On the crystalline environment of luminescent Tb$^{3+}$ ions embedded in indium tin oxide thin films: a DFT and Crystal field analysis assessment

TL;DR

This study combines DFT calculations and crystal field analysis to understand the local environment and luminescent behavior of Tb$^{3+}$ ions in ITO thin films, revealing how site symmetry influences emission properties.

Contribution

It provides a detailed assessment of Tb$^{3+}$ local symmetry and crystal environment in ITO, integrating theoretical and experimental approaches to elucidate luminescence mechanisms.

Findings

Tb$^{3+}$ ions occupy $C_2$ symmetry sites in ITO.

The $^5D_4 ightarrow {}^7F_2$ transition produces red emission.

Crystal field analysis aligns well with observed energy levels.

Abstract

We assess the local symmetry and crystal environment of trivalent terbium ions embedded in an indium tin oxide (ITO) matrix with bixbyite structure. The \mbox{Tb$^{3+}$} ions tend to substitute \mbox{In$^{3+}$} ions in two different cationic sites ($b$ and $d$). Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the \mbox{Tb$^{3+}$} ions are mainly located at $C_2$ symmetry sites relaxing selection rules and enabling electric dipole transitions, with the $^5\text{D}_4\rightarrow\leftindex^7{\text{F}}_2$ transition being the most intense, providing a red color to the light emission. Photoluminescence emission spectra under UV excitation at \qty{83}{\kelvin} revealed 30 intra-4$f$ transitions, which were assigned to the $\leftindex^7{\text{F}}_J$ ground multiplet of the \mbox{Tb$^{3+}$} ion. Crystal-field analysis shows a strong alignment between calculated and observed energy levels, yielding a standard deviation of $\sigma=\qty{15.1}{\centi\per\metre}$. We believe these results can help to understand the activation mechanisms of \mbox{Tb$^{3+}$} luminescent centers in transparent conductive oxides, as well as the potential to modulate \mbox{Tb$^{3+}$} emission color through its crystalline environment.