Properties and Synthesis of Luminescent Materials

A special issue of Crystals (ISSN 2073-4352). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials for Energy Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 August 2026 | Viewed by 768

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Center of Excellence for Photoconversion, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, P.O. Box 522, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: applied physics; optics; luminescence; materials science; synthesis; inorganic materials

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center of Excellence for Photoconversion, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, P.O. Box 522, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: structural; morphological; optical properties of luminescent materials; synthesis; themometry; luminescence

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Luminescent materials—commonly referred to as phosphors—have played a central role in luminescence research, offering exceptional utility across a broad spectrum of established and emerging technologies. These materials efficiently convert electromagnetic radiation into visible light, making them indispensable in applications ranging from solid-state lighting to biomedical imaging. With modern advances in materials engineering, synthesis techniques, and structural control, researchers now have unprecedented opportunities to tailor the performance of phosphors for specific applications. Understanding how synthesis routes and structural features govern luminescence behavior is key to unlocking the full potential of luminescent materials.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue of Crystals, entitled “Properties and Synthesis of Luminescent Materials”.

This Special Issue aims to encourage scientists to showcase the latest developments in phosphor materials, emphasizing novel designs, innovative synthesis strategies, and advanced characterization methods. Contributions that elucidate the structure–property relationships and explore new application domains are particularly welcome.

In this Special Issue topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Design, optimization, and synthesis of novel luminescent materials (e.g., single crystals, powders, ceramics, nanostructures);
  • Rare-earth and transition-metal-doped luminescent structures;
  • Carbon-based luminescent materials and quantum dots;
  • Structure–property relationships in luminescent materials;
  • Photoluminescence mechanisms and quantum efficiency;
  • Nanophosphors for bioimaging and diagnostics;
  • Phosphors for LEDs and solid-state lighting;
  • Luminescent materials for photocatalysis;
  • Defect engineering and thermoluminescence studies;
  • Advances in fundamental research and applications of phosphors.

We invite both original research articles and comprehensive reviews that align with the scope of Crystals. Selected contributions will help provide a thorough overview of current challenges, recent breakthroughs, and future perspectives in this dynamic field.

We look forward to your valuable submissions and to your participation in advancing the science of luminescent materials.

Dr. Ljubica Đačanin Far
Dr. Tamara V. Gavrilović
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Crystals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • luminescent materials
  • lanthanide doping
  • transition metal doping
  • synthesis
  • structure–property correlations
  • optical properties
  • luminescence thermometry
  • fluorescence sensors
  • photocatalysis
  • defects

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 2535 KB  
Article
Lanthanide-Induced Local Structural and Optical Modulation in Low-Temperature Ag2Se
by Sathish Panneer Selvam and Sungbo Cho
Crystals 2026, 16(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst16010004 - 22 Dec 2025
Viewed by 367
Abstract
Low-temperature Ag2Se is a narrow-band semiconductor, with its transport and optical properties significantly influenced by the local coordination environment. This study investigates the effects of La and Gd incorporation using DFT+U calculations and Ag-K edge EXAFS analysis. Analysis of electron localization [...] Read more.
Low-temperature Ag2Se is a narrow-band semiconductor, with its transport and optical properties significantly influenced by the local coordination environment. This study investigates the effects of La and Gd incorporation using DFT+U calculations and Ag-K edge EXAFS analysis. Analysis of electron localization function (ELF) and charge density differences reveals increased electron localization at dopant sites. Additionally, k3χ(k) and wavelet transforms demonstrate that the first M-Se shell shifts from approximately 1.346 Å in Ag-Se to around 1.386 Å and 1.291 Å for La-Se and Gd-Se, respectively (phase-uncorrected), thereby confirming dopant-specific lattice distortions while maintaining the orthorhombic framework. The observed changes are associated with an increase in dielectric strength, with ε2 increasing from approximately 30–40 in pristine Ag2Se to around 50–60 for La and 70–80 for Gd at low photon energies, alongside enhanced absorption nearing 1.32–1.34 × 105 cm−1. The characteristic plasmon resonance in the range of 15–20 eV is maintained. Rare-earth substitution effectively adjusts local bonding and low-energy optical response in Ag2Se, with Gd demonstrating the most significant impact among the examined dopants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Properties and Synthesis of Luminescent Materials)
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