Blue up-conversion with excitation into Tm ions at 808 nm in YVO4 crystals co-doped with thulium and ytterbium.

The up-conversion of infrared radiation at 808 nm, emitted by a diode laser, into blue emission centered at 480 nm in 1 at.% Tm, 5 at.% Yb: YVO4; 1 at.% Tm, 8 at.% Yb: YVO4 and 2 at.% Tm, 5 at.% Yb: YVO4 has been studied. The highest intensity of blue emission is found for the 1 at.% Tm, 8 at.%Yb: YVO4 system. The power dependence of up-converted emission upon continuous-wave excitation as well as the time evolution of its intensity upon short-pulse excitation were found to be consistent with a two-step excitation mechanism in which the forward Tm3+–Yb3+ energy transfer is followed by the back Yb3+–Tm3+ energy transfer. The effect of dopant concentrations on the up-conversion process is interpreted taking into account dynamics of the excited states involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]