Phosphor for the Near-IR and Short-Wave IR Ranges Based on a Garnet Structured Cubic Modification of Lithium–Lanthanum Niobate

Abstract

Cubic garnets activated by neodymium and holmium, Li₆CaLa₂Nb₂O₁₂:Nd³⁺,Ho³⁺, were obtained by solid-state method. The main regularities of changes in the luminescence properties of Li₆C-aLa₂Nb₂O₁₂:Nd³⁺,Ho³⁺ solid solutions in the visible, near-IR, and short-wave IR ranges under 808 nm laser diode radiation are determined. The energy transfer mechanism between active centers, involving the participation of Nd³⁺ ions as sensitizers for the luminescence of Ho³⁺ ions, is proposed. Low phonon energy, high luminescence intensity in the range of 2.0–3.0 μm, and weak up-conversion luminescence in the region of 450–780 nm make it possible to consider the cubic lithium–lanthanum niobates Li₆CaLa₂Nb₂O₁₂:Nd³⁺,Ho³⁺ as promising phosphors of the short-wave IR range.