Ultrastrong Infrared Emission at 1460 nm from Lanthanide-Doped Nanoparticles with Interfacial Sensitization

Xiaofeng Wu; Shiping Zhan; Guozheng Nie; Yunxin Liu

doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c03756

Ultrastrong Infrared Emission at 1460 nm from Lanthanide-Doped Nanoparticles with Interfacial Sensitization

Inorg Chem. 2024 Jan 8;63(1):760-765. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c03756. Epub 2023 Dec 19.

Authors

Xiaofeng Wu¹, Shiping Zhan¹, Guozheng Nie², Yunxin Liu²

Affiliations

¹ School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China.
² Department of Physics and Electronic Science, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China.

PMID: 38113510
DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c03756

Abstract

Fluorescent imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II; 1000-1700 nm) has recently received tremendous attention due to its excellent tissue probing depths and high resolution. Under NIR pumping, lanthanide-doped nanoparticles can emit infrared light covering a wide range of 800-3000 nm which has good potential for NIR-II imaging and detection. However, the low efficiency hinders their application. Here, we report intense infrared emission at 1460 nm from lanthanide-doped core/shell nanoparticles with efficient interfacial sensitization. The emitter Tm³⁺ ion and the sensitizer Yb³⁺ and Nd³⁺ ions are spatially separated in core and shells so that the efficient interfacial energy transfer is established between Tm³⁺ and Yb³⁺/Nd³⁺ ions, while thermal vibration spread of high concentration of Yb³⁺ ions and cross-relaxation among Tm³⁺, Yb³⁺, and Nd³⁺ ions are suppressed. As a result, the ultrastrong NIR-II emission at 1460 nm is achieved, which is more than 100-times that in classic core/shell nanoparticles doped with Tm³⁺ (NaYF₄:20%Yb,0.5%Tm@ NaYF₄).