Preparation and Upconversion Emission Properties of Y2O3 : Er, Yb Inverse Opal

Upconversion light-emitting photonic band gap materials (Y₂O₃: Yb, Er) with inverse opal structure were prepared by a self-assembly technique in combination with a sol-gel method. The effect of the photonic stop-band on the upconversion luminescence of Er³⁺ ions has been investigated in the Y₂O₃: Yb, Er inverse opals. Suppression of the upconversion emission was detected if the photonic band-gap overlaps with the Er³⁺ ions emission band, while enhancement of the upconversion emission occurs if the emission band appears at the edge of the band gap.