Achieving Ultraviolet C and Ultraviolet B Dual‐Band Persistent Luminescence by Manipulating the Garnet Structure

Abstract Persistent luminescence (PersL) at the high‐energy spectral end (ultraviolet, UV) is generally hard to achieve, although a long‐lasting UV PersL can play an irreplaceable role in outdoor imaging and other UV‐triggered applications. No PersL with dual ultraviolet C (UVC) and ultraviolet B (UVB) bands from a single material has previously been attained until the authors have designed Pr³⁺‐doped (Ca_1.5Y_1.5)(Al_3.5Si_1.5)O₁₂ (CYAS‐Pr) through cosubstituting Ca²⁺–Si⁴⁺ into Y₃Al₅O₁₂ garnet structure in this study. The CYAS‐Pr exhibits lattice shrinkage and distortion caused by the Ca²⁺–Si⁴⁺ cosubstitution, which boosts the creation of trapping centers essential to the unprecedented UVC and UVB dual‐band PersL with maxima at 266 and 311 nm upon being charged by UV irradiation at 254 nm. Both UVC and UVB PersL decay over 12 h with the existence of two different Pr³⁺ environments at Ca²⁺ and Y³⁺ sites, respectively. Moreover, the CYAS‐Pr shows efficient dual information storage and precise long‐distance self‐sustained “solar‐blind” imaging capabilities in a wide field of view. It is expected that this dual UVC and UVB PersL in the CYAS‐Pr will trigger further exploration toward persistent sterilization and persistent photocatalysis along with other applications.