A lanthanide-doped glass-ceramic fiber for stress sensing

Stress sensors that can recognize the location where a force is applied and propagate strain information are desirable for future integrated intelligent devices. However, developing sensors free from electromagnetic interference and complicated detector setups is challenging. Here, a self-driven optical fiber is developed and implemented as a remote stress sensor. Terbium-doped fluoride nanocrystals (Ba2LaF7: Tb3+) are precipitated in situ from a transparent glass and have notable mechanoluminescence (ML) because of designed defect traps. We propose that the encapsulated nature of the nanocrystals (NCs) within the amorphous matrix facilitates efficient energy transfer from traps to emission centers, which is critical for achieving the ML behavior. The optical waveguide effect of the as-developed transparent ML sensor facilitates capture and transmission of the signals. The explored self-driven glass ceramic fiber opens a door for detecting and recording mechanical information within integrated devices.