(INVITED) Recent progress on broadband near-infrared phosphors-converted light emitting diodes for future miniature spectrometers

Abstract The development of phosphor-converted technology-based broadband near-infrared light source for miniature spectrometers to perform spectroscopy applications has recently attracted remarkable attention among researchers in the academe and industry. The transition metal element Cr3+-activated luminescent materials act as the potential candidates to meet the demands for increased near-infrared light spectral distribution. In this mini-review, the most recently developed broadband near-infrared phosphors activated by Cr3+ are listed and classified according to their major chemical element constituents. In addition to the luminescence mechanism of Cr3+, the association between the number of crystallographic sites and spectral distribution of near-infrared light is mainly reviewed with the example of known near-infrared phosphors, which may be helpful in exploring future broadband near-infrared phosphors. Finally, the performance-evaluating parameters of phosphor-converted near-infrared light-emitting diode are discussed and compared with those of known broadband near-infrared phosphors for spectroscopy applications.