A new luminescent indicator is presented that enables simultaneous measurement of oxygen and temperature at a single wavelength. The indicator, an alkylsulfone-substituted Zn(II)-meso-tetraphenyltetrabenzoporphyrin, emits prompt and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). TADF is sensitive toward oxygen and temperature and is referenced against prompt fluorescence (PF) that is not affected by oxygen. The information on both parameters is accessed from the decay time of TADF and the temperature-dependent ratio of TADF and PF. Sensor foils, made from poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) and the indicator dye, enable temperature-compensated trace oxygen sensing (0.002-6 hPa pO2) at ambient conditions. Compared to the previously reported dual sensors based on two emitters, the new sensor significantly simplifies the experimental setup and eliminates risks of different leaching or photobleaching rates by utilizing only one indicator dye and operating at a single wavelength.
Keywords: dual sensor; fluorescence; molecular thermometer; optical oxygen sensing; temperature compensation.