The photoluminescence characteristics of Tb2S3 nanoparticles embedded in sol–gel silica xerogel

The silica xerogel doped with Tb2S3 nanocrystallites has been prepared by sol–gel process. UV–Vis spectra, transmission electron micrograph (TEM), excitation spectra and photoluminescence (PL) spectra of doped xerogel samples have all been investigated at room temperature. A novel luminescent phenomenon has been observed from Tb2S3 nanoparticles doped silica xerogel. The emission spectrum of the doped sample shows high fluorescence intensity. The photoluminescence spectrum of the doped samples consists of two emission bands, one at 440 nm and the other at 600 nm. The sharp emission band of Tb2S3 from the doped samples has been assigned to the luminescence centers of Tb2S3 quantum dots in the porous phosphorescence silica xerogel.