Temperature imaging inside fluid devices using a ratiometric near infrared (NIR-II/III) fluorescent Y2O3: Nd3+, Yb3+, Er3+ nanothermometer

Luminescence thermometry is a non-contact method that can measure surface temperatures and the temperature of the area where the fluorescent probe is located, allowing temperature distribution visualizations with a camera. Ratiometric fluorescence thermometry, which uses the intensity ratio of fluorescence peaks at two wavelengths with different fluorescence intensity dependencies, is an excellent method for visualizing temperature distributions independent of the fluorophore spatial concentration, excitation light intensity and absolute fluorescence intensity. Herein, Nd³⁺/Yb³⁺/Er³⁺-doped Y₂O₃ nanomaterials with a diameter of 200 nm were prepared as phosphors for temperature distribution measurement of fluids at different temperatures. The advantages of this designed fluorescent material include non-aggregation in water and the fact that its near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence excitation (808 nm) is not absorbed by water, thereby minimizing sample heating upon irradiation. Under optical excitation at 808 nm, the ratio of the fluorescence intensities of Yb³⁺ (I_Yb; 975 nm) and Er³⁺ (I_Er; 1550 nm), which exhibited different temperature responses, indicated the temperature distribution inside the fluid device. Thus, this technique using Nd³⁺/Yb³⁺/Er³⁺-doped Y₂O₃ is expected to be applied for temperature distribution mapping analysis inside fluidic devices as a ratiometric NIR fluorescence thermometer, which is unaffected by laser-induced heating.

Graphical abstract