Exploring the luminescence of tin‐incorporated nickel‐sensitized lithium gallate short‐wave‐infrared phosphors

Abstract

AbstractA series of Ni2+‐sensitized LiGa5O8 nanocrystals doped with varying amounts of Sn4+ were synthesized via a high‐temperature solid‐state method. X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were employed to investigate the microstructure of the LiGa5O8 host, and optical spectroscopy was used to examine the effects of Sn4+ addition on the emission spectra and persistent luminescence (PersL) properties, which indicated a homogeneous distribution of the constituent elements in the phosphor. The Sn4+ incorporation led to an approximately sixfold enhancement of photoluminescence intensity at room temperature and decrease in the energy transition of Ni2+(3T2(3F)→3A2(3F)), which resulted in ∼65 nm bathochromic shift in the photoluminescence emission maxima. However, the addition of Sn4+ dopant led to a decrease in the quantum yield of luminescence compared to that of the original phosphor. Temperature‐dependent thermoluminescence measurements revealed that doping of LiGa5O8 with Sn4+ interfered with the Ni2+ trap centers. Moreover, Ni2+‐sensitized Sn4+‐doped LiGa5O8 nanocrystals exhibited an afterglow effect that persisted for up to 300 s.