Dynamic multicolor emissions of multimodal phosphors by Mn2+ trace doping in self-activated CaGa4O7

• Published in: Nature communications 2024-04, Vol.15 (1), p.3209-15, Article 3209
• Main Authors: Tang, Yiqian, Cai, Yiyu, Dou, Kunpeng, Chang, Jianqing, Li, Wei, Wang, Shanshan, Sun, Mingzi, Huang, Bolong, Liu, Xiaofeng, Qiu, Jianrong, Zhou, Lei, Wu, Mingmei, Zhang, Jun-Cheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/301/1005/1009; 639/624/1075/1083; Controllability; Counterfeiting; Data encryption; Defects; Displays; Electron transfer; Emissions; Humanities and Social Sciences; Interstitial defects; Luminescence; Manganese ions; Mechanoluminescence; multidisciplinary; Phosphors; Photoexcitation; Photoluminescence; Photons; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47431-0

The manipulation of excitation modes and resultant emission colors in luminescent materials holds pivotal importance for encrypting information in anti-counterfeiting applications. Despite considerable achievements in multimodal and multicolor luminescent materials, existing options generally suffer from static monocolor emission under fixed external stimulation, rendering them vulnerability to replication. Achieving dynamic multimodal luminescence within a single material presents a promising yet challenging solution. Here, we report the development of a phosphor exhibiting dynamic multicolor photoluminescence (PL) and photo-thermo-mechanically responsive multimodal emissions through the incorporation of trace Mn 2+ ions into a self-activated CaGa 4 O 7 host. The resulting phosphor offers adjustable emission-color changing rates, controllable via re-excitation intervals and photoexcitation powers. Additionally, it demonstrates temperature-induced color reversal and anti-thermal-quenched emission, alongside reproducible elastic mechanoluminescence (ML) characterized by high mechanical durability. Theoretical calculations elucidate electron transfer pathways dominated by intrinsic interstitial defects and vacancies for dynamic multicolor emission. Mn 2+ dopants serve a dual role in stabilizing nearby defects and introducing additional defect levels, enabling flexible multi-responsive luminescence. This developed phosphor facilitates evolutionary color/pattern displays in both temporal and spatial dimensions using readily available tools, offering significant promise for dynamic anticounterfeiting displays and multimode sensing applications. Achieving dynamic multimodal luminescence in a single material is promising but challenging. Here, the authors engineer a phosphor with dynamic multicolor luminescence and photo-thermomechanically responsive emissions by adding Mn 2+ to a self-activated CaGa 4 O 7 host.