Light-into-heat conversion in La2O3:Er 3+-Yb3+ phosphor: An incandescent emission

Abstract

Low-power-threshold cw laser-induced incandescence (CWLII) has been observed in La2O3:Er3+-Yb3+ phosphor on excitation by a 976 nm IR laser. It is suggested that incandescence originates from the extensive heating induced by the nonradiative processes taking place following the laser excitation. Other mechanisms for similar observations have also been suggested in the literature and have been discussed with the present observations. The estimated temperature for the CWLII approaches around 2650 K, and this seems to provide an effective way to rapidly attain high temperature in nano/microvolumes of phosphor. The phosphor exhibited efficient upconversion, and the ratio of the 2H11?2 → 4I15?2 and 4S3?2 → 4I15?2 band intensities of Er3+ permits measurement of the temperature rise, from a distance. © 2012 Optical Society of America.