Red photo-stimulated luminescence from deep traps of BaZrGe3O9: Pr3+ for optical imaging application

Abstract

Photo-stimulated luminescence materials have attracted widely attention for their potential application of in vivo imaging owing to the rewritable properties and the ability of immobilizing carriers at room temperature. Recently, photo-stimulated luminescence phosphors validated at a higher temperature than the room temperature are urgently needed for the fact that endotherms generate heat to maintain their body temperature which is typically above their surroundings. Therefore, it is critical for the practical application of in vivo imaging, especially with clinical significance. Herein, BaZrGe3O9 doped Pr3+ ions developed in this work, possesses a successive deep defect structure preventing the thermal fading of carriers ranging from 303 to 323 K. Furthermore, the penetration depth of the designed red photo-stimulated luminescence and the chemical stability of BaZrGe3O9: Pr3+ for in vivo imaging are investigated in detail. Our results demonstrate that the developed phosphor is an excellent candidate for long-term in vivo imaging application.