How Can the Intra-Shell Emissions of Rare Earth and Transition Metal Ions in Thin Films and Nanoparticles Be Stimulated?

Nanoparticles of the wide band gap oxides doped with rare earth (RE) ions are prospective materials for application in optoelectronics as phosphors in a new generation of light sources. In this paper the mechanisms of the excitation of efficient 4f-4f intra-shell transitions in RE doped nanoparticles are discussed. These mechanisms either enhance the rate of host to impurity energy transfer or stimulate the intra-shell transitions of RE ions.