(Invited) Luminescent Lanthanide Doped Nanoparticles

Abstract

In the last decade, the field of lanthanide doped upconverting nanoparticles has vastly matured, progressing from the basic understanding of the photophysical properties governing their nanoscale luminescence, to their use in the study of a number of fundamental properties and ultimately to a plethora of applications, with considerable focus in biology and medicine. This interest stems primarily from the ability to stimulate these luminescent nanoparticles with near-infrared (NIR) light as well as their diverse emission wavelengths spanning the UV to the NIR. Therefore, with a single NIR excitation wavelength, it is possible to observe anti-Stokes emission, known as upconversion, or single photon (Stokes) NIR emission. Here, we present our work on the synthesis and surface functionalization of various NIR excited (and emitting) core/shell lanthanide doped nanostructures/nanoplatforms and demonstrate how their various emissions could be harnessed for applications in biology and nanomedicine. Moreover, we investigate how these functional nanoparticles could be rendered even more versatile through rational combination with other NIR excited optical nanostructures.