Customized Cr3+-Doped Disordered Structures Enhance Optical Manometry

Balancing sensitivity and detection range in dynamic pressure monitoring materials remains challenging, with commercial ruby (Al₂O₃:Cr³⁺) sensors limited by strong crystal fields, restricting performance under extreme conditions. Here, an innovative strategy utilizing an ordered-to-disordered structural conversion in Cr³⁺ doped Ca(Mg,Sc)(Al,Si)O₆ phosphors is introduced. This approach achieves a remarkable blueshift sensitivity of 15.08 nm GPa⁻¹–2.8 times higher than ordered structures and 41 times higher than commercial sensors while maintaining a broad detection range up to 7.5 GPa. Moreover, enhanced structural rigidity notably improves luminescence intensity and thermal stability. The findings establish a robust paradigm for designing high-performance optical pressure sensors, significantly addressing the traditional trade-off between sensitivity and detection range, showing promising applications in geological exploration and aerospace fields.