A biological nano-thermometer based on ratiometric luminescent Er3+/Yb3+-codoped NaGd(WO4)2 nanocrystals

• Published in: Materials letters 2018-05, Vol.218, p.337-340
• Main Authors: Yuan, Ning, Liu, Da-Yu, Yu, Xiao-Chen, Sun, Hong-Xue, Ming, Cheng-Guo, Wong, Wing-Han, Song, Feng, Yu, Dao-Yin, Pun, Edwin Yue-Bun, Zhang, De-Long
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Luminescence; Nanocrystalline materials; Sensors; Thermal properties
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2018.02.007

We have developed a thermometer based on the luminescence ratiometric technique and Er3+/Yb3+-codoped NaGd(WO4)2 nanocrystals for biological application. The device not only has simple structure and excellent sensing performance, but its experimental setup is also highly generalized. [Display omitted] •A simple, compact, low-cost, highly efficient nano-thermometer is developed.•It is based on ratiometric luminescence method and Er/Yb:NaGd(WO4)2 nanocrystals.•It consists of an LD, two lenses, one filter, one Si-photocell and one multimeter.•The sensor shows good signal-to-noise ratio, and high resolution and sensitivity.•The thermometer shows great potential for use in biological tissues and cells. We report a nano-thermometer based on ratiometric method of green 530 and 550 nm luminescence of Er3+/Yb3+-codoped NaGd(WO4)2 nanocrystals for temperature sensing of biological tissues and cells. The thermometer has simple structure and displays excellent sensing performance with a relative sensitivity 1.2% K−1, a thermal resolution 0.5 K at the physiological temperature 310 K, and a large signal-to-noise ratio. In parallel, the luminescence temperature characteristics were also studied by a spectrometer, and consistent results were obtained.