NIR Mechanoluminescence from Cr3+ Activated Y3Al5O12 with Intense Zero Photon line

Mechanoluminescence (ML) materials with long-wavelength emission bands are essential for future in vivo bioimaging, non-destructive testing of solids, etc. The lack of a defined mechanism, however, prevents the application of near infrared ML materials above 650 nm in several new fields. Here, the addition of Ga3+ ions to Y3Al5O12: Cr3+ manipulates matrix microstructure evolution, boosting near-infrared (NIR) zero-phonon line (ZPL) stress optical output of the Cr3+ ion at 688 nm. The key factor changing the crystal field intensity D-q/B due to the addition of Ga3+ ions is what causes the luminescence amplification of ZPL. The ML fabricated by composite polydimethylsiloxane and Y3Al4GaO12: Cr3+ (YAGG: Cr3+) may penetrate chicken feet epidermal tissue and 4 mm pork tissue thanks to the strong NIR ZPL emission of YAGG: Cr3+ phosphor. This discovery of enhancing near-infrared ZPL intensity by solid solution provides us with a new technique for optimizing NIR ML materials, as well as a new prospect for NIR ML materials in biological applications.

Automated summary

Researchers manipulated the matrix microstructure evolution of Y3Al5O12: Cr3+ material by adding Ga3+ ions, resulting in enhanced near-infrared zero-phonon line optical output at 688 nm. This discovery of enhancing near-infrared intensity through solid solution provides a new technique for optimizing near-infrared mechanoluminescent materials and opens up new possibilities for biological applications.