Partially aggregated Rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye is used as a lights-on temperature sensor to analyze the spatiotemporal heating of aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) embedded within a tetrafluoroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and vinylidene fluoride (THV) fluoropolymer matrix. The embedded Al NPs were photothermally heated using an IR laser, and the fluorescent intensity of the embedded dye was monitored in real time using an optical microscope. A plasmonic grating substrate enhanced the florescence intensity of the dye while increasing the optical resolution and heating rate of Al NPs. The fluorescence intensity was converted to temperature maps via controlled calibration. The experimental temperature profiles were used to determine the Al NP heat generation rate. Partially aggregated R6G dyes, combined with the optical benefits of a plasmonic grating, offered robust temperature sensing with sub-micron spatial resolution and temperature resolution on the order of 0.2 °C.
