Sensitized thulium ultraviolet upconversion luminescence in Tm3+/Yb3+/Nd3+ triply doped nanoglass ceramics.

Intense four- and five-photon ultraviolet upconversion processes through sensitization of Tm3+ ions in transparent SiO2-Al2O3-NaF-YF3 glass ceramics triply doped with Tm3+/Yb3+/Nd3+ under 796 nm excitation were investigated. Judd-Ofelt analyses evidenced the incorporation of rare-earth ions into the precipitated beta-YF3 nanocrystals. In contrast with the triply doped one, no ultraviolet upconversion luminescence was observed in the Tm3+/Nd3+ codoped glass ceramic, indicating that Yb3+ acts as bridging ions to enhance the energy transfer efficiency between Nd3+ and Tm3+. Based on the pumping power dependence of luminescence, upconversion mechanisms were proposed.