Mn2+/Pr3+/Tb3+ single-doped Mg4Ga4Ge3O16 persistent luminescence materials for optical information storage application

Persistent luminescence (PersL) phosphors are considered as promising candidates for the next generation of information storage medium. Mg4Ga4Ge3O16 (MGG) is an electron trapping material which exhibits defect luminescence, and the luminescent properties are easily tuned via doping various activated ions. In this work, undoped and Mn2+/Pr3+/Tb3+ single-doped MGG phosphors were synthesized via high temperature solid phase reactions. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope results confirm that the activated ions tend to occupy Mg2+ sites. Excited at 265 nm, the MGG host exhibits a defect emission band peaked at 450 nm. Red, pink and green emissions are observed in the Mn2+/Pr3+/Tb3+ single-doped MGG samples, which are ascribed to the Mn2+: T-4(1)(G) & RARR; (6)A(1)(S), Pr3+: D-1(2) & RARR; H-3(4) and Tb3+: D-5(4) & RARR; F-7(5) transitions, respectively. All the samples exhibit bright PersL for minutes after the cessation of excitation. The energy transfer, concentration quenching, luminescence decay and afterglow mechanisms are also discussed in detail. The phosphors exhibit efficient thermal and optical stimuli response, showing great potentials in the optical information storage.

Automated summary

Persistent luminescence (PersL) phosphors, such as Mg4Ga4Ge3O16 (MGG), have been synthesized and tuned through doping activated ions to exhibit defect luminescence and various emission colors. The luminescent properties of undoped and single-doped MGG phosphors were investigated and characterized, with red, pink, and green emissions observed in Mn2+/Pr3+/Tb3+ single-doped MGG samples. The mechanism of energy transfer, concentration quenching, luminescence decay, and afterglow were discussed in detail. These PersL phosphors show efficient thermal and optical stimuli response, suggesting their great potential in optical data storage.