The invention describes an article of manufacture that comprises an optimized phosphorescent laminate structure that produces much brighter light than previously disclosed phosphorescent laminates or coatings by enabling and capturing multiple emissions and reflections of light emitted by phosphorescent particles that are distributed through the thickness of a transparent layer. These multiple emissions are enabled by providing a transparent carrier layer that is many times as thick as the phosphorescent powder particle size. That layer is loaded with an amount of phosphorescent powder that is low enough to allow light emitted by the deeper layers of powder to escape, but high enough to provide a very large amount of emitting powder. This structure may be protected by surface films and backed by a reflective layer for efficient unidirectional light absorption and emission.