Lifetime thermometry with an ytterbium(III)-terbium(III) molecular upconverter.

Abstract

In this work we report the first example of lifetime thermometry with a molecular upconverter. To reach our goal, we synthesized a {Tb10Yb10} molecular cluster-aggregate which emits via cooperative upconversion mechanism. The operational temperature of the lifetime-based thermometer is in the 23 – 45 °C range with a maximum relative sensitivity of 2.26 % °C-1 at 45 °C.