Estudo de vidros de teluritos contendo Sb2O3 para obtenção de nanopartículas de cobre com aplicação em fotônica

Abstract

Transparent 0.95TeO2-(0.05-x)Sb2O3-xCuO glassy system containing copper nanoparticles were successfully prepared by the conventional melt quenching method of starting materials, using the antimony oxide redox route. This technique allows the production of metallic nanoparticles during melting, through the reaction Sb3+ → Sb5++ 2e-, which leads to the reduction of metallic ions. The structural investigation was carried out by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy image (TEM) and UV-visible spectroscopy evidenced the formation of cubic copper nanoparticles, randomly embedded in the glassy matrix. The effectiveness of the plasmonic effects of the copper nanoparticles provided the enhancement of the fluorescence of the erbium ions. The interaction between excitant radiation and sample led to the thermal excitation, which increased the population of specific energy levels of erbium ions, with consequent optical response into vibronic structure, as can be seen in the erbium-doped tellurite glasses containing copper nanoparticles. Furthermore, the plasmonic effects of the copper nanoparticles on the enhancement of the infrared and upconversion emissions intensities in the Er3+/Yb3+/Ce3+ co-doped transparent tellurite glasses under 980 nm laser diode excitation were investigated. The roles of Yb3+ and Ce3+ as sensitizers are also discussed. The effectiveness of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the copper nanoparticles provided an improvement about 47% of the 1550 nm luminescence intensity of the Er3+ ions. Moreover, the lifetime of the Er3+: 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition increased around 50 % in the copper nanoparticle containing samples. Finally, the tellurite glasses containing copper nanoparticles showed interesting results as substrates for obtainment of surface enhanced Raman spectra (SERS spectra) and SERS spectra were satisfactorily obtained for 2,2'-bipyridine 1.0 × 10 -5 mol.L-1 and Nile blue dye 1.0 × 10-7 mol.L-1 solutions.