Near-infrared Broadband Research Articles

Broadband Near-Infrared Sr3Al9.8SiO20:0.2Cr Phosphor Realized by Crystallographic Site Engineering.

Broadband near-infrared (NIR) phosphor-converted devices play a vital role in emerging applications of imaging, medicine, agriculture, etc. Herein, a series of economical broadband NIR-emitting Sr3Al10-xSiO20:xCr (SASO:xCr) phosphors with tunable bandwidths and emission peaks were realized by tailoring the Cr3+ doping concentration. The optimal Sr3Al9.8SiO20:0.2Cr (SASO:0.2Cr) phosphor exhibits a broadband emission with full width at half-maximum ∼ 140 nm, and the internal/external quantum efficiency and thermal stability of the SASO:0.2Cr were measured to be 68%/37% and 77%@380 K, respectively. An NIR phosphor-converted light-emitting diode (NIR pc-LED) device was fabricated by combining a blue LED chip with the SASO:0.2Cr phosphor. The applications of NIR pc-LED on plant growth promotion, night vision, and medical imaging were demonstrated. We reported an economical broadband NIR phosphor with multiple potential applications and highlighted the crystallographic site engineering strategy to explore broadband phosphors based on aluminates.

Visible to near-infrared broadband electrochromic switching of π-extended viologen exhibiting highly efficient photothermal conversion

This study describes a new π-extended viologen molecule (TFBV) characterized by an electron-deficient structure inserted between two pyridinium groups. The single-layered electrochromic devices (ECDs) using TFBV all-in-one ion gel exhibit remarkable transparency under neutral conditions and display strong absorption bands in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions. The TFBV ECDs undergo a black coloration at a low operating voltage (−1.4 V), and at higher voltages (>−1.5 V), they display notable absorption in the NIR-II region. The two-electron reduction to neutral TFBV was confirmed through the chemical reduction of TFBV using Na2S, monitored through UV–vis spectra and 1H NMR titrations. The TFBV ECDs demonstrate an impressive color contrast of up to 96 % and a coloration efficiency of 150.18 cm2/C. The ECDs show outstanding kinetic stability through the 2000th cycle and moderate switching stability up to the 10000th cycle, accompanied by fast coloration times. Flexible TFBV ECDs, built on ITO PET, sustain superior performance even during flat and semicircle bending maneuvers, ensuring stability across repeated bending cycles. A uniform color transition is achieved in large-area ECDs of 10 cm × 10 cm. The strong NIR absorption of TFBV ECDs enables the photothermal heater to harvest the heat from the light energy, inducing a temperature rise of 45 °C. Furthermore, these devices perform a photothermal conversion efficiency of 52.5 % during multiple on–off cycles. TFBV ECDs, offering high transparency and intense darkness while blocking UV–Vis-NIR spectra, prove promising candidates for broadband ECDs with integrated photothermal conversion capabilities.

Self-Powered and Broadband Photodetectors Based on High-performance Mixed Dimensional Sb2O3/PdTe2/Si Heterojunction for Multiplex Environmental Monitoring.

Solar-blind ultraviolet (SBUV) to near-infrared (NIR) broadband photodetectors (BB-PD) have important applications in environmental monitoring and other applications. However, it is challenging to prepare SBUV-IR photosensitive materials via simple steps and to construct SBUV-IR broadband devices for multiplex detection with high sensitivity at different wavelengths. Here, self-powered and broadband photodetectors using a high-performance mixed dimensional Sb2O3 nanorod 1-dimension (1D)/monodisperse microdiamond-like PdTe2 3-dimension (3D)/Si (3D) heterojunction for multiplex detection of environmental pollutants with high sensitivity at broadband wavelength are developed. The 1D/3D mixed dimensional Sb2O3/PdTe2/Si structure combines the advantages of strong light absorption, high carrier transport efficiency of 1D Sb2O3 nanorods, and expansion of interface barrier caused by 3D microdiamond-like PdTe2 interlayer to improve the photocurrent density and self-powered ability. The efficient photogenerated charge separation enables anon/off ratio of more than 5×106. The device exhibits excellent photoelectric properties from 255 to 980nm with the responsivity from 4.56×10-2 to 6.55×10-1AW-1, the detectivity from 2.36×1012 to 3.39×1013Jones, and the sensitivity from 3.90×107 to 1.10×1010cm2W-1 without external bias. Finally, the proposed device is applied for the multiplex monitoring of environmental pollution gases NO2 with the detection limit of 200ppb and PM2.5 particles at mild pollution at broadband wavelength. The proposed BB-PD has great potential for multiplex detection of environmental pollutants and other analytes at broadband wavelength.

Lattice dynamics and electron-phonon interaction in lead-free perovskite-inspired materials with unexpected broadband NIR emission

Air-stable and Sb/Bi-based perovskite-inspired materials are attractive substitutes for their Pb-based counterparts in optoelectronic applications. The attractive low-energy broadband luminescence phenomenon has been hotly investigated. However, understanding the physical mechanism behind it is still at an early stage. Herein, high-quality Cs3SbBiI9 crystals were synthesized and accompanied with reference Cs3Sb2I9 and Cs3Bi2I9. The reformed energy band structure can be confirmed by experiment and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Unexpected broadband near-infrared (NIR) emission has been discovered and is explained by the nonexclusive self-trapped exciton (STE) and defect-induced emission models. Temperature- dependent Raman and PL spectra confirm the diminished Stokes shift and electron-phonon coupling effect in Sb-Bi alloyed crystals driven by the local broken-symmetry. This result provides a basic physical explanation for the controversial photo-physical process in defect-type Bi/Sb alloyed perovskite-inspired family and it will inspire a feasible way to design novel Pb-free perovskites.

Chromium Cluster Luminescence: Advancing Near‐Infrared Light‐Emitting Diode Design for Next‐Generation Broadband Compact Light Sources

AbstractIn modern technology devices, an energy‐saving miniature near‐infrared (NIR) light source plays a critical role in non‐destructive, non‐invasive sensing applications and further advancement of technology. This paper reports the broadband NIR luminescence of Cr3+ clusters for designing phosphor‐converted NIR light‐emitting diodes as an alternative to typical isolated Cr3+ centers and Cr3+ ion pairs. Here, Cr3+ clusters form in the intermediate spinel structure of MgGa2O4 by utilizing the long‐chain edge‐shared octahedral dimers with the shortest bond distance between Cr3+ cations. Electron paramagnetic and magnetometry measurements confirm the isolated Cr3+ and Cr3+ clusters, resulting in NIR luminescence with three distinct emission centers. The formation of Cr3+ clusters in MgGa2O4 ensures stable internal quantum efficiency (≈94%), full‐width‐half‐maximum (248 nm), thermal stability (87%), and a radiant flux of ≈17.66 mW. This work offers a promising approach to NIR phosphor design and enhances the understanding of luminescence mechanisms in spinel and related structures.

Achieving Nearly Quantitative (∼100%) IQE and 42.3% EQE Across NIR‐I and NIR‐II Regions with Cr3+‐doped Cs2NaScCl6 under 300 nm Excitation

AbstractLead‐free rare‐earth‐based perovskites have received widespread attention for their unique optical properties, although achieving efficient broadband near‐infrared (NIR) emission with these materials remains a challenge. Here the synthesis of a rare earth‐based double perovskite (Cs2NaScCl6) by an improved solid phase method is reported. The doping of Cr3+ led to the formation of [CrCl6]3− octahedron, which exhibited a broadband NIR emission peaked at 950 nm and a half‐peak width of 162 nm. It is worth noting that with the same actual Cr3+ content, the luminous intensity of Cs2NaScCl6 synthesized by the improved solid‐phase synthesis is four times higher than the product synthesized by the hydrothermal method. an efficient Cl−‐Cr3+ charge transfer sensitization facilitated by localized electrons in [CrCl6]3− octahedron is the mechanism for the strong NIR emission of Cr3+ is proposed. Calculations based on density functional theory and Bader charge analysis support the notion that electrons in [CrCl6]3− octahedrons are strongly localized in Cs2NaScCl6:Cr3+, which is conducive to the Cl−–Cr3+ charge transfer process, resulting the internal quantum efficiency of 100% and external quantum yield as 42.3%. The highly efficient ultra‐broadband NIR emission with excellent stability offers many opportunities for applications in the field of NIR night vision and bio‐imaging.

Cr3+↔Fe3+ Energy Transfer Offset Enabling Anti‐Thermal Quenching Near‐Infrared Emission for Coded Wireless‐Communication Applications

AbstractBroadband near‐infrared (NIR) emission phosphors are crucial for the construction of next‐generation smart lighting sources; however, the thermal quenching (TQ) issue poses a significant challenge to their applications. In this study, anti‐TQ NIR emission is demonstrated in hexafluoride phosphors, using a facile Cr3+/Fe3+ co‐doping strategy. Owing to the controlled forward resonance energy transfer (ET) from Cr3+ to Fe3+ and one‐phonon‐assisted back ET from Fe3+ to Cr3+, the thermally enhanced broadband NIR luminescence is realised in series of fluoride such as Na3FeF6:Cr3+, Na3GaF6:Cr3+, Fe3+, K2NaScF6:Cr3+, Fe3+, etc. By varying the chemical composition of the phosphor, the anti‐TQ emission is achieved even upon raising the temperature to ≈423 K. The anti‐TQ luminescence mechanism is investigated, and the ET offset effect on luminescence TQ is demonstrated. More importantly, by combining these phosphors with blue InGaN chip, anti‐/zero‐TQ NIR light emitting diodes with a high photoelectric conversion efficiency even up to 19.13%@20 mA are further fabricated to realize the emerging coded optical wireless‐communication applications. These findings can initiate the exploration of NIR phosphors with anti‐TQ luminescence properties for advanced optoelectronic applications.

Thermally stable broadband near-infrared emitting pyrochlore oxide phosphors codoped with Cr3+ and Yb3+ ions

The advance of portable and smart near-infrared (NIR) light sources has sparked significant interest. However, achieving high-performance NIR emission at longer wavelengths remains a formidable challenge. In this study, we prepared broadband NIR phosphors by codoping pyrochlore oxide Y2GaSbO7 (YGSO) with Cr3+ and Yb3+ ions using a conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction. Upon excitation by blue light, YGSO: 0.03Cr3+ exhibited a broadband NIR emission centered at 765 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 160 nm. The purposeful incorporation of Yb3+ ions facilitated efficient energy transfer from Cr3+ to Yb3+, resulting in a newly observed NIR emission peak at 970 nm. Notably, the addition of Yb3+ improved the overall thermal quenching resistance owing to its inherent thermal stability. Furthermore, we encapsulated the as-obtained phosphors with commercial blue LED chips to create prototype phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LEDs). The Cr3+ and Cr3+-Yb3+ codoped pc-LEDs achieved output powers of 120 mW@660 mA with a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 12.66%@30 mA, and 131.7 mW@1020 mA with a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 13.93%@30 mA, respectively. These broadband NIR pc-LEDs hold promise for optical imaging applications.

Robust efficiency stability and excellent aging resistance broadband NIR all-inorganic LEDs based on Tellurium-doped germanate glasses for multifunctional applications

Broadband near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy based on glass-converted light-emitting diodes (gc-LEDs) has been of great interest to multifunctional applications ranging from night vision to chemical industry, stimulating the demand for exploring broadband NIR gc-LEDs with sufficient efficiency stability and aging resistance. Herein, an all-inorganic broadband NIR LEDs based on Te cluster-doped germanate glass is developed. Via adjustment of melting atmosphere and network topology of the glass matrix, active NIR Te cluster centers can be generated and stabilized in germanate glass and show a broad emission at 770 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 260 nm under blue light excitation. By combining the Te-doped glass with a commercial blue LED chip, a high-performance NIR gc-LEDs is fabricated with an NIR output power of 14.21 mW@10.1% under a driving current of 400 mA. Particularly, the fabricated NIR-LED device exhibits high efficient stability with a relatively low-efficiency drop of 0.0023 %mA−1, and excellent aging resistance while retaining an electroluminescence intensity up 90 % of their initial value after aging for 480 h under harsh conditions, which is comparable to the commercial phosphors. Finally, its multifunctional application of gc-LEDs is also demonstrated.

Multi-site occupancy high-efficient Mg2LaTaO6:Cr3+ phosphor for application in broadband NIR pc-LEDs

As a new generation of near-infrared (NIR) light source, phosphor-converted NIR light emitting diodes (NIR pc-LEDs) have broad application prospects in biological tissue imaging, night vision and chemical composition analysis. However, most NIR emitting phosphors are still limited to short-wavelength, narrow-band emission and low efficiency. Here, based on the multi-site occupation strategy, the NIR phosphor Mg2LaTaO6:Cr3+ (MLT:Cr3+) achieves an efficient broadband NIR emission with the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 203 nm in the range of 600–1300 nm under the excitation of 468 nm blue light. The phosphor MLT:0.01Cr3+ not only exhibits an excellent internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of 85.6 %, but also has good thermal stability and remains about 64.2 % photoluminescence (PL) intensity of room temperature at 423 K. Furthermore, the MLT:0.01Cr3+ phosphor was combined with a blue LED chip to fabricate the NIR pc-LED device, and its potential applications were successfully realized in information encryption, bioimaging and the qualitative or quantitative analysis of mixture of ethanol and water.

Tunable broadband near-infrared photoluminescence of Mg2LaTaO6:Cr3+ phosphors for light-emitting diodes

Near-infrared phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (NIR pc-LED) prepared with near-infrared (NIR) phosphors have potential applications in various aspects. In this paper, Cr3+-activated Mg2LaTaO6 (MLTO: Cr3+) phosphors were prepared by the conventional high-temperature solid-phase method. The structure, morphology, and photoluminescence (PL) spectra of MLTO: Cr3+ phosphor were investigated. There is broadband NIR emission and the emission peak is red-shifted with the increase of doping concentration. The crystal field strengths of the samples were calculated and the relationship between the emission peak positions of the samples and the crystal field strengths was investigated. In addition, the concentration quenching mechanism of the samples was discussed, which is mainly attributed to dipole-dipole interactions. The internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of the MLTO: 0.4 mol% Cr3+ sample was measured with an IQE value of 76.48 %. NIR pc-LED devices were fabricated by combining the prepared MLTO: Cr3+ phosphor and blue-emitting LED chips, which are capable of emitting NIR light.

Broadband Near-Infrared Photothermal Response of Tissue-Mimicking Phantoms Embedded with Plasmonic Gold Nanorod Aggregates: Implications for the Non-invasive Eradication of Malignant Tumors

Broadband Near-Infrared Photothermal Response of Tissue-Mimicking Phantoms Embedded with Plasmonic Gold Nanorod Aggregates: Implications for the Non-invasive Eradication of Malignant Tumors

Large-scale irrigation of Cr3+ into different octahedra of zinc aluminate toward continual broadband near-infrared emission

Broadband near-infrared (NIR) phosphors, as key materials in NIR phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LEDs) for emerging applications, have recently attracted considerable attention. Herein, by selecting a comprehensive engineering strategy of co-substituting [Al3+-Al3+] with [Mg2+-Ge4+] units and increasing Cr3+ concentration, a novel Cr3+-doped ZnAl1.16Mg0.4Ge0.4O4 (ZA(MG)0.4:2 at.%Cr3+) phosphor with continual broadband NIR emission was synthesized. The site occupation of Mg2+/Ge4+ in ZnAl2O4 is unraveled by Rietveld structure refinement and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. According to the photoluminescence behaviors, the formed defect clusters of ZnAl’-Cr3+-GeAl· and MgAl’-Cr3+-GeAl· can not only introduce shallow defects to serve as new traps to obtain long-persistent luminescence but can also enhance the emission intensity at ∼689 nm and ∼694 nm. The quantity and scale of Cr3+-Cr3+ pairs and Cr3+ in distorted sites, which can improve the thermal quenching resistance and emission intensity in the range of 700–800 nm, can be accurately regulated by varying the concentration of Cr3+. Under 387 nm excitation, the designed material exhibits intensive NIR emission from 685 to 750 nm with a wide full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of 95 nm. The electroluminescence spectrum and potential applications of the NIR pc-LED prepared using ZA(MG)0.4:2 at.%Cr3+ phosphor are also reported. The results promise a feasible strategy to develop NIR phosphors as NIR pc-LEDs lighting sources for applications in non-destructive detection and anti-counterfeiting.

Multiple lattice sites occupied AlTaO4:Cr3+ phosphor for luminescence ratiometric thermometry and NIR light source

Cr3+-doped near infrared (NIR) phosphors have promising applications in NIR light sources and optical temperature detection. The development of materials with high relative sensitivity and efficient broadband NIR luminescence is the key. In this paper, we report a new multifunctional NIR phosphor AlTaO4:Cr3+, which contains both narrow-band emission associated with 2Eg→4A2 g transition and broadband emission induced by the 4T2 g→4A2 g transition owing to Cr3+ occupies both AlO6 and TaO6 lattice sites. The R-line (2Eg→4A2 g) emission and its anti-Stokes phonon sideband emission follow the Boltzmann distribution, and the thermometer constructed accordingly reaches a maximum Sr of 1% K−1 at 110 K. Under 425 nm excitation, the broad emission band (FWHM = 200 nm) reaches maximum at 880 nm with an internal quantum efficiency of 62.8%. The NIR LEDs prepared with AlTaO4:Cr3+ confirm the application value in NIR light sources.

Broadband near-infrared amplified spontaneous emission of Er3+-doped germanate glass fiber.

Er3+-doped glass and fiber are very attractive for near-infrared (NIR) lasers and photonic applications. In this work, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of NIR fluorescence emission of the Er3+-doped germanate glass can be broadened from 72 to 99 nm when Al2O3 was added. In addition, the spectroscopic properties, including absorption and emission spectra, Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters, absorption and emission cross sections, gain coefficient, and fluorescence lifetime, of the Al2O3-modified germanate glass were systematically investigated. What is more, silicate-clad heavily Er3+-doped germanate core multimaterial fibers were successfully drawn by a rod-in-tube method. Notably, broadband NIR amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) with an FWHM of 120 nm was achieved in this new fiber. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest FWHM reported for Er3+-doped germanate glass fibers. These results suggest that the as-drawn Er3+-doped germanate glass fiber with superior performances is a promising candidate for broadband optical amplification.

Subnano Te Cluster in Glass for Efficient Full-Spectrum Conversion.

Broadband near-infrared (NIR) photonic materials have wide applications. Although extensive studies on rare-earth, transition-metal, and even semiconductor-activated materials have enabled the development of a rich NIR material pool, developing broadband and efficient photonic candidates covering the NIR I and II regions from 750 to 1500nm has been met with limited success. Here, it is reported that a subnano Te cluster with a characteristic configuration different from that of the ion state may fill the aforementioned gap. Further, a strategy is proposed for the in situ generation and stabilization of Te clusters by tuning the cluster evolution in glass. A novel active photonic glass embedded with a Te cluster is fabricated; it exhibits intense and broadband short-wave NIR luminescence with a central wavelength at 1030nm and a bandwidth exceeding 330nm. Interestingly, the glass exhibited a full visible-spectrum conversion ability from 300 to 800nm. The application of this unique broadband excitation feature for night vision and tissue penetration is demonstrated using a smartphone as the excitation source. These findings demonstrate a fundamental principle of cluster design in glass for creating new properties and provide a new direction for developing novel cluster-derived functional composite materials.

Highly efficient and stable near-infrared broadband luminescence in SrGa4O7:Cr3+, Yb3+ phosphor

Developing novel broadband near-infrared (NIR) phosphors is crucial to promote NIR phosphor-converted light emitting diodes (pc-LEDs) development. In this paper, a novel multifunctional near-infrared phosphor, SrGa4O7:Cr3+, Yb3+, was synthesized by the conventional high-temperature solid-state method. The emission band of the material spans from 650 nm to 1100 nm. Despite the predominance of four-coordinate and five-coordinate sites within the SrGa4O7 (SGO) lattice, the incorporation of Cr3+ ions induces distortion in the Ga–O tetrahedra, resulting in an octahedral environment for Cr3+. Under blue light excitation, the Cr3+ ions exhibit an ultra-wide emission band (650–900 nm) with a Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) of 131 nm. Furthermore, energy transfer from Cr3+ to Yb3+ was achieved in SrGa4O7:Cr3+, Yb3+, and the incorporation of an optimal quantity of Yb3+ co-dopant yielded a significantly enhanced and extraordinarily broad spectrum from 600 to 1100 nm. Moreover, Yb3+-codoping improves the thermal stability due to the energy transfer from Cr3+ to more thermally stable Yb3+ emitters, and the integrated intensity of SrGa4O7:Cr3+, Yb3+ at 300 K was 74% of that at room temperature. Based on these findings, a blue-light-excited NIR pc-LED was encapsulated. The forward voltage and intensity of the LED remained almost constant after 500 h of thermal aging at high temperatures, indicating its particular reliability in NIR pc-LED applications. The results show that SrGa4O7:Cr3+, Yb3+ phosphors have great potential in ultra-wideband NIR pc-LED applications.

Selective enrichment strategy induces ultra-broadband NIR emission in Cr3+-doped multi-phase glass-ceramics for NIR spectroscopy applications

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has gained widespread application in food analysis, disease diagnosis, fingerprint analysis, and security monitoring. However, the lack of efficient, broadband NIR luminescent materials hinders the full potential of this technology. Here, an ultra-broadband and high-efficiency Cr3+-doped multi-phase glass-ceramics containing MgAl2O4, Al2SiO5, and SiO2 nanocrystals was discovered, which exhibited an ultra-broadband NIR emission (λem ∼ 900 nm) with a full width at half maximum more than 300 nm and a high internal quantum yield of 50.9% under the excitation of 465 nm blue light. Moreover, the integrated emission intensity at 100 °C and 150 °C can keep 88% and 77% of that at room temperature. The ultra-broadband, high efficiency, and thermally robust luminescence of this Cr3+-doped multi-phase glass-ceramics can be attributed to the selective enrichment of Cr3+ ions into different nanocrystals with octahedral sites, and medium electron-photon coupling effect. The NIR glass-ceramics-converted light-emitting diode constructed by the glass-ceramics combined with 465 blue LED chip produced an excellent NIR output and photoelectric conversion efficiency of 274 mW/1007 mW and 3.43%/2.79% at 100 mA/320 mA drive current, which demonstrated superior overall performance to the NIR device built by using the well-known NIR phosphors. Additionally, the NIR camera can capture the image of license plate and nectarine, as well as identify the residual drug content in the bottle under the irradiation of the NIR device constructed by the glass-ceramics. This work not only presented an ultra-broadband and high-efficiency NIR material but also highlights a design strategy to effectively enhance the efficiency and broadband characteristics of NIR glass-ceramics.

Efficient near-infrared luminescence in LiInO2:Cr3+ phosphor for light-emitting-diodes

Broadband near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy produced by efficient and miniaturized NIR phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LEDs) has been utilized in portable and mobile devices to realize a variety of applications such as bio-imaging, food-quality analysis, and night-vision. However, developing blue-light excitable NIR phosphor material with efficient emission around 900 nm remains a great challenge. Herein, an efficient LiInO2:Cr3+ phosphors with an emission peak of 897 nm and a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 129 nm excited by 468 nm were successfully synthesized under a protective atmosphere. The optimized sample shows a particularly high absorption efficiency (AE = 57.8%) and an excellent internal quantum efficiency (IQE = 42.4%), resulting in a relatively high external quantum efficiency (EQE = 24.5%) compared to the developed phosphors with emission peak around 900 nm. Disappointingly, the emission intensity at 373 K of this material retains only 29.6% of that at room temperature, and the strong electron-phonon-coupling (EPC) effect should be responsible for the relatively poor thermal stability. Thus, this work demonstrated an attempt to develop efficient broadband NIR phosphors for spectroscopy applications, and also performed a comprehensive investigation to understand this material.

Efficient Ultra‐Broadband Phosphors for High-Power Near-infrared LED and night vision imaging system sources

Broadband near-infrared (NIR)-emitting materials have critical applications in biology, medical detection, and NIR night-vision. However, developing NIR phosphors with promising optical properties and excellent thermal stability is a great challenge for research. In this work, a novel NIR phosphor Cr3+ and Yb3+ doped CaSc2O4 (CSO) is an evolving NIR emitting phosphor with decent optical properties, boosted emission intensity, and thermal stability that makes it a promising candidate with potential applications in NIR-LED and infrared night-vision. The implications of the fundamental electronic structure of CSO, including valence-band (VB) and conduction-band (CB) orbital character, are investigated. Under blue light excitation, CSO:Cr3+ is settled with pure broadband NIR emissions (max = 920 nm, FWHM (full width at half maximum) = ∼310 nm) and good thermal stability. The occupation of two selectable lattice sites of Cr3+ in CSO is discussed in detail. Furthermore, emission enhancements of samples are done by Cr3+ and Yb3+ codoping, effectively broadening FWHM to 351 nm and reducing thermal quenching. The energy transfer (ET) routes in CSO:Cr3+,Yb3+ are investigated based on PL lifetime and comprehensive kinetic ET model, revealing that the PL enhancements by Cr3+ and Yb3+ codoping mainly originate from the ET from Cr3+ to Yb3+ emitters with more efficient and thermally stable. Finally, an InGaN-LED device encapsulated using CSO:0.01Cr3+ and CSO:0.01Cr3+,0.01 Yb3+ phosphor was fabricated. The fabricated NIR pc-LEDs are excellent candidates for NIR light sources in biological imaging and NIR night vision.