Solar-powered phosphors (SPPs) and their derived sensors not only contribute to carbon neutrality, but also break free from electrical dependence, rendering them well-suited for deployment in electricity-scarce environments. In particular, Mn 5+ -based SPPs feature emission peaks that fall within the gaps of the solar spectrum, which minimizes background noise and thus contributes to an excellent signal-to-noise ratio. Among various SPPs, Ca 14 Zn 6 Ga 10 O 35 :Mn (CZGO:Mn) exhibits the strongest near-infrared (NIR) luminescence under sunlight excitation. This superior performance stems from the energy transfer from Mn 4+ to Mn 5+ that significantly improves utilization efficiency of solar energy. Furthermore, the wavelength range of NIR light derived from solar energy conversion has been effectively extended via energy transfer from Mn to Er. When CZGO:Mn and CZGO:Mn/Er are utilized as solar-powered luminescent thermometers (SPLTs), their maximum relative sensitivities are 1.18% K –1 (at 500 K) and 1.06% K –1 (at 485 K), respectively. These findings provide valuable references for improving solar energy utilization efficiency, designing SPPs with high luminescence intensity, and exploring their emerging applications. • Ca 14 Zn 6 Ga 10 O 35 :Mn phosphor can convert sunlight into near-infrared light, thereby opening up new sources of NIR light. • Ca 14 Zn 6 Ga 10 O 35 :Mn exhibits the highest luminescent intensity under sunlight excitation among various Mn-based solar-powered phosphor. • A first-of-its-kind solar-powered luminescent thermometer is developed based on Ca 14 Zn 6 Ga 10 O 35 :Mn. • Ca 14 Zn 6 Ga 10 O 35 :Mn solar-powered phosphors and their derived sensors break free from electrical dependence, and are particularly suitable for deployment in electricity-scarce environments.
Liu et al. (Sun,) studied this question.