Efficient near-infrared phosphors discovered by parametrizing the Eu(II) 5d-to-4f energy gap

Shuxing Li, Mahdi Amachraa, Chi Chen, Le Wang, Zhenbin Wang*, Shyue Ping Ong*, Rong-Jun Xie*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

78 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Inorganic materials with rare-earth activators (e.g., Ce, Eu) exhibit broad 5d-to-4f emission spectra characterized by a strong host material dependency. Despite extensive research, the development of an efficient and near-infrared (NIR) 5d-to-4f emission remains elusive. Herein, we introduce key descriptors of the Eu(II)-host interactions and predict the in-crystal 5d-to-4f energy gap with a root-mean-square error of ca. 0.03 eV (7.0 nm). By incorporating this luminescence predictor into a high-throughput screening of 223 nitride materials in the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database, we identify and experimentally validate (Sr,Ba)3Li4Si2N6:Eu(II) with NIR emissions of λem = 800 ∼ 830 nm and high quantum efficiencies (QEs) of 30% ∼ 40%, leading to an NIR light power ∼3× superior to prevailing NIR emitters. The ultralong λem and high QE stem from a coordinated energy transfer and an optimized electronic delocalization around Eu(II). This work provides a cost-efficient computational approach for discovering phosphors with desired emissions. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1924-1936
JournalMatter
Volume5
Issue number6
Online published4 May 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2022
Externally publishedYes

Research Keywords

  • efficient NIR Eu(II) phosphor
  • energy transfer
  • feature engineering
  • high-throughput screening
  • MAP2: Benchmark
  • structure-property mapping

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Efficient near-infrared phosphors discovered by parametrizing the Eu(II) 5d-to-4f energy gap'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this