A biological nano-thermometer based on ratiometric luminescent Er3+/Yb3+-codoped NaGd(WO4)2 nanocrystals

We report a nano-thermometer based on ratiometric method of green 530 and 550 nm luminescence of Er3+/Yb3+-codoped NaGd(WO4)(2) nanocrystals for temperature sensing of biological tissues and cells. The thermometer has simple structure and displays excellent sensing performance with a relative sensitivity 1.2% K (1), a thermal resolution 0.5 K at the physiological temperature 310 K, and a large signal-to-noise ratio. In parallel, the luminescence temperature characteristics were also studied by a spectrometer, and consistent results were obtained. (c) 2018 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.