Dramatic increases in the lifetime of the Er3+ ion in a molecular complex using a perfluorinated imidodiphosphinate sensitizing ligand.

Dramatic increases in the luminescent lifetime of the Er3+ ion in a molecular complex have been observed by chelating the rare-earth ion with a perfluorinated imidodiphosphinate sensitizing ligand, F-tpip. For solution, powder, and evaporated thin films of Er(F-tpip)3, the average lifetimes of the 1530 nm emission band range between 150 and 220 mus, corresponding to a maximum 50-fold increase relative to the nonfluorinated analogue, Er(tpip)3. These are the longest reported lifetimes for the Er3+ ion in a simple organic chelate. These remarkable improvements in luminescence efficiency and excited-state lifetime represent a significant step forward in the design and fabrication of near-infrared (NIR)-emitting molecular devices for communications, sensing, and analytical detection.