Yb3+/Er3+ co-doped Lu2TeO6 nanophosphors: Hydrothermal synthesis, upconversion luminescence and highly sensitive temperature sensing performance

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 772; pp. 525 - 531
• Main Authors: Ma, Zhili, Gou, Jie, Zhang, Yu, Man, Yuhong, Li, Guannan, Li, Chunmei, Tang, Jianfeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 25.01.2019
• Subjects: Lu2TeO6:Yb3+,Er3; Nanophosphors; Temperature sensing; Upconversion luminescence; Temperature sensing; Upconversion luminescence; Lu2TeO6:Yb3+,Er3; Nanophosphors
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2018.09.175

Upconversion (UC) nanophosphors of Lu2TeO6:Yb3+/Er3+ as temperature sensing material have been successfully synthesized via hydrothermal method followed by a subsequent heat treatment process. The phase and micrographs of the as-prepared phosphors were characterized by XRD, SEM, and TEM. Results indicate that the phosphors of hexagonal Lu2TeO6:Yb3+/Er3+, formed after heat-treatment at 800 °C for 5 h, consist of rice-like nanoparticles with size mostly distributed less than 200 nm in length. Under the 980-nm NIR excitation, the tellurite nanophosphors exhibit strong green and red UC emissions. The optimum Yb3+ and Er3+ concentrations for UC luminescence are determined to be 10% and 1%, respectively. The possible energy transfer mechanism implicated in the nanophosphors is discussed based on the pump power dependence of UC emissions. Furthermore, temperature sensing ability of Lu2TeO6:Yb3+/Er3+ (10/1) is investigated by employing the temperature dependent fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) of two emission bands (2H11/2/4S3/2 → 4I15/2) of Er3+ ion. The maximum sensitivity achieved in this developed material is as high as 0.0103 K−1 at 623 K. This work provides a new qualified UC nanomaterial for application in optical remote temperature sensing. •Yb3+/Er3+ co-doped Lu2TeO6 nanophosphors were synthesized by hydrothermal reaction accompanying with post-heat treatment.•The nanophosphors exhibited single crystal nature.•Optimal concentration of Yb3+/Er3+ for upconversion luminescence was confirmed.•Optical temperature sensing ability of nanophosphors was investigated based on FIR technique.