Morphology controlled synthesis and sensitive temperature sensing performance of Gd2(WO4)3: Er3+, Yb3+

Rare-earth ion doped negative thermal expansion materials as fluorescent thermosensitive materials have attracted significant attention due to their natural advantage in achieving high resolution fluorescence. Herein, Er3+/Yb3+-codoped Gd2(WO4)3 microparticles were developed. Their morphology and size can be finely controlled by manipulating the additives, pH values, and reaction rates. Under near-infrared (NIR) excitation, the compounds evince green and red UC emissions. With regards to the thermal coupling level of 2H11/2/4S3/2 of Er3+ ions, the maximum absolute sensitivity (Sa) and relative sensitivity (Sr) were established to be 1.39% K − 1 (at 300 K) and 1.18% K − 1 (at 293 K), respectively. Ultimately, the utilization of synthesized microparticles and a 940 nm NIR chip facilitated the development of a proficient green-emitting light-emitting diode device. The aforementioned characteristics indicate that Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped Gd2(WO4)3 microparticles possess potential applications in the fields of non-contact optical temperature sensing as well as solid-state lighting.