Infrared Emission Research Articles

Shortwave-Infrared Silver Chalcogenide Quantum Dots for Optoelectronic Devices.

Silver chalcogenide (Ag2X, X = S, Se, Te) semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have been extensively studied owing to their short-wave infrared (SWIR, 900-2500 nm) excitation and emission along with lower solubility product constant and environmentally benign nature. However, their unsatisfactory photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) make it difficult to obtain optoelectronic devices with high performances. To tackle this challenge, researchers have made great efforts to develop valid strategies to improve the PLQYs of SWIR Ag2X QDs by suppressing their nonradiative recombination of excitons. In this Perspective, we summarize the significant approaches of heteroatom doping and surface passivation to enhance the PLQYs of SWIR Ag2X QDs, and we conclude their application in high-efficiency optoelectronic devices. Finally, we examine the future trends and promising opportunities of Ag2X QDs with regard to their optical properties and optoelectronics. We believe that this Perspective will serve as a valuable reference for future advancement in the synthesis and application of SWIR Ag2X QDs.

Solar-Adaptive Cooling Blocks Composed of Recycled Fabric.

Radiative cooling technologies have had a significant impact on advancing carbon neutrality efforts by significantly improving the passive cooling efficiency. The tandem of conduction and radiation enables solar-adaptive radiative cooling through the insulating effect of materials along with solar absorption, which affects the thermal state of materials and enhances radiative thermal transfer from the surface under solar irradiation. This enhancement is achieved by utilizing the porous polymeric structure of materials, which facilitates improved conduction pathways along with solar reflectance, while maintaining the effective emission of thermal radiation. In this particular scenario, blocks, which were made of recycled fibers, offer a great opportunity as solar-adaptive cooling materials, enabling their easy deployment for cooling applications. Herein, we have fabricated a porous block using fiber wastes that combines strong solar reflectance (92%) at the 1 μm region and high thermal infrared emittance (∼75%) at the 10 μm region. The combination of effective solar reflection and thermal infrared emission allows the fiber block to achieve a high cooling performance of approximately 68 W/m2 under solar irradiation. In addition, the fiber block works effectively for insulation during the night, thereby enhancing its heat retention capabilities. The economic and environmental advantages of the fiber block make it a cost-competitive and sustainable choice for near-market cooling technologies. This design is anticipated to expand the practical application range of passive cooling.

Fast inverse design of microwave and infrared Bi-stealth metamaterials based on equivalent circuit model

This work proposed a fast inverse design method for microwave and infrared (IR) bi-stealth metamaterials based on the equivalent circuit model (ECM). Using this method, we designed a microwave and IR bi-stealth metamaterial by deploying a multilayered structure of the indium tin oxide (ITO) film based metasurface. First, the IR emissivity of the ITO film was calculated in the framework of the ECM. Then, an ITO metasurface was proposed to implement low IR emission and high microwave transmission simultaneously. Based on the ECM of the square patch, the ECM of the whole metamaterial was established at the microwave band. An inverse design program was built by incorporating the ECM with genetic algorithm (GA). Structure parameters of the metamaterial were optimized by GA to achieve the broadest microwave stealth bandwidth for the given thickness. Finally, the sample of the optimized bi-stealth metamaterial was prepared and tested. The calculated, simulated, and measured results are in good agreement, showing that such a metamaterial has an IR emissivity of 0.18 in the band from 3 to 14 μm and an efficient microwave stealth band from 4.8 to 17 GHz with a thickness of 4.9 mm. The proposed method will benefit the design and application of microwave and IR bi-stealth metamaterials.

Surface Vibration‐Mediated and Multiphonon Relaxation‐Assisted Antithermal‐Quenching Shortwave Infrared Emission in Ho‐Based Double Perovskite With Long Lifetime

AbstractThermal quenching generally predominates in Er3+ 1540 nm luminescence quenching at elevated temperatures, due to intensified lattice vibration and efficient overtone vibrational relaxation by O─H stretch. This issue impedes practical device applications of shortwave infrared Er‐doped phosphors. Herein, with the mediation of surface vibrational phonons, anti‐thermal quenching of Er3+ 1540 nm emission is reported in (220)‐dominated Er3+‐doped Cs2NaHoCl6 double perovskite. The downshifting emissions can be boosted with rising temperatures from 303 to 543 K, reaching 225%@483 K of the initial intensity at 303 K, accompanied with a long lifetime of 33.02 ms at 483 K. By combining temperature‐dependent in situ Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies with the excited‐state dynamics results, the coordination role of water molecules is verified, serving as promoters instead of quenchers on the (220) facet at high temperatures. Furthermore, efficient energy transfer from Ho3+ to Er3+ enables intense 1540 nm emission with a photoluminescence quantum yield of 78.1% under 450 nm excitation. Finally, a compact thermally stable phosphor‐converted light‐emitting diode (LED) is designed as a narrowband shortwave infrared light source with a blue LED chip. This work pushes the improved understanding of achieving thermal‐enhanced Er3+ luminescence for potential broad applications.

Reconstruction of Mars 2020 Backshell Radiative Heating via Infrared Emission Spectroscopy of CO2/N2/Ar Shockwaves

A test series was performed in the Electric Arc Shock Tube (EAST) facility with the aim of reproducing flight conditions encountered during the Mars 2020 mission entry into the Mars atmosphere. For this test series, the EAST facility was instrumented with two spectrometers for optical emission spectroscopy (OES) measurements and three mid-infrared lasers for tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS). This paper focuses on the spectrally and spatially resolved radiance measured with OES. Conditions were chosen to achieve similarity to backshell radiative heating measured with the MEDLI2 heat flux gauges near and after the time of peak heating. Comparisons were made against two candidate kinetic models for Mars entry. Below 2.7 km/s, the chemistry is effectively frozen, with measurements being above both models and CEA predictions. It is shown that taking into account shock deceleration in the tube explains most of the discrepancy between measured and frozen radiance. For velocities above 2.7 km/s, the data lies between the two models. However, adjusting for shock deceleration indicates that one of the models may be preferred for predicting CO2 dissociation. Finally, comparisons between OES and TDLAS data are made and show a good agreement on the measured temperature and CO2 number density profiles, typically within 10 and 5%, respectively. A good agreement is also observed for the radiance that would be inferred based upon the quantities measured by TDLAS.

A Nanoencapsulated Ir(III)-Phthalocyanine Conjugate as a Promising Photodynamic Therapy Anticancer Agent.

Despite the potential of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in cancer treatment, the development of efficient and photostable photosensitizing molecules that operate at long wavelengths of light has become a major hurdle. Here, we report for the first time an Ir(III)-phthalocyanine conjugate (Ir-ZnPc) as a novel photosensitizer for high-efficiency synergistic PDT treatment that takes advantage of the long-wavelength excitation and near infrared (NIR) emission of the phthalocyanine scaffold and the known photostability and high phototoxicity of cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes. In order to increase water solubility and cell membrane permeability, the conjugate and parent zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) were encapsulated in amphoteric redox-responsive polyurethane-polyurea hybrid nanocapsules (Ir-ZnPc-NCs and ZnPc-NCs, respectively). Photobiological evaluations revealed that the encapsulated Ir-ZnPc conjugate achieved high photocytotoxicity in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions under 630 nm light irradiation, which can be attributed to dual Type I and Type II reactive oxygen species (ROS) photogeneration. Interestingly, PDT treatments with Ir-ZnPc-NCs and ZnPc-NCs significantly inhibited the growth of three-dimensional (3D) multicellular tumor spheroids. Overall, the nanoencapsulation of Zn phthalocyanines conjugated to cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes provides a new strategy for obtaining photostable and biocompatible red-light-activated nano-PDT agents with efficient performance under challenging hypoxic environments, thus offering new therapeutic opportunities for cancer treatment.

Phospha-RosIndolizine Dye with Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) Absorption and Emission.

Shortwave infrared (SWIR, 1000-1700 nm) absorbing and emitting dyes are needed for infrared diodes and sensors used in a wide variety of industrial and medical applications. Herein, an electron-withdrawing phosphine oxide (P═O) substituted xanthene is coupled with strong indolizine donors to produce a SWIR absorbing (λabs = 1294 nm in DCM) and emitting (λemis = 1450 nm in DCM) dye called PRos1450. The unique properties of this dye are characterized via photophysical, electrochemical, and computational analyses.

Infrared emission properties of VO2 films fabricated with different oxygen flow ratios

Infrared (IR) camouflage materials are widely used to realize thermal camouflage by adjusting the IR emissivity (ε) of the target object. However, ε modulation without an external energy supply is still a great challenge. Self-regulating VO2 films with different IR emission properties are investigated by adjusting the oxygen flow ratio (O2%) and film thickness. The ε of VO2 films changes before and after the phase transition, and the Δε (the difference of ε before and after the phase transition) of films is different under different O2%, and the maximum Δε can reach 0.49. In addition, the difference temperature (ΔTIR) between the actual temperature (TA: the surface temperature of a standard silicon wafer measured by IR camera, which represents the actual temperature of VO2 samples.) and the IR trapping temperature (TIR: the temperature of VO2 samples measured by IR camera.) is greater than 35 °C after the phase transition. With the range of 1.6 %–2.2 % O2, the IR emission transition temperature (Tε-MIT) and hysteretic width (ΔTε-MIT) increase with increasing O2%. The thickness of the VO2 film affects the IR emission characteristics. The VO2 film is suitable for thermal camouflage materials and for IR anticounterfeiting.

Lattice battery solar cells: Exceeding Shockley–Queisser limit

AbstractA revolutionary concept of lattice battery solar cell (LBSC) is proposed to leap the conversion efficiency by inherently eliminating two major energy losses of conventional solar cells, namely hot carriers and non‐absorption of the substantial near infrared (NIR) emission. In an LBSC, hot phonon emission will be saved into lattice energy reservoir (LER) through electron–lattice coupling; NIR solar emission is harvested by an NIR‐perovskite composition. The NIR‐generated carriers are upconverted to the conduction band of perovskites driven by LER. The theoretical efficiency of LBSCs is estimated to be over 70%, significantly exceeding the Shockley–Queisser limit. In addition, LBSCs have lower operational temperature, resulting in much improved stability due to the elimination of heating sources from hot carriers. Different from the existing multijunction solar cells, LBSCs will keep the single layer structure with low‐cost fabrication. Therefore, LBSCs could perfectly satisfy the golden triangle of solar cell performance, which prospects great competitive advantage for further commercialization.

Infra-Red Emission for Heat Radiation from Micro-Cone Textured Metallic Sheet Device with Semi-Regular Alignment

Abstract A micro-cone textured copper sheet was fabricated as an emitter of electromagnetic waves in the near-infrared (IR) to the far-IR wave lengths. This micro-cone texture was aligned in semi-regular by varying the micro-cone size parameters. The micro-cone height (H) was varied from 0.5 µm to 4 µm in average. SEM analysis was utilized to characterize the microstructure of micro-cone textures and to measure the population of micro-cone height (H), its root diameter (B) and pitch (D) with aid of the picture processing and computational geometry. This height population P (H) was compared to the IR emission spectrum, which was measured by the FT-IR (Fourier Transformation IR). Even varying the average height of micro-cone textures, the IR-emission wavelength (λ) abided by the resonance condition by λ ~ 2 x H within the standard deviation of heights and wavelengths. Through the heat radiation experiment in vacuum, the emitted heat flux was estimated to be 58 W/m2 by the one-dimensional heat balance between the heating rate of objective body and the radiated heat flux.

Role of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons with Edge Defects in Explaining Astronomical Infrared Emission Observations

A systematic study was performed on the spectral properties of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with edge defects using harmonic density functional theory calculations. Their potential astronomical relevance was assessed through direct comparison with NIRSpec and MIRI-MRS spectra of the atomic photodissociation region of the Orion Bar from the JWST Early Release Science PDRs4All program. It is found that the astronomical 6.2 μm PAH emission band, including its blue side, is well reproduced by PAHs with edge defects, when taking into account the effects of polarization in the computations, and without a need for PAHs that contain nitrogen. Small neutral PAHs with edge defects explain the blue wing of the 3.3 μm band. A low number of edge defects is required to reproduce the 8.6 and 11.2 μm band profiles, while the 11.0 + 11.2/12.7 μm band intensity ratio is a measure for the number of edge defects. A blind database fit to the Orion Bar spectrum reproduces the 6–15 μm region with an error of 9.9% and shows a clear delineation of charge, with the 6–10 μm PAH bands being carried by PAH cations and the 10–15 μm region by predominantly neutral PAHs. The contribution of anions is negligible. Armchair PAHs fit the 12.7 μm band, simultaneously producing a very weak broad emission feature centered at 3.225 μm. Zigzag PAHs fit the 11.2 μm band. It is concluded that PAHs with a low number of edge defects, in addition to armchair and zigzag PAHs, all contribute to the observed interstellar infrared emission.

Modeling Dust Production, Growth, and Destruction in Reionization-era Galaxies with the CROC Simulations. II. Predicting the Dust Content of High-redshift Galaxies

We model the interstellar dust content of the reionization era with a suite of cosmological, fluid-dynamical simulations of galaxies with stellar masses ranging from ∼105 to 109 M ⊙ in the first 1.2 Gyr of the Universe. We use a post-processing method that accounts for dust creation and destruction processes, allowing us to systematically vary the parameters of these processes to test whether dust-dependent observable quantities of galaxies at these epochs could be useful for placing constraints on dust physics. We then forward model observable properties of these galaxies to compare to existing data. We find that we are unable to simultaneously match existing observational constraints with any one set of model parameters. Specifically, the models that predict the largest dust masses D/Z ≳ 0.1 at z = 5—because of high assumed production yields and/or efficient growth via accretion in the interstellar medium—are preferred by constraints on total dust mass and infrared (IR) luminosities, but these models produce far too much attenuation in the ultraviolet (UV), preventing them from matching observations of β UV. To investigate this discrepancy, we analyze the relative spatial distribution of stars and dust as probed by IR and UV emission, which appear to exhibit overly symmetric morphologies compared to existing data, likely due to the limitations of the stellar feedback model used in the simulations. Our results indicate that the observable properties of the dust distribution in high redshift galaxies are a particularly strong test of stellar feedback.

Experimental study on activating bismuth active centers in bismuth/erbium co-doped optical fiber by ionizing radiations

Post-treatments by ionizing radiations have been proposed previously for regulating the properties of bismuth/erbium co-doped optical fiber (BEDF). In this work, the effects of common ionizing radiations (i.e. gamma ray, electron beam and mixed γ/neutron) on Bismuth Active Centers (BACs) in BEDF have systematically been investigated. Our experimental results show obvious BAC activation by ionizing radiation – evident from the increase in saturable absorption at 830 nm that is closely associated with the BAC responsible for the desirable near infrared (NIR) emissions. This radiation induced BAC activation has been confirmed from the emission of BAC associate with silica (BAC-Si). The saturation pump power of the BAC-Si emission in all irradiated samples is found higher than that in pristine (or non-irradiated) samples. In addition, the effect on emission by different radiation is found in the order of gamma ray > mixed gamma/neutron > electron beam. On the other side, we have also observed significant radiation induced unsaturable loss that can affect the pumping efficiency and Figure of Merit (FOM).

Experimental Study on Energy-Free Superhydrophobic Radiative Cooling Versatile Film with Enhanced Environmental Tolerance.

Clean, energy-free methods of cooling are an effective way to respond to the global energy crisis. To date, cooling materials using passive daytime radiative cooling (RC) technology have been applied in the fields of energy-efficient buildings, solar photovoltaic cooling, and insulating textiles. However, RC materials frequently suffer from comprehensive damage to their microstructure, resulting in the loss of their initial cooling effect in complex outdoor environments. Here, a superhydrophobic daytime passive RC porous film with environmental tolerance (SRCP film) was fabricated, which integrated strong solar reflectivity (approximately 90%), mid-infrared emissivity (approximately 0.97), and superhydrophobicity (water contact angle (WCA) of 160° and sliding angle of 3°). This study revealed that SRCP film had an average reflectivity of 14.3% higher than SiO2 particles in the 0.3-2.5 μm wavelength region, achieving a cooling effect of 13.2 °C in ambient conditions with a solar irradiance of 946 W·m-2 and a relative humidity of 74% due to the synergistic effect of effective solar reflection and thermal infrared emission. In addition, empirical results showed that the attained films possessed outstanding environmental tolerance, maintaining high WCA (156°), stable cooling effect (8.3 °C), and low SiO2 loss (less than 5.1%) after 30 consecutive days of UV irradiation and 14 days of corrosion with acidic and alkaline solutions. More importantly, this work could be flexibly prepared by various methods without the use of any fluorine-containing reagents, which greatly widens the practical application scope.

PDRs4All

Context. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured the most detailed and sharpest infrared (IR) images ever taken of the inner region of the Orion Nebula, the nearest massive star formation region, and a prototypical highly irradiated dense photo-dissociation region (PDR). Aims. We investigate the fundamental interaction of far-ultraviolet (FUV) photons with molecular clouds. The transitions across the ionization front (IF), dissociation front (DF), and the molecular cloud are studied at high-angular resolution. These transitions are relevant to understanding the effects of radiative feedback from massive stars and the dominant physical and chemical processes that lead to the IR emission that JWST will detect in many Galactic and extragalactic environments. Methods. We utilized NIRCam and MIRI to obtain sub-arcsecond images over ~150″ and 42″ in key gas phase lines (e.g., Pa α, Br α, [FeII] 1.64 µm, H2 1−0 S(1) 2.12 µm, 0–0 S(9) 4.69 µm), aromatic and aliphatic infrared bands (aromatic infrared bands at 3.3–3.4 µm, 7.7, and 11.3 µm), dust emission, and scattered light. Their emission are powerful tracers of the IF and DF, FUV radiation field and density distribution. Using NIRSpec observations the fractional contributions of lines, AIBs, and continuum emission to our NIRCam images were estimated. A very good agreement is found for the distribution and intensity of lines and AIBs between the NIRCam and NIRSpec observations. Results. Due to the proximity of the Orion Nebula and the unprecedented angular resolution of JWST, these data reveal that the molecular cloud borders are hyper structured at small angular scales of ~0.1–1″ (~0.0002–0.002 pc or ~40–400 au at 414 pc). A diverse set of features are observed such as ridges, waves, globules and photoevaporated protoplanetary disks. At the PDR atomic to molecular transition, several bright features are detected that are associated with the highly irradiated surroundings of the dense molecular condensations and embedded young star. Toward the Orion Bar PDR, a highly sculpted interface is detected with sharp edges and density increases near the IF and DF. This was predicted by previous modeling studies, but the fronts were unresolved in most tracers. The spatial distribution of the AIBs reveals that the PDR edge is steep and is followed by an extensive warm atomic layer up to the DF with multiple ridges. A complex, structured, and folded H0/H2 DF surface was traced by the H2 lines. This dataset was used to revisit the commonly adopted 2D PDR structure of the Orion Bar as our observations show that a 3D “terraced” geometry is required to explain the JWST observations. JWST provides us with a complete view of the PDR, all the way from the PDR edge to the substructured dense region, and this allowed us to determine, in detail, where the emission of the atomic and molecular lines, aromatic bands, and dust originate. Conclusions. This study offers an unprecedented dataset to benchmark and transform PDR physico-chemical and dynamical models for the JWST era. A fundamental step forward in our understanding of the interaction of FUV photons with molecular clouds and the role of FUV irradiation along the star formation sequence is provided.

Chemical abundances and deviations from the solar S/O ratio in the gas-phase interstellar medium of galaxies based on infrared emission lines

Context. The infrared (IR) range is extremely useful in the context of chemical abundance studies of the gas-phase interstellar medium (ISM) due to the large variety of ionic species traced in this regime, the negligible effects from dust attenuation or temperature stratification, and the amount of data that has been and will be released in the coming years. Aims. Taking advantage of available IR emission lines, we analysed the chemical content of the gas-phase ISM in a sample of 131 star-forming galaxies (SFGs) and 73 active galactic nuclei (AGNs). In particular, we derived the chemical content via their total oxygen abundance in combination with nitrogen and sulphur abundances, and with the ionisation parameter. Methods. We used a new version of the code HII-CHI-MISTRY-IR v3.1, which allowed us to estimate log(N/O), 12+log(O/H), log(U) and, for the first time, 12+log(S/H) from IR emission lines, which can be applied to both SFGs and AGNs. We tested whether the estimates from this new version, which only considers sulphur lines for the derivation of sulphur abundances, are compatible with previous studies. Results. While most of the SFGs and AGNs show solar log(N/O) abundances, we find a large spread in the log(S/O) relative abundances. Specifically, we find extremely low log(S/O) values (1/10 solar) in some SFGs and AGNs with solar-like oxygen abundances. This result warns against the use of optical and IR sulphur emission lines to estimate oxygen abundances when no prior estimation of log(S/O) is provided.

Pyrrole-substituted difluoroboron β-diketonate dyes: Facile synthesis and multi-state optical properties

Difluoroboron β-diketonate complexes (BF2bdks) are classic fluorescent molecules that have been applied in luminescent materials, oxygen and mechanical sensors, and most investigations concentrate on BF2bdks with varying aromatic groups without heteroatoms. In this work, a new molecular platform BF2bdks with heterocycle-substituted is prepared in one pot, and six unsymmetric π-expanded BF2bdks are synthesized via condensation reaction. B-1∼6 exhibit comparable fluorescence properties in solution, aggregated and solid states. B-3 (683 nm, Φf = 13.1 %) and B-5 (700 nm, Φf = 2.1 %) show near infra-red (NIR) emission with moderate fluorescence intensity in solution state. Solid emission of B, B-1-3 and B-5 are detected with fluorescence quantum yield from 12.8 % to 25.6 %, and B-2, B-3 and B-5 show AIE phenomenon in aggregated state. The results are supported by crystal analysis and DFT calculation in some extent. In a word, this work enriches the heterocycle-substituted BF2bdks system. B-3 and B-5 with moderate intensity NIR emission in solution, aggregated and solid states at the same time, providing a simple preparation method for multi-states luminescent dyes.

Medium- and High-Entropy Rare Earth Hexaborides with Enhanced Solar Energy Absorption and Infrared Emissivity.

The development of a new generation of solid particle solar receivers (SPSRs) with high solar absorptivity (0.28-2.5 μm) and high infrared emissivity (1-22 μm) is crucial and has attracted much attention for the attainment of the goals of "peak carbon" and "carbon neutrality". To achieve the modulation of infrared emission and solar absorptivity, two types of medium- and high-entropy rare-earth hexaboride (ME/HEREB6) ceramics, (La0.25Sm0.25Ce0.25Eu0.25)B6 (MEREB6) and (La0.2Sm0.2Ce0.2Eu0.2Ba0.2)B6 (HEREB6), with severe lattice distortions were synthesized using a high-temperature solid-phase method. Compared to single-phase lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6), HEREB6 ceramics show an increase in solar absorptivity from 54.06% to 87.75% in the range of 0.28-2.5 μm and an increase in infrared emissivity from 76.19% to 89.96% in the 1-22 μm wavelength range. On the one hand, decreasing the free electron concentration and the plasma frequency reduces the reflection and ultimately increases the solar absorptivity. On the other hand, the lattice distortion induces changes in the B-B bond length, leading to significant changes in the Raman scattering spectrum, which affects the damping constant and ultimately increases the infrared emissivity. In conclusion, the multicomponent design can effectively improve the solar energy absorption and heat transfer capacity of ME/HEREB6, thus providing a new avenue for the development of solid particles.

Nilgiri tree peels-derived activated porous carbon for high performance supercapacitor applications

In this study, the activated porous carbon (APC-x) was collected from Nilgiri tree peels, making it a sustainable and cost-effective green synthesis approach. The raw material undergoes carbonization and activating it using KOH as chemical activation agent. The chemical composition, crystallinity and morphology of the surface of ACP-x was examined by Fourier Transform infra-red (FTIR), X-ray diffraction and Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The cyclic voltammetry technique was used to measure the electrochemical performance of APC-x using PVA/KOH gel electrolyte in two-electrode system. The highest specific capacitance value 140 F/g was obtained for APC-0 at scan rate of 10 mV/s. The use of Nilgiri tree peels as precursor for activated porous carbon production presents a sustainable approach for developing high-performance supercapacitor materials.

Fungal Photosensitizers – A new Scaffold of Tailor-made Photoantimicrobials?

SignificanceNew antimicrobials are needed to meet the challenges posed by increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance. While fungi are recognized as valuable source for antibiotics, their potential to produce photoantimicrobials has not been fully explored. ApproachFungal photosensitizers were isolated from the colorful fruiting bodies of dermocyboid Cortinarius species. Their photoantimicrobial potential was evaluated using a high-throughput assay based on a modified EUCAST protocol. Photocytotoxicity studies and near infrared emission spectra were conducted to characterize the photochemical properties of our compounds. ResultsPotent, novel photoantimicrobials against bacteria and yeasts were identified with activities in the low micromolar/nanomolar range. In addition, action solely against microbes was demonstrated for selected fungal photosensitizers. ConclusionsFungi are an underexplored source of promising photoantimicrobials with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity.