Structural phase transitions and photoluminescence properties of oxonitridosilicate phosphors under high hydrostatic pressure

High pressure induced local ordering and tunable luminescence of La2Hf2O7:Eu3+ nanoparticles

This work highlights the high-pressure induced site swapping and improved ordering of Eu³⁺ in La₂Hf₂O₇:Eu³⁺ nanocrystals which leads to red-orange-yellow tunable emission at low-moderate-high pressure regime and enhanced correlated color temperature.

Experimental and DFT Study of the Photoluminescent Green Emission Band of Halogenated (-F, -Cl, and -Br) Imines

The morphological, optical, and structural changes in crystalline chiral imines derived from 2-naphthaldehyde as a result of changing the -F, -Cl, and -Br halogen (-X) atoms are reported. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical absorption, photoluminescence (PL), and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies were performed. Theoretical results of optical and structural properties were calculated using the PBE1PBE hybrid functional and compared with the experimental results. Differences in surface morphology, absorbance, XRD, and PL of crystals were due to the change of halogen atoms in the chiral moiety of the imine. Absorption spectra exhibited the typical bands of the naphthalene chromophore located in the ~200-350 nm range. Observed absorption bands in the UV region are associated with π→π* and n→π* electronic transitions. The band gap energy was calculated using the Tauc model. It showed a shift in the ~3.5-4.5 eV range and the crystals exhibited different electronic transitions associated with the results of absorbance in the UV region. XRD showed the monoclinic→orthorhombic crystalline phase transition. PL spectra displayed broad bands in the visible region and all the samples have an emission band (identified as a green emission band) in the ~400-750 nm range. This was associated with defects produced in the morphology, molecular packing, inductive effect and polarizability, crystalline phase transition, and increase in size of the corresponding halogen atoms; i.e., changes presumably induced by -C-X…X-, -C-X…N-, -C-N…π, and -C-X…π interactions in these crystalline materials were associated with morphological, optical, and structural changes.

Investigation of high contrast and reversible luminescence thermochromism of the quantum confined Cs4PbBr6 perovskite solid

Thermochromism of organic/inorganic halide perovskites has attracted particular interest due to their potential applications as photoluminescence (PL)-based temperature sensors. However, despite the outstanding PL characteristics, their use as a thermochromic material in practical temperature ranges has been limited because of their poor thermal stability. In this study, we used the quantum confinement effect and exceptional PL quantum efficiency of the Cs4PbBr6 perovskite to demonstrate their high on/off ratio (20) and reversible PL thermochromism in the solid state in practical temperature ranges including room temperature (RT). Systematic photophysical and optical characterization studies, including exciton-phonon scattering, exciton binding energy, exciton decay dynamics, and crystal structure change, were performed to investigate the origin of this unique thermochromic PL property. The results showed that the efficient and highly reversible thermochromic PL emission of the Cs4PbBr6 perovskite is due to its desirable optical properties such as highly luminescent emission, efficient PL quenching at high temperatures, and thermally reversible structural changes.

A Review of Mechanoluminescence in Inorganic Solids: Compounds, Mechanisms, Models and Applications

Mechanoluminescence (ML) is the non-thermal emission of light as a response to mechanical stimuli on a solid material. While this phenomenon has been observed for a long time when breaking certain materials, it is now being extensively explored, especially since the discovery of non-destructive ML upon elastic deformation. A great number of materials have already been identified as mechanoluminescent, but novel ones with colour tunability and improved sensitivity are still urgently needed. The physical origin of the phenomenon, which mainly involves the release of trapped carriers at defects with the help of stress, still remains unclear. This in turn hinders a deeper research, either theoretically or application oriented. In this review paper, we have tabulated the known ML compounds according to their structure prototypes based on the connectivity of anion polyhedra, highlighting structural features, such as framework distortion, layered structure, elastic anisotropy and microstructures, which are very relevant to the ML process. We then review the various proposed mechanisms and corresponding mathematical models. We comment on their contribution to a clearer understanding of the ML phenomenon and on the derived guidelines for improving properties of ML phosphors. Proven and potential applications of ML in various fields, such as stress field sensing, light sources, and sensing electric (magnetic) fields, are summarized. Finally, we point out the challenges and future directions in this active and emerging field of luminescence research.

Luminescence characteristics of rare-earth-doped barium hexafluorogermanate BaGeF6 nanowires: fast subnanosecond decay time and high sensitivity in H2O2 detection

Fluorides are promising host materials for optical applications. This paper reports the photoluminescent (PL) and cathodoluminescent (CL) characteristics of barium hexafluorogermanate BaGeF₆ nanowires codoped with Ce³⁺, Tb³⁺ and Sm³⁺ rare earth ions, produced by a solvothermal route. The synthesized BaGeF₆ nanowires exhibit uniform morphology and size distribution. X-ray diffraction divulges the one-dimensional growth of crystalline BaGeF₆ structure, with the absence of any impurity phases. Visible luminescence is recorded from the nanowires in green and red regions, when the nanowires are codoped with Ce³⁺/Tb³⁺, and Ce³⁺/Tb³⁺/Sm³⁺, respectively, under a UV excitation source. The PL emission from the codoped BaGeF₆ nanowires, when excited by a 254 nm source, originates from the efficient energy transfer bridges between Ce³⁺, Tb³⁺ and Sm³⁺ ions. The decay time of the visible luminescent emission from the nanowires is in the order of subnanoseconds, being one of the shortest decay time records from inorganic scintillators. The CL emission from the BaGeF₆ nanowires in the tunable visible range reveals their potential use for the detection of high-energy radiation. The PL emissions are sensitive to H₂O₂ at low concentrations, enabling their high-sensitivity detection of H₂O₂ using BaGeF₆ nanowires. A comparison with BaSiF₆ nanowires is made in terms of decay time and its sensitivity towards H₂O₂.

The decay time of BaGeF₆ nanowires codoped with rare earths is found in the order of subnanoseconds, being one of the shortest decay time records from inorganic scintillators. Their luminescence emissions are highly sensitive for H₂O₂ detection.