A Novel Multifunctional and Broadband Near‐Infrared Phosphor, Lu<sub>3</sub>MgGa<sub>3</sub>GeO<sub>12</sub>:Cr<sup>3+</sup>, Yb<sup>3+</sup>, Nd<sup>3+</sup> Achieved through a Chemical Unit Substitution and Energy Transfer Strategy
Xin Xie, Wanyin Ge, Qian Zhang, Ye Tian, Zili Luo, Shifan Shang, Jianke Liu, Wenbin Cao
Abstract
Abstract Cr 3+ ‐doped near‐infrared (NIR) phosphors have attracted significant attention in recent years. Despite this, achieving high‐performance NIR phosphors with broadband emission and excellent thermal stability remains a considerable challenge. This study presents Lu 3 Ga 5 O 12 :Cr 3+ , which demonstrates a tunable emission peak ranging from 705 to 759 nm and an increased full‐width at half‐peak maximum (FWHM) from 46 to 139 nm by substituting the [Mg 2+ ‐Ge 4+ ] chemical unit for the [Ga 3+ ‐Ga 3+ ] unit. Additionally, in Lu 3 MgGa 3 GeO 12 :Cr 3+ , Yb 3+ , an energy transfer channel (Cr 3+ ‐Yb 3+ ) is constructed. Under blue light excitation, the characteristic emission peaks of Cr 3+ (600–900 nm) and Yb 3+ (900–1100 nm) are observed simultaneously. However, the emission band between 850 and 900 nm is relatively weak, resulting in a discontinuous emission spectrum. To address this, Lu 3 MgGa 3 GeO 12 :Cr 3+ , Yb 3+ , Nd 3+ phosphors are proposed, which exhibit a continuous broadband NIR emission with a FWHM of 253 nm and internal quantum efficiency of 47.3%. The luminescence intensity retains 81% of its room temperature value even at 423 K. Combining this new phosphor with a blue LED chip results in a portable NIR light source with potential applications in non‐destructive detection, information encryption, bio‐imaging, and NIR remote control. This work offers a novel perspective for developing high‐performance NIR phosphors.