Lanthanide Sensitization in Semiconductor Nanoparticles

by Dr Prasun Mukherjee (University of Pittsburgh, USA)

Friday 8 Jul 2011, 14:30 → 15:30 Asia/Kolkata

AG-80 (Colaba Campus)

The sensitization of luminescent lanthanide terbium (Tb3+) and europium (Eu3+) cations by the electronic structure of zinc sulfide (ZnS) semiconductor nanoparticles has been explored. Two different strategies are considered, namely, a doping and an external salt addition approach. Excitation spectra collected while monitoring the lanthanide emission bands reveal that the ZnS nanoparticles act as an antenna for the sensitization of Tb3+ and Eu3+. The mechanism of lanthanide ion luminescence sensitization is rationalized in terms of an energy and charge transfer between trap sites.