Peculiarities of Eu3+ Photoluminescence in Opal Photonic Crystal Films and Heterostructures Based of Them

Abstract

Single opal films and heterostructures based on them grown by the method of vertically moving meniscus are characterized by the reflection spectroscopy technique and then impregnated with the Eu(CH3COO)3 × H2O salt. The suppression of the Eu3+ ion emission in single opal films is clearly detected within the photonic stop-band range. The weaker manifestation of this effect in heterostructures is more likely due to interface defects causing both the appearance of permitted states in the photonic stop band and the scattering of radiation in the direction of observation. With the further impregnation of opal films with glycerol to reduce the dielectric contrast from 1.85 to 1.13, the emission spectrum is mainly determined by the Eu3+ coordination environment effects accompanied with the broadening of bands and the spectral intensity redistribution.