Luminescence of metal ion-activated nanophosphor supported by nanoporous sol–gel SiO2 matrices

Luminescence of rare-earth ions, transition metal ions and their complexes is investigated to clarify the electronic structure, the electron–lattice interaction, energy migration processes, and nonlinear optical properties of emission centers in nanoporous sol–gel silica glasses. Optical properties of various materials are characterized by measurements of luminescence, excitation spectra, absorption spectra and lifetimes in the temperature range between 10 and 300 K. The nanoporous space is examined by energy transfer in SiO2:Tb, Cr glasses and CPL properties of Tb(cyclen) complex-doped SiO2 films. The semiconductor nanocrystals SiO2/CdS: Eu3+ and D–A pair emission of SiO2/ZnS:Cu, Al, reveal quantum confinement effects in silica hosts: sol–gel SiO2 glass, films and nanotube MCM 41. For the development of new nanophosphors, surfactants, chemical stability, colors, and porous sizes are discussed in the mesoscopic system.