 crystals. Macro defect-free crystals of several dopant concentrations were grown by top-seeded solution growth slow-cooling method. The evolution of unit cell parameters with holmium doping level and temperature was studied using X-ray powder diffraction. The spectroscopic properties were characterized in terms of room- and low-temperature optical absorption and photoluminescence. From low-temperature optical absorption measurements, the energy of the Stark levels was determined. Calculation of the emission and gain cross sections is presented. CW laser action was realized for 3 and 5 at. % Ho-doped KLu(WO4)2 by in-band pumping using a Tm:KLu(WO4)2 pump laser. A maximum output power of 507 mW with a slope efficiency of ∼38 % with respect to the incident power was achieved at 2,080 nm with the Ho:KLu(WO4)2 laser.

By means of micro-structural and optical characterization of the Yb:Nb:RbTiOPO(4) crystal, we demonstrated that the broad emission band of Yb(3+) in these crystals is due to the large splitting of the ytterbium ground state only, and not to a complex multisite occupation by the ytterbium ions in the crystals. We used this broad emission band to demonstrate wide laser tuning range and generation of femtosecond laser pulses. Passive mode-locked laser operation has been realized by using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror, generating ultra short laser pulses of 155 fs, which were very stable in time, under Ti:sapphire laser pumping at 1053 nm.

KTiOPO4 (KTP) nanocrystals have been synthesized by the modified Pechini method using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and ethylene glycol (EG) as chelating and sterification agents, respectively. Orthorhombic KTP has been obtained by calcination at 1073 K for several hours. Differential thermal and thermogravimetric (DTA-TG) analyses have been used to study the optimized heat treatment used on the precursor powder to obtain KTP nanocrystals. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) studies on the thermally treated precursor powders indicated that nanocrystals began to crystallize at 923 K. Nanocrystals with a size dispersion distribution that fit to a lognormal function centered at 25 nm were observed by electronic microscopy. KTP nanocomposites were prepared by embedding nanocrystals in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The photoinduced second-order susceptibility parameter and the piezo-optical coefficient were measured for the KTP nanocomposites. The optimal conditions for the generation of the frequency-doubled second harmonic generation were recorded at 391 K, and at a fundamental laser wavelength of 1064 nm and under additional treatment by polarized UV light, provided the maximum value obtained of 3.23 pm V-1. The piezo-optical coefficients were recorded at room temperature under photoinduced treatment by a UV laser beam; the maximum value achieved was 0.673 x 10(-14) m(2) N-1 at a pump-probe delaying time of 160 s.

We revisited two different strategies to fabricate 1D photonic crystals of nonlinear optical dielectric materials based on ultrafast laser ablation of the surface of an RbTiOPO4 crystal, and selective etching of ferroelectric domains of the surface of a periodically poled LiNbO4 crystal. We evaluated their behaviour as Bragg diffraction gratings. We also presented the recent advances we developed in a new procedure of fabrication of 2D and 3D photonic crystals of KTiOPO4 (KTP) grown on the surface of a KTP substrate by liquid phase epitaxial means within the pores of a silicon macroporous template. Optical, structural, morphological, and compositional characterization for the photonic crystals produced through this technique are presented., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)