Unlocking long-lasting green luminescence in manganese-doped magnesium gallate

Persistent luminescence (PersL) materials have stimulated substantial interest for a variety of technological applications, such as sustainable night-vision surveillance, optical data storage, in vivo bioimaging, and time-temperature indicators. However, the conventional synthesis procedures are time-consuming and energy inefficient, requiring high production cost and resulting in severe safety risks. Besides, the preparation methods utilized also play an important role in determining the features of structure, morphology, and luminescence, giving rise to additional functionalities, such as PersL. Herein, the green long-lasting luminescence of MgGa2O4: Mn2+ is unlocked via a facile thirty-minute microwave-assisted solid state (MASS) method. This facile MASS technique allows for the preparation of more multi-aperture cluster-like samples with smaller particle sizes. Such unlocked PersL feature is further confirmed from the presence of broad trap distributions within host matrix originating from the increased oxygen vacancies during MASS preparation processes. The phosphors are promising for night vision and information storage applications. This work provides an example of the design of phosphors via a facile preparation method to facilitate additionally optical functionality, unlocking their PersL property in non-PersL materials.