BaMg0.28Zr0.16Ta0.56O3: Dy3+an reversible inorganic photochromic material with large photochromic efficiency and high luminescence modulation

Inorganic photochromic (PC) materials are increasingly being considered potential candidates for security and optical storage applications. Although great progress has been made in inorganic photochromic materials, it is still challenging to reach both strong photochromic efficiency and large luminescence modulation in inorganic materials. In this work, an effective method is proposed to simultaneously achieve strong photochromic efficiency and large luminescence modulation in ferroelectric oxides BaMg0.28Zr0.16Ta0.56O3: Dy3+ (BZMT: Dy3+) via inducing a large number of oxygen vacancies. The obtained BZMT: Dy3+ ceramics exhibits a reversible white black color change (-59.5%) upon alternating illumination at 365 nm and 450 nm (or thermal stimulus 300 degrees C). Meanwhile, a large luminescence modulation (-87.6%) had been achieved in BZMT: Dy3+ due to the well overlap between the absorb peak of BZMT and the emission peaks of Dy3+. Benefiting from these excellent properties, the obtained BZMT: Dy3+ ceramics can be used as electronic devices, security, and information storage multifunctional materials. Moreover, this study provides an effective method for developing other inorganic photochromic materials.