Concentration effect on up-conversion luminescence and excitation path-dependent luminescence temperature quenching in YNbO4:Ho3+/Yb3+ phosphors

Development of SrWO4:Ho3+/Yb3+ green phosphor for optical thermometry application

In recent years, the growth of luminescent materials for optical thermometry applications has gained substantial attention due to their non-invasive and contactless nature. This research article presents the synthesis, characterization, and potential application of SrWO4:Ho3+/Yb3+ phosphors as temperature-sensitive materials. The inspection of the structural properties is done by X-ray diffraction and Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction signifies the single tetragonal phase of the materials without any impurity or secondary phase. Nine Raman active modes are detected in the Raman spectra of pure SrWO4 and 10 Raman active bands are present in the doped samples. The morphology and elemental composition are visualised by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The spectral properties of these phosphors are evaluated by down-conversion and up-conversion photoluminescence, signifying their suitability for solid state lighting and optical thermometry in various temperature regimes. The phosphors can generate green and yellow light under blue and near-infrared radiation, respectively. The sensitivity of 3.19 × 10-3 K-1 ensures the promising prospects of SrWO4:Ho3+/Yb3+ phosphors for precise and reliable temperature sensing in diverse fields.

A study on temperature sensing performance based on the luminescence of Eu3+ and Er3+ co-doped YNbO4

Eu3+ and Er3+ co-doped YNbO4 powder phosphors were synthesized by a traditional high-temperature solid-state reaction method. A laser of 487.6 nm wavelength was selected to be the excitation source which can pump Eu3+ ions from its thermally populated low-lying 7F2 ground state to the excited state 5D2 and lift the Er3+ ions from their 4I15/2 to 4F7/2 states. Fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) between the 5D0 → 7FJ emissions of Eu3+ and 4S3/2 → 4I15/2 emissions of Er3+ ions is remarkably dependent on temperature because of the dramatic increase of Eu3+ luminescence against a slight quenching of Er3+ luminescence with the rise of temperature. This temperature sensitive FIR can be favorably employed for temperature sensing, owing to this novel scheme of 5D2 excitation, instead of 5D0, from 7F2 and utilizing Er3+ luminescence as a reference for FIR measurements. This sample is also prominent for its excellent signal-to-noise ratio and is a promising candidate for an optical temperature sensor.