Transient submicron temperature imaging based on the fluorescence emission in an Er/Yb co-doped glass-ceramic

A comprehensive understanding of the transient heat- and mass-transfer processes on the submicron scale requires the development of novel, non-invasive, temperature-measurement techniques. Here, we present a fluorescence-based method for the non-invasive characterization of transient temperature fields on a submicron scale using a temperature-sensitive erbium/ytterbium co-doped transparent glass ceramic. This inorganic material is more stable against degradation and photobleaching than traditional organic dyes. Transient heat-conduction experiments were performed on an Er:GPF1Yb0:5Er glass-ceramic sample, which was simultaneously used as a temperature sensor. The temperatures were determined by measuring the fluorescence spectrum and by measuring the intensity variations of the emission spectrum in the temperature range between 25 and 150 degrees C. A spatial resolution of 400 nm was achieved across an approximately 200 pm x 200 pm field of view at an imaging frequency of 7 Hz. The conducted experiments demonstrate that Er-doped glass ceramics permit non-invasive and transient thermal imaging and can be adopted for the analysis of heat-transfer processes on submicron scales. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.