Thermally Coupled Energy Levels Research Articles

Supernormal Temperature Sensing Performance Realized through the Blue Emitting Level of Er3+ along with Detection Ability in Deep Tissues.

Fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR)-type optical thermometers based on thermally coupled energy levels (TCLs) of rare earth ions are suitable candidates for noncontact temperature detection in living organisms, microelectronics apparatus, and so forth. Therefore, the improvement of the thermometric sensitivity of TCL-based thermometers has become a research hotspot in recent years. Herein, ultrahigh sensitivity and outstanding resolution for temperature sensing have been realized in YNbO4: Yb3+/Er3+. Unusually, the thermally coupled three-level system of Er3+: 4F7/2/2H11/2/4S3/2 is first employed for optical thermometry based on FIR technology. A supernormal thermometric sensitivity of 2.67% K-1 is obtained from the thermally coupled 4F7/2 and 4S3/2 states due to the large energy gap between them, significantly surpassing that of most temperature sensors in the same category. Furthermore, the existence of the intermediate level 2H11/2 can effectively prevent the decoupling effect between 4F7/2 and 4S3/2. Additionally, the temperature sensing behavior realized by the Stark sublevels of the Er3+: 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition, with a penetration depth of 8 mm, shows the potential of temperature measurement in deep biological tissues, benefiting from its excitation and emission wavelengths located in the biological window. All of the data reveal that YNbO4: Yb3+/Er3+ is an ultrasensitive optical thermometer and exhibits the capacity of temperature detection in deep tissues.

Multiple wavelengths excitation of NaYF4:Tm/Er microcrystals for multicolor anti-counterfeiting and temperature sensing

Multicolor luminescence and optical thermometry hold charming potential applications in many fields, which are likely to be achieved in one rationally designed unit. Herein, a triple-wavelength (980 nm, 1550 nm and 808 nm) responsive upconversion microcrystal, using Er3+ ions as sensitizers, is proposed, which can generate tunable emission color from red to yellow and then to green. The modulated population route and energy transfer process of Er3+ are perceived to be the reason for tunable luminescence color upon excitation-wavelength. In addition, based on thermally coupled energy levels (TCLs), i.e., 2H11/2/4S3/2 and non-thermally coupled energy levels (NTCLs), i.e., 2H11/2/4F9/2 of Er3+ ions, the temperature-dependent upconversion properties were investigated. The maximum relative sensing sensitivity (Sr) of NaYF4:0.5%Tm/20%Er was found to be 1.373 % K−1 at 313 K, outperforming the majority of the same type thermometers. The results indicate that the NaYF4:0.5%Tm/20%Er microcrystals serve as a promising candidate for multicolor anticounterfeiting and optical thermometry applications.

Yb,Er,Tm:Sc2O3 single crystal fibers for multi-mode optical thermometry

Fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) thermometers have obtained great attention in industrial production, medical diagnosis and scientific research. However, the sensitivity has a large decline at high temperatures, which seriously limits the practical applications. Here, the Yb,Er,Tm:Sc2O3 single crystal fibers were grown by laser-heated pedestal growth (LHPG) technique and its multi-mode FIR thermometry based on thermal coupled energy levels (TCLs) and non-thermal coupled energy levels (NTCLs) has been well demonstrated. The temperature measuring range of Yb,Er,Tm:Sc2O3 single crystal fibers covers 298–973 K, with an increase of 2 orders of magnitude in absolute sensitivity. The relative sensitivity is higher than 0.02 % K−1 in the whole T-range of 298∼973 K, with a maximum value of 1.02 % K−1. Especially at the high temperatures of 973 K, it can still maintain 0.31 % K−1. This work proposes an innovative fluorescence intensity ratio detection strategy to achieve complementary disadvantages between TCLs and NTCLs and provides an effective method for improving detection sensitivity.

Promising lanthanide- NaYbF4:Er3+@NaYbF4:Tm3+ micro-phosphors for highly efficient upconversion luminescence and temperature sensing

In recent years, the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR)-based technique for optical non-contact temperature measurement is of great interest to researchers due to its promising wide range of applications in high-voltage electricity fields, fires, corrosive environments, biological tissues, as well as other fields. Unfortunately, the FIR techniques based on thermally coupled energy levels (TCLs) often have the problem of low sensitivity as a result of the narrow energy gap. In contrast to FIR techniques with TCLs, the FIR technique with non-thermal coupled energy levels (NTCLs) is no longer restricted by the energy gap and is expected to achieve high signal resolution. In this study, we attempted to acquire a thermometric material that possesses high sensitivity as well as high signal resolution with the help of NTCLs. We successfully prepared NaYbF4:Er3+@NaYbF4:Tm3+ core-shell microcrystals by solvothermal technique using NaYbF4 as matrix and Er3+ and Tm3+ as luminescent centers and made necessary investigations on their crystal structures, microscopic morphologies, intrinsic mechanisms, and thermometric properties. The sample phosphors in a 980 nm laser show bright upconversion (UC) luminescence with emission peaks corresponding to the characteristic energy level jumps of Er3+ as well as Tm3+, respectively. The temperature sensing characteristic parameters have been investigated by FIR techniques with TCLs (2H11/2 → 4I15/2(Er3+)/4S3/2 → 4I15/2(Er3+)) & NTCLs (3H4→3H6(Tm3+)/1G4→3H6(Tm3+),3H4→3H6(Tm3+)/2H11/2 → 4I15/2(Er3+),3H4→3H6(Tm3+)/4S3/2 → 4I15/2(Er3+) and 3H4→3H6(Tm3+)/4F9/2 → 4I15/2(Er3+)), respectively. It is shown that the maximum absolute & relative sensitivities are 0.5677 K-1(495 K) as well as 1.20 % K−1(445 K) respectively with good thermal stability. In addition, the NTCLs have good separation of the emission bands, which enables the material to have excellent signal discrimination in temperature detection. These results indicate that the material is expected to be a potential candidate for optical thermometers.

Na5Y9F32:Yb3+/Ho3+/Tm3+ up-conversion luminescent single crystals for highly sensitive optical temperature sensor

A novel non-contact optical temperature sensor with excellent performance of its adequate temperature resolution (δ(T) = 0.017 K) and exceptional relative thermal sensitivity (Sr = 1.97% K−1) was developed based on the up-conversion fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) of Ho3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ triply incorporated Na5Y9F32 single crystal grown by Bridgman method. The up-conversion (UC) emission bands at 482 nm/669 nm/700 nm of Tm3+ and 522 nm/542 nm/653 nm of Ho3+ ions were observed upon excitation of 980 nm. The effects of Yb3+ concentration from 0.5 to 4 mol% on the UC emission of the Ho3+/ Tm3+ fixed doped Na5Y9F32 single crystal were also carried out. It has been demonstrated through the calculation of the steady-state rate equation that the intensity of UC emission is linearly heightened with the pump power, confirming the conversion mechanism. The temperature sensing performance of the Ho3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ incorporated Na5Y9F32 single crystals was explored by analyzing the FIR employing thermally coupled energy levels (TCLs) and non-thermally coupled energy levels (NTCLs). The maximum values of absolute sensitivity (Sa) and relative sensitivity (Sr) of the material are estimated to be 19.1% K−1 (323 K) and 1.97% K−1 (398 K), separately, which are far higher than those of previously reported RE3+-doped UC optical temperature sensor materials. This study shows that the transparent single crystal has the great potential as a non-contact optical thermometer, and provides a new idea for studying other highly optical sensing materials.

A novel optical thermometry strategy: Based on the combined effects of red-shift charge transfer band and thermal coupling

The non-contact temperature measurement method based on the fluorescence intensity ratio of thermally coupled energy levels has emerged as a focal point of research in recent years due to its characteristics of short response time, suitability for extreme environments, and high sensitivity. The enhancement of relative sensitivity (Sr) is a key objective in refining ratio-metric optical thermometry. However, the Sr is limited by the thermometry strategies. Regarding excitation and monitoring methods, ratio-metric temperature measurement strategies typically adopt two distinct approaches: single-excitation dual-emission (S-D), and dual-excitation single-emission (D-S). In this study, we developed a dual-excitation dual-emission (D-D) thermometry strategy that theoretically and experimentally demonstrates higher Sr and reduced temperature uncertainty (δT). This advancement was achieved by analyzing thermal coupling energy levels (TCELs) and the red-shift charge transfer band (CTB) properties. YVO4:Er3+ was selected for experimental validation due to its pronounced thermal coupling and red-shift CTB effects. The experimental results show that the Sr(D-D) equal to the sum of Sr(S-D) and Sr(D-S), and 1/δT(D-D) equal to the sum of 1/δT(S-D) and 1/δT(D-S), which well verifies the theoretical expectations. Thus, the D-D strategy emerges as a novel and effective method for ratio-metric thermometry, promising enhanced precision in temperature measurements.

High-sensitivity ratiometric thermometers of Yb3+/Er3+/Tm3+ co-doped LuScO3 single crystal fibers based on non-thermally coupled energy levels

Fluorescence thermometry manifests tremendous attention for their potential applications in the temperature sensing, especially for combining wide operating temperature range with high sensitivity. However, the use of thermally coupled energy levels (TCLs) for temperature measurement has strict requirements for energy difference, which limits the sensitivity of detection. In order to satisfy higher sensitivity sensing, the pair of non-thermally coupled energy levels (NTCLs) of 4S3/2 and 3H4 has been innovatively designed. Herein, the sesquioxide Yb,Er,Tm co-doped LuScO3 single crystal fibers (SCFs) had been delicately grown by Laser Heated Pedestal Growth (LHPG) method. The fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) thermometry was realized based on the Er3+:4S3/2→4I15/2 (545–593 nm) and Tm3+:3H4→3H6 (750–850 nm) NTCLs. Such an obvious FIR-temperature change through the NTCLs presents an outstanding optical thermometric performance, yielding the high temperature sensing with wide range. The maximum value of absolute sensitivity was 2 orders of magnitude higher than the temperature measurement using TCLs. More importantly, the sesquioxide Yb,Er,Tm:LuScO3 SCFs exhibit superior thermal stability that will be helpful to obtain high precision temperature measurement. Hence, our findings might offer some useful inspiration for exploring high-sensitivity luminescent thermometers and enriching the research of temperature measuring materials.

Simultaneous modulation of multicolor upconversion emission and thermal‐sensing performance of Ba5Zn4Y8O21 phosphors

AbstractIn this study, we report the modulation of the emission color and optical temperature‐sensing properties of Er3+ in Ba5Zn4Y8O21 crystals. Er3+ single‐doped Ba5Zn4Y8O21 phosphors showed green emission under 980 nm excitation. When codoping with Yb3+ ions, the red emission component from the Er3+ ions increased significantly, and the sample emission turned orange. Yb3+–Er3+ codoped Ba5Zn4Y8O21 samples exhibited bright red emission with a maximum IR/IG value of 89.30 when excited with a longer wavelength, 1550 nm. A broad range of emission colors could be modulated by adjusting the dopant concentration. The possible modulation mechanisms and upconversion processes were analyzed based on the luminescence decay curves and power‐dependent emission intensities. Furthermore, the optical temperature‐sensing properties of Ba5Zn4Y8O21:Er3+ and Ba5Zn4Y8O21:Er3+, Yb3+ phosphors with thermal coupled energy levels (TCELs) and nonthermal coupled energy levels (N‐TCELs) of Er3+ ions were investigated using fluorescence intensity ratio technique. Based on the TCELs (2H11/2/4S3/2), the Er3+ single‐doped and Yb3+–Er3+ codoped Ba5Zn4Y8O21 phosphors present the similar optical thermometry behaviors under 980 and 1550 nm excitation. The highest absolute (Sa) and relative sensitivity (Sr) are 3.95 × 10−3 K−1 at 573 K and 1.31% K−1 at 303 K, respectively. Based on N‐TCELs (4F9/2/2H11/2), the temperature‐sensing performance depends on the Yb3+ dopant and excitation wavelength. The highest values for Sa and Sr reached 5.46 K−1 at 303 K and 1.38% K−1 at 573 K for the Ba5Zn4Y8O21:Er3+, Yb3+ phosphor under 1550 nm excitation, respectively. In addition, the present phosphor exhibited high stability and repeatability over a wide temperature range. These results indicate that the multicolor modulation upconversion Ba5Zn4Y8O21‐based phosphor can be considered a potential reusable optical thermometer for noncontact temperature detection.

New Na5Y(MoO4)4: Yb3+, Er3+ phosphors: Up-conversion luminescence and temperature sensing characteristics

Currently, the development of new up-converting fluorescent materials for manufacturing optical temperature sensing device with high accuracy and precision has always been significant pursuits of many researchers. In this work, we have synthesized new Na5Y(MoO4)4: Yb3+/Er3+ phosphors via solid-state reaction route, and the influences of dopant concentration on UCL performance were discussed. The results revealed that the introduction of Yb3+ enhanced the luminescence intensity, and the optimal concentration combination was 0.20Yb3+/0.04Er3+. Doping Yb3+ and Er3+ did not affect the phase structure of the phosphor. Several emission peaks at 529, 552 and 668 nm of Er3+ were found to be temperature-dependent within the scope of 298–573 K. Through the utilization of fluorescence intensity ratio technique (FIR, I529/I552 and I529/I668), dual-mode temperature measurement was realized. The maximum relative sensitivity (Sr-max) of 1.77 % K−1 (@298 K) utilizing thermally coupled energy levels (TCELs) and the maximum absolute sensitivity (Sa-max) of 12.0 % K−1 (@573 K) based on the non-TCELs were achieved. Furthermore, Yb3+/Er3+ co-doped Na5Y(MoO4)4 phosphors exhibited excellent photothermal repeatability and temperature resolution. The results indicated that the novel Na5Y(MoO4)4 phosphor provided the possibility for the development of temperature sensing materials with high sensitivity.

Novel transparent glass-ceramics of NaLu2F7:Yb3+, Er3+ for accurate temperature sensing and anti-counterfeiting

The development of up-conversion materials with strong emission and low thermal effect is crucial for achieving higher temperature sensing accuracy. In this work, novel transparent NaLu2F7:xYb3+, 0.02Er3+ (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1) glass-ceramics (GCs) were manufactured by melt-quenching technique. The temperature sensing capabilities of GC20 based on thermally coupled energy levels (TCELs) and non-thermally coupled energy levels (nTCELs) were studied, which enable self-calibration. Our findings reveal that the maximum relative sensitivity (SRmax) of TCELs and nTCELs are 1.19% K−1 and 0.89% K−1 at 313 K, respectively. More importantly, the UC luminescence color of GC20 varies from yellow to green as the excitation power increases. The unique phenomenon can be utilized for anti-counterfeiting purposes without any background interference. Overall, our results demonstrate that these novel GCs possess significant potential in accurate temperature sensing and anti-counterfeiting fields.

Up-conversion emission of Yb3+/Tm3+-activated SrNb2O6 lead-free glass-ceramics for optical temperature sensors

The development of fluorescent materials with excellent thermal stability and high-temperature sensitivity is urgently needed to meet the rapidly growing temperature sensors. In this paper, the SrO-SrF2-Nb2O5-Al2O3-B2O3-SiO2-Yb2O3-Tm2O3 glasses were fabricated by high-temperature melting method. And the glass-ceramic with the optimal concentration of 4.0Yb3+/0.1Tm3+ was obtained after heat treatment of 800 °C for 30 min. Only the nanocrystalline SrNb2O6 crystal phase with a tetragonal structure precipitated from the glass matrix. The as-prepared glass-ceramic material produced intense blue light emission and excellent thermal cyclic stability. Utilizing the fluorescence intensity ratio technique, the glass-ceramic material showed the supreme relative sensitivity of 2.63 %K−1 at 298 K using thermally coupled energy levels (TCELs) and the highest absolute sensitivity of 22.10 %K−1 at 598 K employing non-TCELs. These findings show that Yb3+/Tm3+- doped SrNb2O6 glass-ceramic material is a promising candidate for optical sensor application.

Multi-strategy ratiometric luminescent thermometry based on Dy doped CaWO4 phosphors independent of excitation wavelength

This paper explores the detailed photoluminescence (PL) behaviors of Dy3+ doped CaWO4 (Dy:CaWO4) phosphors under multi-ultraviolet wavelength excitation. Moreover, it proposes multi-strategy ratiometric thermometry based on luminescence intensity ratio (LIR) from the transitions of thermally coupled energy levels (TCLs) of Dy3+. Under excitation of multiple ultraviolet wavelengths, the Dy:CaWO4 phosphors exhibited multi-wavelength responsive PL characteristics of Dy3+ with strong blue and yellow emissions from Dy3+ TCLs transitions. The temperature-dependent PL properties of Dy:CaWO4 phosphors were investigated over a temperature range of 300∼650 K. Multi-strategy ratiometric luminescent thermometry was examined under various excitation wavelengths by the thermal equilibrium population of Dy3+ TCLs. The proposed six LIR schemes based on the PL emissions of Dy3+ exhibited a good quantitative relationship with temperature. They showed well-luminescent thermometric behaviors with high absolute and relative sensitivities due to the largest energy gap of TCLs and a relatively larger LIR value. The thermometry properties of the multiple LIR schemes were independent of excitation wavelength, attributed to the stable site symmetry of Dy3+ and the thermal equilibrium population of TCLs under different excitation wavelengths. The multi-strategy ratiometric thermometry of Dy3+ demonstrated the merit of high sensitivity, excellent stability, and repeatability, indicating the potential luminescent thermometric application of Dy:CaWO4 phosphors.

A multi-mode optical thermometry based on the up-conversion La2MgGeO6: Er3+, Yb3+ phosphor

The up-conversion (UC) La2MgGeO6: Er3+, Yb3+ phosphors were prepared by a high-temperature solid-phase method. The structural phase and luminescence characteristics of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and photoluminescence spectra. The research systematically investigated a multi-mode optical thermometry based on fluorescence intensity ratios (FIR) of the thermal-coupled energy levels 2H11/2/4S3/2, non-thermal-coupled energy levels 4S3/2/4F9/2, and the fluorescence lifetime of the 4S3/2 state. Based on these methods, the maximum relative sensitivity reached 1.130%K−1, 0.623%K−1, and 2.914%K−1, respectively. According to the results, the manufactured samples have remarkable temperature measuring performance, which is characterized by a broad temperature measurement range, high sensitivity, and superior stability.

Ultra-sensitive luminescent ratiometric thermometry based on matrix energy transfer in Dy3+ doped CaWO4 phosphors

In this paper, we report the photoluminescence (PL) properties of the WO42− group and Dy3+ ions for a new highly sensitive luminescent ratiometric thermometry in Dy3+ doped CaWO4 (CaWO4:Dy) phosphors. Under 259 nm excitation, the violet emission from the WO42− group, as well as the blue and yellow emissions of Dy3+ from the transitions of thermally coupled energy levels (TCLs) of 4I15/2 and 4F9/2, were both investigated, which ascribed to an energy transfer from WO42− to Dy3+. The thermal-enhanced PL of Dy3+ and the thermal-quenched PL of WO42− were detected with increasing temperature. By taking advantage of the opposite temperature-dependent PL evolution, a new thermometry strategy was proposed based on the luminescence intensity ratio (LIR) between Dy3+ and WO42− having a quantitative relationship with temperature. The maximum absolute and relative temperature sensing sensitivities were as high as 449.52*10−4 K−1 and 21.03% K−1 at 300 K, respectively, which were superior to those reported previously for traditional TCLs-based LIR thermometry. This study demonstrated the potential of CaWO4:Dy phosphors in temperature sensing and provided guidance for constructing an effective ratiometric thermometry strategy with excellent and reliable sensing performance.

Upconversion luminescence and temperature sensing performance of Er3+ ions doped self-activated KYb(MoO4)2 phosphors

In this work, a series of self-activated KYb(MoO4)2 phosphors with various x at% Er3+ doping concentrations (x = 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 15) was synthesized by the solid-state reaction method. The phase structure of the as-prepared samples was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), XRD Rietveld refinement and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The as-prepared samples retain the orthorhombic structure with space group of Pbcn even Er3+ doping concentration up to 15 at%. High-purity upconversion (UC) green emission with green to red intensity ratio of 55 is observed from the as-prepared samples upon the excitation of 980 nm semiconductor laser and the optimum doping concentration of Er3+ ions in the self-activated KYb(MoO4)2 host is revealed as 3 at%. The strong green UC emission is confirmed as a two-photon process based on the power-dependent UC spectra. In addition, the fluorescence intensity ratios (FIRs) of the two thermally-coupled energy levels, namely 2H11/2 and 4S3/2, of Er3+ ions were investigated in the temperature region 300–570 K to evaluate the optical temperature sensor behavior of the sample. The maximum relative sensitivity (SR) is determined to be 0.0069 K−1 at 300 K and the absolute sensitivity (SA) is determined to be 0.0126 K−1 at 300 K. The SA of self-activated KYb(MoO4)2:Er3+ is almost twice that of traditional KY(MoO4)2:Er3+/Yb3+ codoping phosphor. The results demonstrate that Er3+ ions doped self-activated KYb(MoO4)2 phosphor has promising application in visible display, trademark security and optical temperature sensors.

Ratiometric fluorescence temperature sensing based on thermal coupling energy levels of a single-lanthanide dysprosium MOF

The luminescence intensity ratio generated by thermally coupled energy levels (TCELs) based on lanthanide ions has been demonstrated to be a reliable technique for optical thermometry. In this study, we developed a new single-lanthanide (S’LnMOF), DyBPDA, by a straightforward solvothermal method with the [1,1′-biphenyl]-3,5-dicarboxylic acid (H2BPDA) as a linker and Dy3+ as a single luminescence center. Based on the dual emission originating from TCELs of Dy3+ (4I15/2 and 4F9/2 → 6H15/2), DyBPDA enables as a ratiometric temperature sensor in the range 303–443 K with a maximum relative sensitivity of 0.41%·K−1. This work provides a reference for the facile preparation of S'LnMOF, which further contributes to the optical temperature sensing technology based on TCELs.

In-situ confinement of ultra-small NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ UCNPs as multifunctional ratiometric thermometer and optical heater

Lanthanide-doped upconversion (UC) nanomaterials with zero background auto-fluorescence are of extensive interest in optical fields. Here, a NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+@Zr-UiO-66 nanostructure was prepared by simultaneously encapsulating NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ nanoparticles (NPs) and promoting the nucleation of UiO-66 under solvothermal condition. Traditional nanosize-surface induced defects and grain boundaries of NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) were greatly minimized; enabling a highly efficient energy transfer confirmed by the prolonged fluorescence lifetime and enhanced UC emission of NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+@Zr-UiO-66 nanocomposite. The optical thermometry property of nanocomposite was investigated based on the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technique in the temperature range of 303–393 K. The maximum relative temperature sensitivities (Sr) were calculated to be 1.02 and 0.73% K−1 based on a pair of thermally coupled energy levels (TCLs) of (2H11/2 → 4I15/2, 4S3/2 → 4I15/2) and another pair of non-thermally coupled energy levels (NTCLs) of (2H11/2 → 4I15/2, 4F9/2 → 4I15/2), respectively. Besides, it exhibited effective internal optical heating property due to the thermal excitation between the two adjacent TCLs of 2H11/2 and 4S3/2 in NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ UCNPs as heated by increasing the laser power. This work demonstrates a feasible confined synthesis of NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+@Zr-UiO-66 nanocomposite with extreme UC emitting performance, and it holds great potential acting as both ratiometric thermometer and optical heater for multifunctional applications.

Activating ultralow upconversion nanothermometry in neodymium sublattice for heart tissue imaging rapid-responsive

The fields of biosensitivity and biological imaging have received a lot of attention from rare earth-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). However, owing to the relatively large energy difference of rare earth ions, biological sensitivity based on UCNPs is restricted to detect at low temperature. Here, we design core-shell-shell NaErF4:Yb@Nd2O3@SiO2 UCNPs as a dual-mode bioprobe that produces blue, green, and red multi-color upconversion emissions at extremely low temperatures between 100 K and 280 K. Based on the thermally coupled energy levels (TCELs) of Er3+ (2H11/2 and 4S3/2) and Nd3+ (4F5/2 and 4F3/2) at 100 K, the greatest relative sensitivity (SR) approaches 12.7% K−1. NaErF4:Yb@Nd2O3@SiO2 injection is used to achieve blue upconversion emission imaging of frozen heart tissue, showing that this UCNP can serve as a low-temperature sensitive biological fluorescence.

Optical temperature-sensing properties with various strategies for Y18W4O39 phosphors by near-infrared excitation

The Er3+-Yb3+ and Tm3+-Yb3+ rare earth (RE) ions co-doped Y18W4O39 (YWO) phosphors were prepared by the solid-state reaction method. Their phase purity, upconversion (UC) luminescence and optical temperature sensing behaviors were investigated in detail. The single-phase samples are obtained when the RE ions are incorporated into the YWO host lattice. The characteristic transition peaks of Er3+ and Tm3+ appear under irradiation with the 980 nm laser light source and their optimal doping concentrations are determined. The fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) strategy is utilized to assess the optical temperature-sensing properties, including the thermally coupled energy levels (TCELs) and non-TCELs. It is found that the FIRs of Er3+ (I524/I546 and I659/I524) and Tm3+ (I477/I484 and I791/I652) change obviously as the temperature varies. The temperature-induced changes for FIRs are also checked, which indicates an excellent reproducibility and repeatability. A series of sensitivity curves are presented as a function of absolute temperature, and the maximum sensitivity values are obtained. Furthermore, the decay curves are studied to better understand the UC energy transfer process. The above results reveal that the developed phosphors are promising to be a candidate for optical temperature sensor.

A multi-mode optical thermometer based on the up-conversion Ca3Y2Ge3O12: Er3+, Yb3+ phosphor

In order to develop a new up-conversion luminescent temperature measurement material with a garnet structure, Ca3Y2Ge3O12: Er3+, Yb3+ phosphors were prepared by a simple high temperature solid phase method. The structural phase and luminescence characteristics of the samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectra. It can be observed that the characteristic emission of Er3+ ion appears in the sample under 980 nm excitation, and it's up-conversion emission intensity increases with the increase of Yb3+ ion concentration. The maximum relative sensitivity is 1.29 %K−1, 1.09 %K−1 and 1.03 %K−1 based on the different temperature dependence of the thermal coupled energy levels (TCELs), non-thermal coupled energy levels (NTCELs) and the fluorescence lifetime (FL) of 4S3/2 state, respectively. The results show that Ca3Y2Ge3O12: Er3+, Yb3+ phosphor is excellent a material for optical temperature measurement.