The temperature-sensitive
luminescence of nanoparticles enables
their application as remote thermometers. The size of these nanothermometers
makes them ideal to map temperatures with a high spatial resolution.
However, high spatial resolution mapping of temperatures >373 K
has
remained challenging. Here, we realize nanothermometry with high spatial
resolutions at elevated temperatures using chemically stable upconversion
nanoparticles and confocal microscopy. We test this method on a microelectromechanical
heater and study the temperature homogeneity. Our experiments reveal
distortions in the luminescence spectra that are intrinsic to high-resolution
measurements of samples with nanoscale photonic inhomogeneities. In
particular, the spectra are affected by the high-power excitation
as well as by scattering and reflection of the emitted light. The
latter effect has an increasing impact at elevated temperatures. We
present a procedure to correct these distortions. As a result, we
extend the range of high-resolution nanothermometry beyond 500 K with
a precision of 1–4 K. This work will improve the accuracy of
nanothermometry not only in micro- and nanoelectronics but also in
other fields with photonically inhomogeneous substrates.
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