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. 2020 Mar 14;12(2):593–600. doi: 10.1007/s12551-020-00683-8

Table 2.

Current issues in luminescence nanothermometry

Category Description Comments
Validity of temperature in luminescence nanothermometry

• In aqueous conditions and luminescent temperature probes, the concept of temperature is valid even on a scale of 10 nm.

• Temperature fluctuations can be on the order of 1 K at 10-nm scale with a characteristic correlation time on the order of 0.1 ns.

• The fluctuations can be averaged out in most of the current luminescence thermometry and be reduced.
The 105 gap issue • Amplitude of temperature increase calculated using parameters well identified is unable to explain values determined in measurements.

• Non-luminescent thermal probes also report temperature increases in individual cells.

• Thermal conductivity of a single lipid bilayer experimentally determined was about three times smaller than that of water.

• Calculations including boundary heat resistance problem expect the average thermal conductivity in cells up to six times smaller than that in water.

• This issue is still an open question.