Synthesis and Characterization of Sm³⁺/Yb³⁺ Codoped Oxychloride Tellurite Glasses for Solar Cell Enhancement via Energy Conversion

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This study presents the synthesis and characterization of novel oxychloride tellurite glasses codoped with Sm 3+ /Yb 3+ . These materials were investigated for their potential applications as spectral converters to enhance the efficiency of silica-based solar cells. Optical spectroscopy revealed the successful incorporation of both rare-earth ions in the glass matrix. It was observed that with the increase of Yb 3+ ion concentration, the lifetime of the 4 G 5/2 state of Sm 3+ ions decreased considerably, indicating an efficient energy transfer mechanism between the Sm 3+ /Yb 3+ pair. A notable energy transfer efficiency of 76% was achieved for the sample containing 3 mol % of YbCl 3 . The observed visible-to-near-infrared spectral conversion properties make these glasses promising candidates for improving the performance of silicon solar cells by better matching the solar spectrum to the optimal response range of a photovoltaic device.