Luminescence Thermometry based on Lanthanide complexes

Luminescent lanthanide coordination complexes are emerging as promising candidates in next-generation molecular devices due to their unique optical and magnetic properties. Lanthanide ions (Ln³⁺) complexes exhibit exceptional characteristics arising from their 4f-electrons, including long-lived emission, narrow spectral bandwidth, substantial Stokes shifts, and high quantum yields. Specifically, forbidden f-f electronic transitions provide distinctive optical properties beneficial for various sensing applications, notably luminescence thermometry. Compared to traditional contact-based methods, luminescent thermometers offer advantages such as higher sensitivity, rapid response times, improved spatial resolution, and non-invasive functionalities. Despite these promising aspects, current luminescent thermometers differ significantly in their thermal sensitivities, accuracy, and operational temperature ranges. The field continues to seek innovative synthetic strategies, rigorous photophysical characterization, and effective implementation of lanthanide-based thermometric platforms.

This Research Topic aims to highlight recent trends, approaches, and breakthroughs in luminescence thermometry leveraging lanthanide coordination complexes. Particular emphasis will be placed on advancing synthetic methodologies, enhancing luminescent properties, exploring new designs ranging from single molecules to multidimensional frameworks, and identifying novel technological and biomedical applications. Ultimately, the goal is to advance the technological maturity, performance metrics, fundamental understanding, and versatile use cases of lanthanide complexes in a diverse range of thermometric applications.

To gather further insights into recent advances and promising strategies within lanthanide-based luminescent thermometry, we welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review, and Perspective articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Luminescent thermometers based on lanthanide single-molecule magnets (Ln-SMMs)
• Ratiometric luminescent temperature sensors employing lanthanide coordination complexes
• Heterometallic polycyanidometallate-based coordination polymers as potential luminescent thermometers
• Design and engineering of lanthanide-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for temperature sensing
• Highly sensitive lanthanide complexes optimized for physiological temperature measurements
• Lanthanide-doped luminescent silica materials suitable for advanced thermometric applications
• Luminescent nanothermometers achieved through encapsulation of lanthanide complexes in magnetic or polymeric nanoparticles

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Keywords: Luminescent thermometers; lanthanide complexes; Ln-SMM; nanothermometers; coordination polymers; MOFs; temperature sensing; biocompatibility.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.