Intelligent fiber sensors based on upconversion nanoparticles for integrated optical information processing and temperature monitoring

Thermal management of logical operations is of crucial importance for optical logic gate (OLG) devices in optical information processing and beyond. Generally, the OLG unit is separated with the sensors, making it difficult to monitor their status accurately in a real-time mode. Here, we report the design and fabrication of an optical fiber composed of core-shelled nanoparticles with rationally designed orthogonal upconversion photoluminescence (UCPL); accordingly, a versatile and multidimensional sensor platform for synchronized OLGs and temperature sensing has been demonstrated. Specifically, the high-contrast logic functions (16.2 dB for logical OR gate) have been realized by setting specific thresholds, and the Boltzmann-type luminescence thermometry function (maximum relative sensitivity of 3.1% K −1 ) is integrated based on the UCPL spectra in fluorescence optical fibers. This work paves the way for fluorescence fiber sensors as compact and flexible sensing platforms for intelligent photonic integration. • Core-shelled nanoparticles were rationally designed with orthogonal UCPL • Flexible fluorescent optical fibers based on UCNPs conduct temperature sensing • An optical fiber realizes synchronous Boolean computation and temperature monitoring Currently, the monitoring of optical path status is of vital importance in fields such as optical communication and information processing. Traditional monitoring attempts involving external photodetectors and bypass monitoring methods suffer drawbacks such as non- in situ monitoring and increased system complexity and cost, highlighting the urgent need for intrinsic and logic-function-integrated sensing mechanisms. The optical-controlled logic gate demonstrates significant advantages in parallel processing due to its multi-dimensional controllability of light, the multi-functional responsiveness of the system, and its non-invasive reading characteristics. It can support parallel information processing with multiple wavelengths and is applicable to cutting-edge fields such as real-time environmental monitoring, photonic computing, and information security. Wang et al. develop a versatile and multidimensional sensor platform for synchronized optical logical gates and temperature sensing in an optical fiber, which is composed of core-shelled nanoparticles with rationally designed orthogonal upconversion photoluminescence.