LAUSR

Abstract Luminescence in Li2CeO3 host has been investigated for the first time. Nd3+ and Yb3+ activators led to emission in the near infrared region. Excitation for 976 emission of Yb3+ is located in the near ultraviolet region in form of a broad band around 385 nm. Luminescence is attributed to the host sensitization, though the possibility of metal to metal charge transfer excitation is not ruled out. Additional characteristic lines were observed in the excitation spectrum for Nd3+ emission. Luminescence intensity of 976 emission almost doubled in Li2CeO3:Nd3+, Yb3+ phosphor owing to Nd3+→ Yb3+ energy transfer. Efficiency of Nd3+→Yb3+ energy transfer is about 87%. Absorption of near ultraviolet radiations followed by conversion to near infrared indicates the potential applications in solar photovoltaics. The phosphor is particularly attractive for such applications in view of the strong broad band excitation arising from allowed transitions, in contrast to majority of the phosphors reported in the literature based on rare earth ion pairs such as Tm3+-Yb3+ or Er3+-Nd3+ which involve narrow, weak, forbidden f-f transitions of activator ion.