Spatiotemporally controlled nano-sized third harmonic generation agents

Biomed Opt Express. 2019 Jun 13;10(7):3301-3316. doi: 10.1364/BOE.10.003301. eCollection 2019 Jul 1.

Abstract

Here, we present a new class of third harmonic generation (THG) imaging probes that can be activated with precise spatiotemporal control using non-linear excitation. These probes consist of lipid-coated perfluorocarbon nanodroplets with embedded visible chromophores. The droplets undergo phase transition from liquid to gas upon heating mediated by two-photon absorption of NIR light by the embedded dyes. Resulting microbubbles provide a sharp, local refractive index mismatch, which makes an excellent source of THG signal. Potential applications of these probes include activatable THG agents for biological imaging and "on-demand" delivery of various compounds under THG monitoring.