Near-infrared　phosphor-converted　light-emitting　diodeNIR　pc-LED　light　source　has　a　great　application　prospect　in　medical　imaging　food　detection　sensing　and　other　aspects.　The　spectral　characteristic　and　photoelectric　conversion　efficiency　of　the　pc-LEDs　are　highly　dependent　on　the　performance　of　NIR　phosphors.　Currently　the　development　of　inexpensive　efficient　and　thermally　stable　broadband　NIR　phosphors　remains　a　great　challenge.　Among　the　potential　broadband　NIR　phosphors　the　Cr3+　activated　NIR　materials　have　attracted　serious　attentions　due　to　their　advantages　of　being　able　to　be　excited　efficiently　by　blue　light　and　tunable　emission　band.　In　this　study　a　broadband　NIR　phosphor　NaAlP2O7Cr3+　was　successfully　synthesized　by　high　temperature　solid-state　method.　Under　450　nm　blue　light　excitation　the　phosphor　shows　a　broadband　emission　covering　650-1　000　nm　with　a　peak　centered　at　~780　nm　and　a　full　width　at　half-maximumFWHM　of　1　580　cm-1.　Particularly　at　423　K　the　NaAlP2O74%Cr3+　sample　retained　~71%　of　the　photoluminescencePL　intensity　at　room　temperature　exhibiting　good　PL　thermal　stability.　Furthermore　the　crystallographic　site　occupation　and　crystal　field　strength　parameter　of　Cr3+　ions　in　NaAlP2O7　host　were　investigated　based　on　the　structural　analysis　and　temperature-dependent8-503　K　spectra　of　the　phosphor.　The　zero-phonon　lines　of　Cr3+　energy　levels　were　determined　by　low　temperature　spectroscopy　at　8　K　and　theoretical　calculation.　The　PL　thermal　quenching　mechanism　of　Cr3+　was　discussed　in　combination　with　high　temperature　dependent　spectra.　In　summary　this　work　presents　a　new　broadband　NIR　phosphor　for　application　in　NIR　pc-LEDs　and　highlights　some　strategies　to　explore　this　class　of　materials.　©　2022　Chines　Academy　of　Sciences.　All　rights　reserved.