A physicist's best friend: Quantum coherence in diamond augments fluorescence thermometry
(Phys.org) —Thermometry – the measurement of temperature – is critical to a wide range of applications, including many industrial processes, biomedical monitoring, and environmental regulatory systems. However, measuring temperature in the presence of high RF (radio frequency) or other electromagnetic fields – such as are found in aerospace, automotive and medical systems – cannot be accomplished using electrical thermometric probes. In these cases, optical sensors that allow scientists to perform thermometry based on thermally-driven changes in fluorescence (brightness) are the instrument of choice. While typical fluorescence thermometers use millimeter-scale optical probes, smaller devices are needed to measure temperatures in intracellular and other nanoscale environments. As a result, the field has witnessed the development of nanoscale fluorescence thermometers based on quantum dots, rare-earth ions and nanogels.