Line-shape analysis and simulation of Er3+ photoluminescence spectra in erbium-stabilized nanocrystalline zirconia structures

Peculiarities of the near-infrared and visible up-conversion spectra of nanocrystalline (Er2O3)x (ZrO2)1-x have been studied. It is shown that for the samples with 0.026 < x < 0.143 the photoluminescence spectra of Er3+ are defined a by similar erbium environment in spite of the different symmetry of the host ZrO2 matrix. The low temperature and room temperature emission bands in the spectral range of the 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition are measured and interpreted in terms of the multi-electron molecular orbitals cluster model developed for the case of nanocrystal structures. The role of the intra-manifold 4I13/2 relaxatio