NTU Reviews Breakthrough NIR Materials

A research team led by Distinguished Professor Ru-Shi Liu at National Taiwan University (NTU) has published a comprehensive review on near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent materials in the top journal Progress in Materials Science. The study highlights the development of NIR phosphors spanning NIR-I (650–950 nm) to NIR-III (1500–1850 nm), emphasizing structural innovations and energy transfer mechanisms that drive next-generation optical and biomedical applications.

The review underscores the challenges of conventional NIR light sources, such as limited spectral range and bulky design, and demonstrates how NIR phosphor-converted LEDs (pc-LEDs) can achieve wide spectral coverage, high efficiency, and stability. Using a “cube-element model,” the team explains the interplay between host lattices and activators, including transition metals and rare-earth ions, enabling tunable emission, high quantum efficiency, and broad-spectrum NIR luminescence suitable for biomedical imaging, spectroscopy, and portable devices.

Looking forward, the NTU team envisions integrating artificial intelligence and sustainable material design to achieve cross-scale and intelligent NIR phosphor development. Their review provides a panoramic perspective on material theory, photophysical mechanisms, and application potential, laying the foundation for next-generation NIR light sources and advanced optoelectronics.