Enhanced photoluminescence of Nd2O3 nanoparticles modified with silane-coupling agent: Fluorescent resonance energy transfer analysis

Abstract
A liquid laser medium with a lifetime of 492 μ s and a fluorescent quantum efficiency of 52.5% has been presented by stably dispersing dimethyl dichorosilane-modified Nd 2 O 3 nanoparticles in dimethylsulfoxide. Its optical properties and mechanism were investigated and explained by fluorescence resonance energy transfer theory. The calculation result shows that the quenching of Nd III F 3 ∕ 2 4 → I 11 ∕ 2 4 transition via O–H vibrational excitation can be eventually neglected. The main reason is that the silane-coupling agent molecules remove the –OH groups on Nd 2 O 3 nanoparticles and form a protective out layer.