A simple photochemical method to synthesize Ga2O3–Dy3+–M3+ thin films and their evaluation as optical materials (where M=Cr or Co)

Abstract We report the photochemical method to synthesize Ga 2 O 3 –Dy 3+ –Co 3+ and Ga 2 O 3 –Dy 3+ –Cr 3+ thin films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence were used to characterize the products. These analyses revealed that as-deposited and annealed films are amorphous. The optical characterization of the films showed that these are highly transparent in the visible spectrum but decrease significantly with doped and co-doped films. Under the excitation of UV light (254 nm) the doped films (Ga 2 O 3 –Dy 3+ ) show the characteristic emissions of Dy 3+ at 500, 575, 594, 605 and 652 nm corresponding to 4 F 9/2 → 6 H J ( J =15/2, 13/2 and 11/2) transitions but the emissions decrease with the co-doped films (Ga 2 O 3 –Dy 3+ –M 3+ , where M=Cr or Co); a possible emission mechanism and energy transfer have been proposed.