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 that emits via a 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.