Phys.org April 8, 2020
The conversion of invisible infrared or ultraviolet light into visible light allows us to intuitively see the data contained in the light, and thus enables the use of infrared or ultraviolet light for displays or imaging devices. As ultraviolet light is high in energy its conversion into visible light relatively easy and efficient. A team of researchers in South Korea made a square lattice array of silica microbeads decorated with up-conversion nanoparticles and metal structures. This configuration maximizes both the absorption of near-infrared light and the luminescence of visible light, thus increasing the efficiency of near-infrared-to-visible light conversion by nearly 1,000 times. The lattice configuration of silica microbeads can be easily transferred to a transparent film. The technique has applications in various fields, and it can be used for foldable devices, wearable sensors, and flexible wavelength conversion imaging devices…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
The 3D conceptual illustration of the luminescent film. Credit: Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST)