Bi3+-driven defect formation and related optical multimode in luminescent ferroelectrics Sm3+-doped LiNbO3

We investigated a novel inorganic photochromic material, Sm3+ 3 + and Bi3+-codoped 3 +-codoped LiNbO3, 3 , which was synthesized using a traditional high-temperature solid-state method. In our samples, Sm3+ 3 + acted as an orange-red luminescence center, whereas the codopant Bi3+ 3 + created traps within the host lattice. Doping with Bi3+ 3 + suppressed the orange-red emission of Sm3+ 3 + and significantly improved the UV-visible photoswitching photo- chromic (PC) behavior and the related photoluminescence modulation associated with defect formation by Bi3+. 3 + . Moreover, our samples exhibited good persistent luminescence in close relation to the PC behavior. Furthermore, our samples retained their ferroelectric properties even after doping with Sm3+/Bi3+. These 3 + /Bi 3 + . These excellent optical properties suggest that Sm3+ 3 + and Bi3+-codoped 3 +-codoped LiNbO3 3 can be promising inorganic photochromic materials for optical information storage.