Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 4, 2025
09:01
High-resolution Thermal Micro-imaging Using Europium Chelate Luminescent Coatings
Published on: April 16, 2017
7.8K
Activating Ultrahigh Thermoresponsive Upconversion in an Erbium Sublattice for Nanothermometry and Information
Long Yan1, Jinshu Huang1, Zhengce An1
1State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Institute of Optical Communication Materials, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fiber Laser Materials and Applied Techniques, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, People's Republic of China.
Nano Letters
|July 14, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed ultrasensitive thermally activated upconversion (TAUC) in erbium nanocrystals. This breakthrough offers enhanced luminescence control and a striking thermochromic effect for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Nanomaterials Science
- Photonics
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Thermal activation of upconversion luminescence (UCL) in nanocrystals is crucial for biotechnology and nanophotonics.
- Achieving smart control, remarkable enhancement, and ultrahigh sensitivity in UCL remains challenging.
- The underlying physical mechanisms of thermal UCL are still debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design a novel mechanism for ultrasensitive thermally activated upconversion (TAUC) in erbium (Er3+) doped core-shell nanostructures.
- To achieve smart control of luminescence behavior in the thermal field with significant enhancement and ultrahigh sensitivity.
- To elucidate the physical picture governing thermally activated upconversion.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of erbium sublattice core-shell nanostructures.
- Engineering a thermosensitive intermediate 4I11/2 level of Er3+ via energy-migration-mediated surface interaction.
- Utilizing non-thermally coupled red and green emissions for enhanced thermal sensitivity.
- Investigating the thermal enhancement of upconversion in various lanthanide-based nanomaterials.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated markedly enhanced upconverted luminescence in the thermal field with a striking thermochromic feature under 1530 nm irradiation.
- Achieved a thermal sensitivity of up to 5.27% K-1 using non-thermally coupled emissions, which is 3 times higher than conventional methods.
- Confirmed that controllable surface interaction is a general approach for thermal enhancement of upconversion in lanthanide nanomaterials.
Conclusions:
- The novel mechanistic design enables ultrasensitive TAUC with remarkable enhancement and a thermochromic feature.
- The use of non-thermally coupled emissions significantly boosts thermal sensitivity, surpassing conventional approaches.
- This work provides a new pathway for developing smart luminescent materials for applications in nanothermometry, information security, and anticounterfeiting.
