Promising lanthanide-doped double molybdates KYb(MoO4)2 phosphors for highly efficient upconversion luminescence and temperature sensing

Liqing Yan; Mingming Xing; Yue Ma; Lihua Kang; Yao Fu; Qiang Pang; Fangyun Xin; Hong Wang; Xixian Luo; Ying Tian

doi:10.1016/j.saa.2023.123751

Promising lanthanide-doped double molybdates KYb(MoO₄)₂ phosphors for highly efficient upconversion luminescence and temperature sensing

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2024 Mar 5:308:123751. doi: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.123751. Epub 2023 Dec 9.

Authors

Liqing Yan¹, Mingming Xing², Yue Ma¹, Lihua Kang¹, Yao Fu¹, Qiang Pang¹, Fangyun Xin¹, Hong Wang³, Xixian Luo⁴, Ying Tian⁵

Affiliations

¹ Physics Department, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, Liaoning 116026, China.
² Physics Department, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, Liaoning 116026, China. Electronic address: mingmingxing@dlmu.edu.cn.
³ Physics Department, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, Liaoning 116026, China. Electronic address: hongwang@dlmu.edu.cn.
⁴ School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian, Liaoning 116600, China.
⁵ Physics Department, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, Liaoning 116026, China. Electronic address: tianying@dlmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38101256
DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.123751

Abstract

Here we report the highly efficient upconversion luminescence (UCL) and optical temperature sensing based on the novel host of KYb(MoO₄)₂ doped with trivalent lanthanide (Ln³⁺) ions at 980 nm excitation. The high Yb³⁺ concentration and unique ordered layer structure in KYb(MoO₄)₂ host are beneficial for the enhancement of UCL efficiency by improving the absorption and the negative migration of excitation energy. Ho³⁺, Er³⁺, and Tm³⁺ ions were selected to singly dope the KYb(MoO₄)₂ host, achieving three primary colors of red, green, blue UCL, respectively. At the optimal doping concentration, the blue upconversion quantum yield (UCQY) of the KYb(MoO₄)₂: 1.0%Tm³⁺ phosphor reaches 0.13%, which is rare for the Tm³⁺-doped oxides. By leveraging the efficient blue light, we achieved high-brightness white UCL by co-doping Ho³⁺ in KYb(MoO₄)₂: Tm³⁺. Furthermore, the temperature sensing performance of the KYb(MoO₄)₂: Tm³⁺, Ho³⁺ phosphors operating within the first biological window (BW-I) was evaluated based on a thermo-responsive fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) of far-red to near-infrared (NIR) emission from completely separated ³F_2,3/³H₄ → ³H₆ transitions of Tm³⁺. At the excitation of 980 nm, the maximum absolute and relative sensitivities were determined as 0.25 × 10^-3 K^-1 at 673 K and 2.84% K^-1 at 303 K, respectively. These results indicate that the double alkali-rare-earth molybdate KYb(MoO₄)₂ can be used as a promising host to achieve highly efficient UCL and temperature sensing, suggesting potential applications in the fields of anti-counterfeiting, displays, and non-contact temperature sensors.

Keywords: KYb(MoO(4))(2); Lanthanide; Optical temperature sensing; Upconversion luminescence.