Temperature-dependent Luminescence of KCl:Sb3+ and Its Thermometry Applications

Abstract

Luminescence thermometry (LT) has emerged as a valuable technique for noncontact temperature sensing, with applications in real-time monitoring, microelectronics thermal management, and health surveillance. In this work, we developed a temperature-sensitive material, potassium chloride(KCl):Sb³⁺, and investigated its luminescent properties. The results indicated that the material exhibited broad excitation spectra within the 250–400 nm wavelength range with a maximum at 366 nm and showed a broad band emission with a maximum at 590 nm upon excitation. Interestingly, the material demonstrated excellent temperature responsiveness over a temperature range of 273 to 373 K, which has not been observed so far. To explore its potential application in temperature measurement, we utilized the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) of the dual emission bands of Sb³⁺ to Tb³⁺ emissions (I_Sb/I_Tb) to explore the temperature sensitivity of KCl:Sb³⁺/Tb³⁺. The material exhibited an exceptional relative sensitivity at ambient temperatures with a maximum of 5.59% K^–1 at 313 K. This study indicated that Sb³⁺ could potentially serve as temperature-sensitive luminescent centers with applications in luminescence thermometry fields.