Preparation, crystallization kinetics, and optical temperature sensing properties of Er3+-Yb3+co-doped fluorosilicate glass-ceramics containing ZnAl2O4 crystals

Er3+-Yb3+ co-doped glass-ceramics were fabricated by the conventional melt-quenching method and subsequent heat treatment. The precipitation of ZnAl2O4 microcrystals with spinel structure was confirmed by the XRD pattern and SEM photographs. Raman spectra show that the glass-ceramics have lower maximum phonon energy compared with the glass matrix. Under the excitation of 378 nm Xenon lamp and 980 nm laser, different degrees of enhancement in the visible, NIR, and up-conversion fluorescence intensity attributed to the transitions of Er3+ ions in glass-ceramics, can be observed by emission spectra. Finally, according to the fluorescence intensity ratio between the transition from the thermal coupling energy level H-2(11/2) and S-4(3/2) to the ground state I-4(15/2), the optical temperature sensing properties of glass-ceramics were evaluated, and the maximum absolute sensitivity S alpha-max of 0.006 K-1 can be obtained at 404 K. These results indicate that the Er3+-Yb3+ co-doped ZnAl2O4 glass-ceramics may be utilized as a potential high-sensitivity up-conversion optical temperature sensing material. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Er3+-Yb3+ co-doped glass-ceramics were fabricated by conventional methods, with the precipitation of ZnAl2O4 microcrystals confirmed. The glass-ceramics showed enhanced fluorescence intensity and optical temperature sensing properties, making them a potential high-sensitivity material for up-conversion optical temperature sensing applications.