Advancing Near-Infrared Light Sources: Enhancing Chromium Emission through Cation Substitution in Ultra-Broadband Near-Infrared Phosphors

Abstract

The growing interest in the use of near-infrared (NIR) radiation for spectroscopy, optical communication, and medical applications spanning both NIR-I (700−900 nm) and NIR-II (900−1700 nm) has driven the need for new NIR light sources. NIR phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LEDs) are expected to replace traditional lamps mainly due to their high efficiency and compact design. Broadband NIR phosphors activated by Cr 3+ and Cr 4+ have attracted significant research interest, offering emission across a wide range from 700 to 1700 nm. In this work, we synthesized a series of Sc 2(1−x) Ga 2x O 3 :Cr 3+/4+ materials (x = 0−0.2) with broadband NIR-I (Cr 3+ ) and NIR-II (Cr 4+ ) emission. We observed a substantial increase in the intensity of Cr 3+ (approximately 77 times) by incorporating Ga 3+ ions. Additionally, our investigation revealed that energy transfer occurred between Cr 3+ and Cr 4+ ions. Configuration diagrams are presented to elucidate the behavior of Cr 3+ and Cr 4+ ions within the Sc 2 O 3 matrix. We also observed a phase transition at a pressure of 20.2 GPa, resulting in a new unknown phase where Cr 3+ luminescence exhibited a high-symmetry environment. Notably, this study presents the pressure-induced shift of NIR Cr 4+ luminescence in Sc 2(1−x) Ga 2x O 3 :Cr 3+/4+ . The linear shifts were estimated at 83 ± 3 and 61 ± 6 cm −1 /GPa before and after the phase transition. Overall, our findings shed light on the synthesis, luminescent properties, temperature, and high-pressure behavior within the Sc 2(1−x) Ga 2x O 3 :Cr 3+/4+ materials. This research contributes to the understanding and potential applications of these materials in the development of efficient NIR light sources and other optical devices.