Nonlinear optical and self-activated luminescent properties of A2W3O10 (A = Rb and Cs)

Abstract

Tungstate has been widely researched in a variety of fields including luminescence, laser hosts and catalysis due to its interesting structural chemistry and numerous high performances in practical applications. In this paper, the thermal, linear and nonlinear optical, self-activated luminescent properties of A₂W₃O₁₀ (A = K, Rb and Cs) were investigated for the first time. The two compounds are isostructural and crystallize in the non-polar space group I (no. 82) with a three dimensional network composed by corner-sharing WO₆ octahedra and alkali metal cations located in the voids. The compounds exhibit a wide transmittance range from 0.35 to 8.5 μm and is phase matchable with moderate powder second harmonic generation intensity about 1.1 and 1.4 times that of KH₂PO₄ for Rb₂W₃O₁₀ and Cs₂W₃O₁₀, respectively. Self-activated luminescent measurements show that A₂W₃O₁₀ exhibits violet emissions extending from about 330 to 450 nm and can be considered as a candidate for UV-based self-activated luminescent materials.