Synthesis,Crystal Structure,and Enhanced Luminescence of Garnet‐Type Ca3Ga2Ge3O12:Cr3+ by Codoping Bi3+

Garnet‐type compound Ca₃Ga₂Ge₃O₁₂ and Cr³⁺‐doped or Cr³⁺/Bi³⁺ codped Ca₃Ga₂Ge₃O₁₂ phosphors were prepared by a solid‐state reaction. The crystal structure of Ca₃Ga₂Ge₃O₁₂ host was studied by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and further determined by the Rietveld refinement. Near‐infrared (NIR) photoluminescence (PL) and long‐lasting phosphorescence (LLP) emission can be observed from the Cr³⁺‐doped Ca₃Ga₂Ge₃O₁₂ sample, and the enhanced NIR PL emission intensity and LLP decay time can be realized in Cr³⁺/Bi³⁺ codped samples. The optimum concentration of Cr³⁺ in Ca₃Ga₂Ge₃O₁₂ phosphor was about 6 mol%, and optimum Bi³⁺ concentration induced the energy‐transfer (ET) process between Bi³⁺ and Cr³⁺ ions was about 30 mol%. Under different excitation wavelength from 280 to 453 nm, all the samples exhibit a broadband emission peaking at 739 nm and the intensity of NIR emission increases owing to the ET behavior from Bi³⁺ to Cr³⁺ ions. The critical ET distance has been calculated by the concentration‐quenching method. The thermally stable luminescence properties were also studied and the introduction of Bi³⁺ can also improve the thermal stability of the NIR emission.