Simultaneous observation of up/down conversion photoluminescence and colossal permittivity properties in (Er+Nb) co-doped TiO2 materials

Abstract

We have investigated the optical and dielectric properties of rutile TiO2 doped with Nb and Er, i.e., (Er0.5Nb0.5)xTi1- xO2. The up/downconversion photoluminescence was observed in the visible and near-infrared region from the materials under 980 nm laser diode excitation. The upconversion emissions are attributed to the energy transfer between Er ions in the excited states. Moreover, the dielectric measurements indicate that the fabricated materials simultaneously present colossal permittivity properties with relatively low dielectric loss. Our work demonstrates the coexistence of both interesting luminescence and attractive dielectric characteristics in (Er+Nb) co-doped TiO2, showing the potential for multifunctional applications.