Synergistic red dominancy over green upconversion studies in PbZrTiO3: Er3+/Yb3+ phosphor synthesized via two different modified technique and flexible thin-film thermometer demonstration on C1: PbZrTiO3 @PDMS substrates

Abstract

Owing to its efficient wide range sensing using a noncontact mechanism with a decimal accuracy level, quick, non-invasive temperature sensors utilizing upconversion (UC) phosphor were examined. These sensors are perfect for cutting-edge applications such as measuring the intracellular temperature and identifying microelectronic issues. It may be possible to modify the performance of phosphor temperature sensors through nanoscale engineering. Despite were potential, it has been discovered that modern nanothermometers are ineffective in maintaining stability over a wide temperature range. Motivated by previous studies on efficient UC based solar cell demonstrations of Er3+/Yb3+: PbZrTiO3 (lead zirconate titanate) phosphors, the UC properties of Er3+/Yb3+: PbZrTiO3 for a wide range of temperature sensing and practical thermometer applications have been investigated. The UC emission properties of the Er3+/Yb3+: PbZrTiO3 phosphors synthesized via different routes, with the same dopant concentration, were compared. We have also investigated the formation of two different crystal symmetry, and an approach for the fine-tuning of the emission from the green to the red region upon changing the synthesis technique. The strategy of choosing an optimized synthesis route, based upon structural investigations, could be a way forward where dopant modification in phosphors is ruled out. Based on the UC optimization, the green and red dominant phosphors under 980 nm excitation with different pulse widths and power densities or at different temperatures were studied; the possible mechanisms were discussed in detail. The sensitivity of Er3+/Yb3+: PbZrTiO3 was independent of the pumping laser characteristics since it was essentially consistent when utilising both continuous wave and laser pulse width modulation or varying power densities. To assess the temperature of the microelectronic components, a flexible thin-film thermometer was made of Er3+/Yb3+: PbZrTiO3 on a polyDiMethylSiloxane substrate. This thermometer shows great repeatability and can measure the temperature of an electronic circuit board correctly. The findings suggested that the current non-contact UC temperature sensor might potentially replace conventional thermometers because of its steady green emission over a wide temperature range (313–673 K) and thermometric sensitivity.