First Evidence of Electron Trapped Ln²⁺ Promoting Afterglow on Eu²⁺, Ln³⁺ Activated Persistent Phosphor‐Example of BaZrSi₃O₉:Eu²⁺, Sm³⁺

Abstract BaZrSi₃O₉:Eu²⁺, Sm³⁺ (Em:525 nm) is prepared. The role played by the trivalent co‐doping ion Sm³⁺ in the afterglow and the type of trap are clarified. BaZrSi₃O₉:Eu²⁺, Sm³⁺ is found to produce Sm²⁺ during the excitation by X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (XANES), etc., and it is thus proved that Sm³⁺ exists as an electron trap in the afterglow process. In the field of persistent phosphors activated by Eu²⁺ and Re³⁺ such as Sm³⁺ or Dy³⁺ having been widely utilized as emergency guide lights, clock faces, etc. for > 25 years, for the first time it is successfully observed that after excitation Re²⁺ is formed, transferring its electron to 5d band of Eu²⁺, returning to Re³⁺ by itself, where the decrease in Sm²⁺ coincides with the increase in Sm³⁺, and the two decay time τ₁ and τ₂ of PL (⁵D₀→⁷F₀) of Sm²⁺ coincides with the two evolution time of PL (5d→4f) of Eu²⁺. The behavior of electron transfer from Sm²⁺ to Eu²⁺ as a key of afterglow is detected. The detailed afterglow mechanism is proposed by analysis of thermoluminescence and defect reaction, which is very important for the in‐depth investigation of the long afterglow material and the further improvement of the mechanism.