Optical Information Transmission and Multimode Fluorescence Anticounterfeiting of Ca_2-xMg_xGe₇O₁₆:Mn²⁺

Multimode emission of Mn²⁺ for multimode fluorescence anticounterfeiting is achieved by cation site and interstitial occupancy in Ca_2-xMg_xGe₇O₁₆. The rings in Ca_2-xMg_xGe₇O₁₆ have a significant distortion for Mn²⁺ ions to enter the ring interstitials with a luminescence center at 665 nm, which is supported by XRD refinement results and first-principles calculations. The interstitial Mn²⁺ ion has good thermal stability with an activation energy of 0.36 eV. Surprisingly, these two luminescence centers, the cation site Mn and the interstitial Mn, have an obvious afterglow, and the disappearing afterglow will reappear by heating or irradiating with the 980 nm laser. The afterglow is significantly enhanced, as MnO₂ is used as the manganese source, which is explained in detail by the thermal luminescence spectrum. Finally, Ca_2-xMg_xGe₇O₁₆:Mn²⁺ fully demonstrates its excellent prospects in fluorescent anticounterfeiting, information encryption, and optical information storage.