Visual temperature-sensing properties of negative thermal expansion Sc2Mo3O12:Eu3+/Tb3+ flexible films

Kan Kan; Yangke Cun; Qinghan Zhang; Shenglin Ma; Shilei Yan; Anjun Huang; Zhengwen Yang

doi:10.1088/1674-4926/25110020

J. Semicond. > Just Accepted

ARTICLES

Visual temperature-sensing properties of negative thermal expansion Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂:Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺ flexible films

Kan Kan¹, Yangke Cun^1,, Qinghan Zhang¹, Shenglin Ma¹, Shilei Yan¹, Anjun Huang¹ and Zhengwen Yang^1,

+ Author Affiliations

Corresponding author: Yangke Cun, cunyangke@126.com; Zhengwen Yang, yangzw@kust.edu.cn

DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/25110020CSTR: 32376.14.1674-4926.25110020

Abstract: Fluorescence temperature sensing technology has become a research direction in the field of temperature measurement with its significant advantages of non-contact measurement, high spatial resolution, fast response and anti-electromagnetic interference. Although the double rare earth ion doping ratio fluorescent temperature sensing materials have made significant progress, the thermal quenching phenomenon is still the key bottleneck restricting its performance improvement. In this study, we propose to construct a flexible Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂:Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺ film with negative thermal expansion characteristics, and systematically study its visual temperature sensing characteristics. The negative thermal expansion characteristics of Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂ matrix effectively inhibited the thermal quenching rate of Tb³⁺ luminescence, and enhanced the thermal enhanced luminescence effect of Eu³⁺. This two-way regulation mechanism improves the intensity comparison of the two light-emitting channels, and provides an innovative strategy for improving the sensitivity of temperature sensing. The flexible film based on Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺ codoped system realizes intuitive temperature perception through the significant change of fluorescent color, and can complete the temperature interpretation without complex spectral equipment. This greatly expands its application prospect in the field of rapid field detection and real-time monitoring, and shows its broad potential in the fields of wearable devices, biomedical diagnosis, and real-time monitoring of surface temperature field.

Key words: temperature sensing, flexible films, visualization

References

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Fig. 1. (Color online) (a) Schematic of the lattice volume of Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂. (b) Temperature-dependent in-situ XRD spectra of Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂. (c) Temperature evolution of the unit cell volume of Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂. (d) Temperature dependence of the unit cell parameters (a, b, and c axes) of Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂.

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Fig. 2. (Color online) (a, c) the room-temperature PL and PLE spectrum of Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂: Tb³⁺ and Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂: Eu³⁺ phosphors; (b, d) the mechanism of Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂: Tb³⁺ and Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂: Eu³⁺ phosphors.

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Fig. 3. (Color online) (a, c) the temperature dependent PL spectra and (b, d) the enhancement factor of 625 nm luminescence intensity of Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂: Eu³⁺ phosphors under excitation at 292 nm laser and 395 nm laser. (e) the temperature dependent PL spectra and (f) the enhancement factor of 618 nm luminescence intensity of Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂: Tb³⁺ phosphors under excitation at 292 nm laser.

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Fig. 4. (Color online) (a−c) Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the mixed phosphor recorded from 293 K to 573 K. (d) Corresponding CIE chromaticity coordinates. (e) Fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) of Eu³⁺ (I₆₁₈) to Tb³⁺ (I₄₉₅). (f) Thermal sensitivity (Sr) calculated from the intensity ratio I₆₁₈/I₄₉₅.

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Fig. 5. (Color online) (a−c) Mechanical Flexibility of the Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂:Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺ Flexible Films (d) Thermochromic photoluminescence (283−623 K) of the flexible film under 295nm excitation and (e) Luminescent 'bird' pattern for the visualization.

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[10]	Liu Y, Tao J, Mo Y P, Bao R R, Pan C F, Ultrasensitive Touch Sensor for Simultaneous Tactile and Slip Sensing. Adv. Mater, 2024, 36: 2313857
[11]	Sun J N, Zhang P, Yan K, et al. High-performance nanothermometry system with controlled sensitivity based on dual-emission CsPbBr₃/CdTe@SiO₂ core/shell nanocomposites. J Colloid Interface Sci, 2025, 693: 137607 doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2025.137607
[12]	Zhang X G, Huang Y M, Gong M L. Dual-emitting Ce³⁺, Tb³⁺ Co-doped LaOBr phosphor: Luminescence, energy transfer and ratiometric temperature sensing. Chem Eng J, 2017, 307: 291 doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2016.08.087
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[16]	Zheng T, Sójka M, Woźny P, et al. Supersensitive ratiometric thermometry and manometry based on dual-emitting centers in Eu²⁺/Sm²⁺-doped strontium tetraborate phosphors. Adv Opt Mater, 2022, 10(20): 2201055
[17]	Wi S, Lee C, Han J, et al. Thermal-energy-boosted luminescence for precise optical thermometry in Eu/Tb-doped ScNbO4. Adv Opt Mater, 2025, 13(27): 2500863
[18]	Wang X F, Liu Q, Bu Y Y, et al. Optical temperature sensing of rare-earth ion doped phosphors. RSC Adv, 2015, 5(105): 86219 doi: 10.1039/C5RA16986K
[19]	Chen Z H, Cun Y K, Yan S L, et al. Negative and positive thermal expansion effects regulate the upconversion and near-infrared downshift luminescence for multiparametric temperature sensing. Sci China Mater, 2023, 66(12): 4742 doi: 10.1007/s40843-023-2647-1
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[22]	Fu B, Yan H K, Li R F, et al. Heterovalent Zr⁴⁺/Nb⁵⁺-cosubstituted negative thermal expansion luminescent materials with anti-thermal quenching luminescence. Laser Photonics Rev, 2024, 18(12): 2400739
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[24]	Wang Y L, Rui J H, Song H, et al. Antithermal quenching upconversion luminescence via suppressed multiphonon relaxation in positive/negative thermal expansion core/shell NaYF₄: Yb/Ho@ScF₃ nanoparticles. J Am Chem Soc, 2024, 146(10): 6530 doi: 10.1021/jacs.3c10886
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Received: 20 November 2025 Revised: 09 January 2026 Online: Accepted Manuscript: 22 January 2026

Article Navigation > Journal of Semiconductors > 2026 > Accepted Manuscript

Kan Kan, Yangke Cun, Qinghan Zhang, Shenglin Ma, Shilei Yan, Anjun Huang, Zhengwen Yang. Visual temperature-sensing properties of negative thermal expansion Sc2Mo3O12:Eu3+/Tb3+ flexible films[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2026, In Press. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/25110020 ****K Kan, Y K Cun, Q H Zhang, S L Ma, S L Yan, A J Huang, and Z W Yang, Visual temperature-sensing properties of negative thermal expansion Sc2Mo3O12:Eu3+/Tb3+ flexible films[J]. J. Semicond., 2026, accepted doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/25110020

Citation:

Kan Kan, Yangke Cun, Qinghan Zhang, Shenglin Ma, Shilei Yan, Anjun Huang, Zhengwen Yang. Visual temperature-sensing properties of negative thermal expansion Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂:Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺ flexible films[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2026, In Press. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/25110020 ****

K Kan, Y K Cun, Q H Zhang, S L Ma, S L Yan, A J Huang, and Z W Yang, Visual temperature-sensing properties of negative thermal expansion Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂:Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺ flexible films[J]. J. Semicond., 2026, accepted doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/25110020

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Visual temperature-sensing properties of negative thermal expansion Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂:Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺ flexible films

DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/25110020

CSTR: 32376.14.1674-4926.25110020

1.
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, China
2.
School of Chemistry and Oil and Gas Technology, Kuzbas National Technical University, Kemerovo 650000, Russia

More Information

Kan Kan is a Master's candidate at Kunming University of Science and Technology, with his research primarily focused on luminescent materials and the fabrication and applications of flexible alternating current electroluminescent devices
Yangke Cun received her PhD degree from South China University of Technology in 2020. She is currently a contract associate professor at the College of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology. She obtained her bachelor's from Kunming University of Science and Technology in 2015. Her research interests include the Optoelectronic functional materials and devices
Zhengwen Yang is currently a professor at the College of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in 2002 and master's degree in 2005 from Jilin University, respectively. He received his PhD degree from Tsinghua University in 2009. His research interests include the Luminescence control of inorganic materials and external field control of discoloration
Corresponding author: cunyangke@126.com; yangzw@kust.edu.cn
Received Date: 2025-11-20
Revised Date: 2026-01-09

Available Online: 2026-01-22

Abstract

Abstract

Fluorescence temperature sensing technology has become a research direction in the field of temperature measurement with its significant advantages of non-contact measurement, high spatial resolution, fast response and anti-electromagnetic interference. Although the double rare earth ion doping ratio fluorescent temperature sensing materials have made significant progress, the thermal quenching phenomenon is still the key bottleneck restricting its performance improvement. In this study, we propose to construct a flexible Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂:Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺ film with negative thermal expansion characteristics, and systematically study its visual temperature sensing characteristics. The negative thermal expansion characteristics of Sc₂Mo₃O₁₂ matrix effectively inhibited the thermal quenching rate of Tb³⁺ luminescence, and enhanced the thermal enhanced luminescence effect of Eu³⁺. This two-way regulation mechanism improves the intensity comparison of the two light-emitting channels, and provides an innovative strategy for improving the sensitivity of temperature sensing. The flexible film based on Eu³⁺/Tb³⁺ codoped system realizes intuitive temperature perception through the significant change of fluorescent color, and can complete the temperature interpretation without complex spectral equipment. This greatly expands its application prospect in the field of rapid field detection and real-time monitoring, and shows its broad potential in the fields of wearable devices, biomedical diagnosis, and real-time monitoring of surface temperature field.
- temperature sensing,
- flexible films,
- visualization

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