The Er3+/Yb3+-codoped Y2Mo4O15 microparticles, which possessed admirable optical
thermometric and upconversion (UC) emission behaviors, were synthesized
through the traditional sintering technology of the sol–gel
route. Under near-infrared (NIR) light excitation, the obtained compounds
showed the featured green and red UC emissions of Er3+ ions.
The most intense luminescent intensity was detected when the Yb3+ ion content was 40 mol %. Through studying the temperature-dependent
UC emission intensity ratio of the monitored green emissions, the
optical thermometric properties of the resultant microparticles were
investigated. The maximum sensor sensitivity of the studied microparticles
with optimum doping concentration was approximately 0.00846 K–1. Moreover, the achieved maximum sensor sensitivity
was independent of the dopant content that was identical with the
theoretical analysis by taking advantage of the Judd–Ofelt
theory. Furthermore, a significant increment in the compounds’
temperature was achieved when the excitation pump power was verified
in the range of 320–1040 mW. Ultimately, a green-emitting light-emitting
diode device was developed with the aid of synthesized microparticles
and a 940 nm NIR chip so as to identify their applicability for solid-state
lighting. These aforementioned characteristics make the Er3+/Yb3+-codoped Y2Mo4O15 microparticles not only suitable for noncontacting optical thermometry
but also for solid-state lighting.