An ultra broadband NIR phosphor LiScSnO4:Cr3+ with emission wavelength peaking at 900 nm for component analysis

Near-infrared phosphor conversion light-emitting diode (NIR pc-LED) is a widely used ideal NIR light source due to its unique advantages of low cost, energy saving, compactness and long operational lifetime. However, there is currently a scarcity of appropriate phosphor for NIR light sources utilized in spectral detection, with emission peak larger than 850 nm and steady spectrum output of ultra broadband spectra. Here, a broadband Cr 3+ activated LiScSnO 4 (LSS) phosphor ( λ ex-max  = 460 nm) matching the pump band of commercial blue LED chips has been developed, which shows a long wavelength NIR emission peaking at 900 nm. Cr 3+ simultaneously replace the Wyckoff site co-occupied by Sc and Sn in LSS. Due to the difference of local environment of the specific crystal field , two different wide emission bands are caused. These two broad emission bands both contribute to the broadband luminescence with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 227 nm. Benefiting from the crystallography consistent Wyckoff position occupation of Cr 3+ ions, the spectral distribution of LSS:Cr 3+ exhibit excellent stability over a wide temperature span (80–423 K). The broadband NIR pc-LED prototype based on LSS:Cr 3+ shows great potential in NIR spectrum detection, night vision imaging applications.