Optical Temperature Sensing Behavior Through Stark Sublevels Transitions of Green and Red Upconversion Emissions for Er3+–Yb3+–Li+ Codoped TiO2 Phosphors

Abstract

The Er3+–Yb3+–Li+ codoped TiO2 phosphors have been prepared by sol–gel method. The green and red upconversion emissions were observed under a 976 nm laser diode excitation, which were ascribed to 2H11/2→4I15/2, 4S3/2(I)/4S3/2(II)→4I15/2, and 4F9/2(I)/4F9/(2II)→4I15/2 transitions of Er3+ Stark sublevels. The fluorescence intensity ratios (FIR), which are corresponding to the transitions of 2H11/2/(4S3/2(I)+4S3/2(II)→4I15/2, 4S3/2(I)/4S3/(2II)→4I15/2, and 4F9/2(I)/4F9/2(II)→4I15/2, have been studied as a function of temperature in the range of 303 ∼ 673 K. The temperature sensitivities have been calculated at the maximum value of 0.0020 K-1, 0.0015 K-1, and 0.0011 K-1 at the temperatures of 427 K, 350 K, and 273 K for the three coupled energy level transitions, respectively. The Er3+–Yb3+–Li+ codoped TiO2 phosphor with different temperature sensitivities by Stark sublevels indicated that it is a promising material for application in optical temperature sensing at a wide range of temperature.