A method for producing a luminescent phosphor compound comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining a baseline phosphor compound that includes a phosphor host crystal lattice material, one or more emitting ions, and a quantity of rare earth impurities, wherein the baseline phosphor compound is characterized by one or more first decay time constants; (b) synthesizing a disturbed phosphor compound that includes the phosphor host crystal lattice material, the one or more emitting ions, the quantity of rare earth impurities, and a quantity of one or more disturbing ions; (c) measuring one or more second decay time constants of the disturbed phosphor compound; (d) determining whether the one or more second decay time constants are substantially equal to one or more target disturbed decay time constants that are greater than zero and less than the one or more first decay time constants; and (e) when at least one of the one or more second decay time constants is not substantially equal to the one or more target disturbed decay time constants, repeating the synthesizing, measuring, and determining steps for an additional candidate disturbed phosphor compound that has an adjusted quantity of the one or more disturbing ions that is different from the initial quantity; wherein the host crystal lattice material is selected from the group consisting of an oxide, a fluoride, an oxysulfide, a halide, a borate, a silicate, a gallate, a phosphate, a vanadate, an oxyhalide, an aluminate, a molybdate, a tungstate, a garnet and a niobate; wherein the one or more emitting ions include one or more ions of one or more elements selected from a group consisting of chromium, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, and ytterbium; and wherein the one or more disturbing ions include one or more ions of one or more elements selected from a group consisting of chromium, manganese, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, iron, cobalt, and nickel. (a) obtaining a baseline phosphor compound that includes a phosphor host crystal lattice material, one or more emitting ions, and a quantity of rare earth impurities, wherein the baseline phosphor compound is characterized by one or more first decay time constants; (b) synthesizing a disturbed phosphor compound that includes the phosphor host crystal lattice material, the one or more emitting ions, the quantity of rare earth impurities, and a quantity of one or more disturbing ions; (c) measuring one or more second decay time constants of the disturbed phosphor compound; (d) determining whether the one or more second decay time constants are substantially equal to one or more target disturbed decay time constants that are greater than zero and less than the one or more first decay time constants; and (e) when at least one of the one or more second decay time constants is not substantially equal to the one or more target disturbed decay time constants, repeating the synthesizing, measuring, and determining steps for an additional candidate disturbed phosphor compound that has an adjusted quantity of the one or more disturbing ions that is different from the initial quantity;