The
generation and flow of heat in the microscale are
involved
in a great variety of physical, chemical, and biological processes.
Accurate measurement of local temperatures provides essential information
for the complete characterization of nano/microdevices and the comprehension
of local thermal effects. Using Er3+-doped upconversion
nanoparticles (UCNPs) as thermal probes deposited on different thermally
active microstructures, we assembled a motorized platform for scanning
the upconversion luminescence (UCL) and retrieved temperature readings.
We discuss critical aspects of the technique, such as calibration
procedures, self-heating of substrate materials, the role of power
density of the excitation light, and the uniformity of the coatings.
A temperature resolution of 0.24(2) K, a spatial resolution of 0.24(7)
μm, and a temporal resolution of 0.034(6) s were achieved. The
platform was used for the characterization of two thermally active
systems of interest: a microheater device and a photothermal nanoparticle
coating immersed in a buffered solution. We emphasize potential applications
for this method in the fields of cell biology and explore potential
improvements with the use of UCNPs with increased thermal sensitivity,
uniform self-assembled monolayer covering, and the integration of
specific optical elements in the setup.