Adjustable Optical Properties Research Articles

Wafer-level flexible carbon-based film for fluorescent display and optical information storage

Fluorescent materials have garnered significant interest in optical display and information storage fields for their vibrant and distinct color presentation. Extensive research has been conducted on carbon-based fluorescent materials owing to their environmental sustainability, versatility, and adjustable optical properties. However, it is difficult to integrate high-resolution fluorescent structure on various wafer-level substrate for abundant optical display and information storage. This study successfully fabricated wafer-level carbon-based fluorescent flexible film with ∼100 μm thick using a standardized “lithography + annealing” process. The sample demonstrates high fluorescence intensity with a peak at 603 nm and fluorescence lifetime of 0.3517 ns. When excited by light of 365 nm, 485 nm, and 525 nm wavelengths, the film displays yellow, green, and red, showcasing exceptional color tuning capability. This flexible film is portable and can be readily integrated with various substrates, offering significant technical and theoretical support for advancing carbon-based optical display and information storage technologies.

Investigated numerically nanoshell thickness on photothermal response of hybrid nanostructures in an aqueous medium

The current study describes the effect of changing a shell thickness on photothermal response of a hybrid nanostructures, using theoretical investigation based on the Finite Element Method (FEM) of the COMSOL multi-physics program. The hybrid nanostructures are the Core/Shell nanoparticles (C/S NPs) and the Core/Multi-Shell nanoparticles (C/MS NPs), with fixed core diameter (30 nm) and variable shell thickness (10–20 nm) to create a new type of hybrid nanostructures usable in photonic and optoelectronic applications. For these hybrid nanostructures, gold (Au) and silver (Ag) as a partner of titanium dioxide (TiO2) were used in thermo-plasmonic part. Hybrid multi-shell nanostructures consist of silver-gold and gold-silver sandwich with titanium dioxide shell in between, all of which are dispersed in an aqueous medium (n = 1.33). The optical properties, the local field distribution, and local heating control of plasmonic nanostructures have been studied under the influence of illumination at plasmonic wavelengths (405, and 532 nm). The results revealed to a clear tunable and adjustable optical and thermo-plasmonic properties by controlling the structure of the core/shell NPs. This results can be enhanced by changing the shell thickness, shape, size, and the nanostructure. The temperature elevation of the core/shell NPs was about 1–5 °C under different wavelengths of laser irradiation. Based on those results, there is possibility of using the core/shell nanoparticles as an efficient heat source in many applications, such as in the sterilization and disinfection of medical equipments.

Piezofluorochromism in Covalent Organic Frameworks: Pressure-Induced Emission Enhancement and Blue-Shifted Emission.

Achieving enhanced or blue-shifted emission from piezochromic materials remains a major challenge. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising candidates for the development of piezochromic materials owing to their dynamic structures and adjustable optical properties, where the emission behaviors are not solely determined by the functional groups, but are also greatly influenced by the specific geometric arrangement. Nevertheless, this area remains relatively understudied. In this study, a successful synthesis of a series of bicarbazole-based COFs with varying topologies, dimensions, and linkages was conducted, followed by an investigation of their structural and emission properties under hydrostatic pressure generated by a diamond anvil cell. Consequently, these COFs exhibited distinct piezochromic behaviors, particularly a remarkable pressure-induced emission enhancement (PIEE) phenomenon with a 16-fold increase in fluorescence intensity from three-dimensional COFs, surpassing the performance of CPMs and most organic small molecules with PIEE behavior. On the contrary, three two-dimensional COFs with flexible structures exhibited rare blue-shifted emission, whereas the variants with rigid and conjugated structures showed common red-shifted and reduced emission. Mechanism research further revealed that these different piezochromic behaviors were primarily determined by interlayer distance and interaction. This study represents the first systematic exploration of the structures and emission properties of COFs through pressure-treated engineering and provides a new perspective on the design of piezochromic materials.

Piezofluorochromism in Covalent Organic Frameworks: Pressure‐Induced Emission Enhancement and Blue‐Shifted Emission

AbstractAchieving enhanced or blue‐shifted emission from piezochromic materials remains a major challenge. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising candidates for the development of piezochromic materials owing to their dynamic structures and adjustable optical properties, where the emission behaviors are not solely determined by the functional groups, but are also greatly influenced by the specific geometric arrangement. Nevertheless, this area remains relatively understudied. In this study, a successful synthesis of a series of bicarbazole‐based COFs with varying topologies, dimensions, and linkages was conducted, followed by an investigation of their structural and emission properties under hydrostatic pressure generated by a diamond anvil cell. Consequently, these COFs exhibited distinct piezochromic behaviors, particularly a remarkable pressure‐induced emission enhancement (PIEE) phenomenon with a 16‐fold increase in fluorescence intensity from three‐dimensional COFs, surpassing the performance of CPMs and most organic small molecules with PIEE behavior. On the contrary, three two‐dimensional COFs with flexible structures exhibited rare blue‐shifted emission, whereas the variants with rigid and conjugated structures showed common red‐shifted and reduced emission. Mechanism research further revealed that these different piezochromic behaviors were primarily determined by interlayer distance and interaction. This study represents the first systematic exploration of the structures and emission properties of COFs through pressure‐treated engineering and provides a new perspective on the design of piezochromic materials.

Synthesis of Au@Ag core-shell nanorods with tunable optical properties.

The synthesis of noble metal nanostructures with adjustable optical properties is essential due to their potential applications in various fields such as imaging, (bio) sensors, and catalysis. In this study, Au@Ag core-shell nanorods were synthesized with tunable optical properties. The synthesis process includes a two-stage approach: first, gold nanorods were synthesized through seed-mediated growth, and in the second stage, these gold nanorods were used as seeds to synthesize Au@Ag core-shell nanorods through the silver deposition process. Tunable core-shell nanorods were produced by changing the concentration of silver ions, reducing agent, stabilizing agent, seeds, and buffer as well as pH and the reaction time. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images demonstrated the formation of the Au@Ag core-shell nanorod structure. In addition, UV-visible spectroscopy revealed the peak height and its shift towards shorter wavelengths, demonstrating the tunable optical properties of the synthesized nanorods. Overall, in this study, we demonstrated the synthesis of Au@Ag core-shell nanorods with adjustable plasmonic optical properties that could be changed by precisely controlling the thickness of the silver shell on the surface of the gold core.&#xD.

Firefly-inspired bipolar information indication system actuated by white light

The indication of information in materials is widely used in our daily life, and optical encoding materials are ideal for information loading due to their easily readable nature and adjustable optical properties. However, most of them could only indicate one type of information, either changing or unchanging due to the mutual interference. Inspired by firefly, we present a non-interfering bipolar information indication system capable of indicating both changing and unchanging information. A photochemical afterglow material is incorporated into the photonic crystal matrix through a high-throughput technique called shear-induced ordering technique, which can efficiently produce large-area photonic crystal films. The indication of changing and unchanging information is enabled by two different utilizations of white light by the afterglow material and photonic crystals, respectively, which overcome the limitations of mutual interference. As a proof of concept, this system is used to indicate the changing photodegradation level of mecobalamin (a photosensitive medicine) and unchanging intrinsic drug information with anti-counterfeiting functionality, which is a promising alternative to instantly ascertain the efficacy of medicine at home where conventional assays are impractical.

Controlled Dedoping and Redoping of N‐Doped Poly(benzodifurandione) (n‐PBDF)

AbstractThe doping levels of conjugated polymers significantly influence their conductivity, energetics, and optical properties. Recently, a highly conductive n‐doped polymer called poly (3,7‐dihydrobenzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]difuran‐2,6‐dione) (poly(benzodifurandione), n‐PBDF) is discovered, opening new possibilities for n‐type conducting polymers in printed electronics and other fields. Controlling the doping level of n‐PBDF is of great interest due to its wide range of potential applications. Here controlled dedoping and redoping of n‐PBDF is reported and a mechanistic understating of such a process is provided. Dedoping occurs through electron transfer and proton capture, wherein the ionic dopants, tris(4‐bromophenyl)ammoniumyl hexachloroantimonate (Magic Blue), exhibit efficient proton capture ability and stronger interaction with n‐PBDF, resulting in high dedoping efficiency. Moreover, chemically dedoped PBDF can be redoped using various proton‐coupled electron transfer agents. By manipulating the doping levels of n‐PBDF thin films, ranging from highly doped to dedoped states, the system demonstrates controllable conductivity in five orders of magnitude, adjustable optical properties, and energetics. As a result, these characteristics demonstrate the potential applications of n‐PBDF in organic electrochemical transistors and thermoelectrics.

Numerical simulation of radiative flow with magnetized micropolar nanofluid along a curved stretched surface involving blood silica nanoparticles

Silicon nanoparticles can be used as contrast agents in medical imaging procedures such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and fluorescence imaging. They can aid in the early identification and diagnosis of illnesses by enhancing image sensitivity and resolution through adjustable optical and magnetic properties. Additionally, the knowledge gathered from this research might help create cooling systems for electronics and thermal management applications that are more effective. The focus of current research is on the steady two-dimensional radiative flow of blood with silicon dioxide particles along a curved, stretched surface using a magnetized micropolar nanofluid. Furthermore, the effect of radiation is mentioned. Formulating a mathematical representation of flow equations requires the use of variables in curvilinear form. The leading PDEs are converted into nonlinear ODEs using the non-similarity approach. A bvp4c based on a three-stage Lobatto approach is used to solve the modified nonlinear ODEs. Numerical results for skin factor, couple stress, and local Nusselt number are presented in tabular form, and velocity, microrotation, and temperature fields are presented in graphs. The micro-rotation and temperature field exhibits a declining tendency with rising material parameters, whereas the velocity profile shows the opposite pattern. In addition, the significance of various physical characteristics under various parametric assumptions for a curved, stretched channel is reviewed and emphasized.

Unveiling the physical properties of RbCu3MSe4 (M = Si, Ge) direct band gap semiconductors: A systematic first-principles study

The Silicon and Germanium-based quaternary chalcogenides have remarkable features including their adjustable optical properties and outstanding thermal stability. We explored the complex interplay among the structural, electronic, optical, and thermoelectric characteristics of direct band gap novel RbCu3MSe4 (M = Si, Ge) quaternary chalcogenides by employing the well-known density functional theory. Direct type of band gap at high symmetry Г-point was noticed for both materials. The predicted band gaps of RbCu3SiSe4 and RbCu3GeSe4 are 1.32 eV and 0.73 eV, respectively. Due to the large size of germanium ions compared to silicon, the Ge–Se bonds in RbCu3GeSe4 are more wide-ranging than the Si–Se bonds in RbCu3SiSe4. The complex dielectric function along with other significant optical parameters are investigated and analyzed for their probable employment for optoelectronic applications. These examined materials are suitable to be employed in thermoelectric devices as observed from substantial and outstanding thermoelectric features. The present work could establish the potential employment of these complex systems and would open the way for advanced applications in various fields and technologies.

Near-Infrared Light Emitting Metal Halides: Materials, Mechanisms, and Applications.

Near-Infrared (NIR) light emitting metal halides are emerging as a new generation of optical materials owing to their appealing features, which include low-cost synthesis, solution processability, and adjustable optical properties. NIR-emitting perovskite-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have reached an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of over 20% and a device stability of over 10,000 h. Such results have sparked an interest in exploring new NIR metal halide emitters. In this review, several different types of NIR-emitting metal halides, including lead/tin bromide/iodide perovskites, lanthanide ions doped/based metal halides, double perovskites, low dimensional hybrid and Bi3+/Sb3+/Cr3+ doped metal halides, are summarized, and their recent advancement is assessed. The characteristics and mechanisms of narrow-band or broadband NIR luminescence in all these materials are discussed in detail. Also, the various applications of NIR-emitting metal halides are highlighted and an outlook for the field is provided.

Boron- and Oxygen-Doped π-Extended Helical Nanographene with Circularly Polarised Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence.

Helical nanographenes have garnered substantial attention owing to their finely adjustable optical and semiconducting properties. The strategic integration of both helicity and heteroatoms into the nanographene structure, facilitated by a boron-oxygen-based multiple resonance (MR) thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), elevates its photophysical and chiroptical features. This signifies the introduction of an elegant category of helical nanographene that combines optical (TADF) and chiroptical (CPL) features. In this direction, we report the synthesis, optical, and chiroptical properties of boron, oxygen-doped Π-extended helical nanographene. The π-extension induces distortion in the DOBNA-incorporated nanographene, endowing a pair of helicenes, (P)-B2NG, and (M)-B2NG exhibiting circularly polarized luminescence with glum of -2.3×10-3 and +2.5×10-3, respectively. B2NG exhibited MR-TADF with a lifetime below 5 μs, and a reasonably high fluorescence quantum yield (50 %). Our molecular design enriches the optical and chiroptical properties of nanographenes and opens up new opportunities in multidisciplinary fields.

Bioinspired electrically stable, optically tunable thermal management electronic skin via interfacial self-assembly

The skin is the largest organ in the human body and serves vital functions such as sensation, thermal management, and protection. While electronic skin (E-skin) has made significant progress in sensory functions, achieving adaptive thermal management akin to human skin has remained a challenge. Drawing inspiration from squid skin, we have developed a hybrid electronic-photonic skin (hEP-skin) using an elastomer semi-embedded with aligned silver nanowires through interfacial self-assembly. With mechanically adjustable optical properties, the hEP-skin demonstrates adaptive thermal management abilities, warming in the range of +3.5°C for heat preservation and cooling in the range of −4.2°C for passive cooling. Furthermore, it exhibits an ultra-stable high electrical conductivity of ∼4.5×104 S/cm, even under stretching, bending or torsional deformations over 10,000 cycles. As a proof of demonstration, the hEP-skin successfully integrates stretchable light-emitting electronic skin with adaptive thermal management photonic skin.

Controlling the optical properties of chiral nematic mesoporous organosilica films with bioadditives.

Chiral nematic mesoporous organosilica (CNMO) films have unique iridescent properties that make them attractive candidates for decorations, sensing and photonics. However, it has proven difficult to control the colour and porosity of CNMO films. Here, we have explored the addition of a range of biodegradable and eco-friendly additives to tune the helical pitch and, hence, the colour of the CNMO materials. It was found that the controlled integration of additives allows for the colour of the materials to be tuned across the visible spectrum, but cannot be used to tune the porosity of the films. This work opens up new prospects for preparation of CNMO materials with adjustable optical properties.

Fabrication of Tuneable Tissue-Mimicking Phantom for Optical Methods.

Tissue mimicking optical phantoms are commonly used to calibrate or validate the performance of near-infrared spectroscopy or tomography. Human tissue is not only irregular in shape, but also exhibits dynamic behaviour, which can cause changes in optical properties. However, existing phantoms lack complex structures and/or continuously varying optical properties. The project aimed to design, fabricate and characterise a novel phantom system for testing near-infrared imaging devices. We designed a dynamic tissue-mimicking phantom platform which features arbitrary internal shapes and variable optical properties. The solid part of phantom was made of silicone material with absorbing and scattering properties similar to the brain. We printed a semi-ellipsoidal sphere (a major axis=20 mmand a minor axis=the third axis=12 mm) using a water-soluble material polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The shape was placed at the depth of 5 mm in the silicone bulk. The desired internal hollow structure was formed after curing and submerging the phantom in water. The liquid part contained dyes and Intralipid. The optical properties within the internal shape were adjusted by injecting the liquid solutions of varying dye concentrations with a syringe pump at a constant rate. The phantom was measured by a frequency domain near-infrared spectroscopy (FD NIRS) and imaged by a time domain near-infrared optical tomography (TD NIROT). A dynamic phantom system with a complex internal structure and varying optical properties was created. Changes in light intensity were detected by the FD NIRS. The internal structure of this phantom was accurately recovered by NIROT image reconstruction. We successfully developed a novel phantom system with an internal complex shape and continuously adjustable optical properties. This phantom was accurately imaged using NIROT, and the changing light intensity was detected by NIRS. It is a valuable tool for validating optical technologies.

Continuous flow synthesis and simulation-supported investigation of tunable plasmonic gold patchy nanoparticles.

Plasmonic nanoparticles have intriguing optical properties which make them suitable candidates for sensing or theranostic applications. Anisotropic patchy particles, where metal is locally deposited on the surface of a core particle, exhibit plasmon resonances that can be specifically adjusted for these applications. However, many existing synthesis routes are complex, yield too little material, or provide particles with limited optical tunability. In this work, we present a simple and scalable continuous flow synthesis of gold-on-polystyrene patchy particles with widely adjustable optical properties. By increasing the chloride concentration in the electroless deposition of gold, we slow down the redox reduction kinetics and obtain a dense patch morphology as well as a reduced nucleation rate. The latter is counteracted by introducing a low-level seeding approach where a small number of gold nanocrystals heterocoagulate with the core particles prior to patch growth. Seeding and patch growth are performed in a continuous flow set-up with two T-shaped milli-mixers. The resulting patchy particle samples exhibit a tunable dipolar plasmon peak between 600 nm and 1100 nm. We also investigate the structure-property relationship for our gold patchy particles using finite element method simulations. After identifying a suitable patch shape model, we elucidate the influence of individual geometric parameters on the optical properties and show that the relationship holds true for a large range of patch coverages. Finally, we apply the relationship to explain the time-dependent change in the optical properties of as-synthesized patches by correlating it with the patch shape transformation revealed by electron microscopy.

Facile preparation, optical mechanism elaboration, and bio-imaging application of fluorescent cellulose nanocrystals with tunable emission wavelength

Interfacing cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with fluorescent materials provides more possibilities for constructing of sensory/imaging platforms in biomedical applications. In this work, by harnessing the efficient extraction accompanied modification of CNCs and adjustable optical properties of carbon dots (CDs), we report the constructions and emission wavelength tuning of fluorescent CNCs (F-CNCs) composed of CNC nano-scaffolds and CDs. The as-prepared CNCs are densely decorated with citric acid (CA), which plays the role of carbon source for the in-situ synthesis of CDs on CNCs. For the F-CNCs carrying blue, green, and red emissive CDs, ethylenediamine (EDA), urea, and thiourea are the N or N/S sources. Fingerprints of chemical groups, morphological characters, and redox activities are resolved to elaborate the optical mechanisms of CDs with varying emission colors. The emission wavelength is adjusted by either changing the particle size or introducing new emission centers. Both are primarily achieved via precursor engineering. The F-CNCs reveal quantum yields (QYs) >22 % and negligible fluorescence quenching (< 6 %) upon continuous excitation as long as 24 h. Benefited from their cell membrane penetration capability, the F-CNCs with different emission wavelengths were challenged for multiplexed cytoplasm imaging.

Combining heterointerface/surface oxygen vacancies engineering of bismuth oxide to synergistically improve its solar water splitting performance

Solar-powered photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is recognized as a strategy for addressing fossil resource and global warming concerns. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate for the first time a facile method to fabricate dendritic nanostructured (DN) Bi:Bi2O3 heterointerface engineering junctions that possess abundant surface oxygen vacancies (OVs, DN Bi:Bi2O3-OVs/FTO), with outstanding PEC performance. The surface OVs serve as shallow donors and active reaction sites, whereas the Bi-metal bridges are used for fast electron transport. Furthermore, surface OVs can enhance the surface features of Bi:Bi2O3 heterointerfaces and boost their electrical conductivity and donor density. This greatly enhances electrolyte ion and electron mobility, resulting in rapid water oxidation reactions at the Bi:Bi2O3/electrolyte interfaces. By combining the Bi:Bi2O3 heterointerface junction and surface OVs, we are able to create an effective photoanode with 95 % charge injection efficiency, applied bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) of 0.112 %, and a photocurrent response of 0.334 mA.cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), which represents improvements of about 4.5 and 10 folds over that of pure DN Bi2O3 photoanode. It is possible to construct a variety of unique nanostructured electrodes with adjustable optical and electronic properties to be used in solar cells, energy storage, and PEC applications.

Recent Progress of Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Quantum Dots: Preparation, Optical Regulation, and Application in Light‐Emitting Diodes

AbstractOrganic–inorganic hybrid perovskite quantum dots (QIHP‐QDs) have aroused widespread interest due to their superior photoelectric performance, quantum confinement effect, excellent photoelectric property, color‐tunability, and high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) especially for QD‐based light‐emitting diodes (QLEDs). It is worth noting that a diverse selection of organic cations brings more adjustable optical properties to OIHP‐QDs compared with all‐inorganic perovskite QDs; thus the research on OIHP‐QDs has become a hit subject over recent years. This review summarizes the latest progress in synthesis strategy and optical property regulation of OIHP‐QDs in conjunction with the recent developments of their application in QLEDs. In addition, the current challenges limiting the applicability of QIHP‐QDs are discussed, and the development of OIHP‐QDs in the future is proposed.

Antenna effect of perylene-sensitized up-conversion luminescent material amplifies the signal of electrochemiluminescence biosensor platform for the ultra-sensitive detection of enrofloxacin

Recently, up-conversion luminescent (UCL) materials have caught extensive sight on account of their excellent biocompatibility and weak automatic fluorescence background, but the low optical signal makes researchers shy away. Organic dye-sensitized UCL materials can improve the low optical signal drawback of UCL and rejuvenate it with adjustable optical properties and unique antenna effects. In this work, an efficient, simple and selective electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensing platform was developed for determination of enrofloxacin (ENR). 3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic acid (PTCA) was successfully used as an “antenna” to improve the ECL performance of the UCL nanoparticles (PEI-NaYF4: Yb, Er) due to its appropriate excitation spectrum position and superior electron transfer rate. The specific recognition function of the aptamer enabled the sensor to eliminate the interference from conspecific impurity. In the presence of ENR, the specific combination of ENR with aptamer made the aptamer fall from surface of the electrode, thus we could see a considerable enhancement of signal. Under the most favourable conditions, the aptasensor based on antenna effect displayed a wide detection range (1.0 × 10−14∼1.0 × 10−6 M), low limit of detection (LOD = 3.0 × 10−15 M) and receivable recoveries (96.0%–102.4%) during water samples analysis. At this point, antenna effect provides a powerful strategy to expand the application of UCL in the field of ECL biosensing.

Functionally integrated conductive organohydrogel sensor for wearable motion detection, triboelectric nanogenerator and non-contact sensing

In the field of wearable devices, hydrogel has become a new material due to its excellent flexibility and adjustable multifunctionality. However, there are still many problems in practical application, which cannot meet the requirements of people for flexible electronic devices. Herein, a stretchable, self-adhesive, anti-freezing and moisturizing ion-conductive organohydrogel was successfully prepared. This organohydrogel can exhibit adjustable optical properties in different solvents, and the strain sensor based on it can exhibits excellent sensing capability and real-time responsiveness to various strains, pressures and human body. In addition, the organohydrogel exhibits excellent energy harvesting capabilities when it was assembled with Ecoflex elastomers to form a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG). And when it was assembled with Ecoflex elastomer to form a non-contact capacitive sensor, it can achieve good proximity sensing stability. Therefore, it can be seen that the multifunctional organohydrogel provides an idea for the design and preparation of advanced versatile flexible sensors.