Luminescence Lifetime Research Articles

Doping a highly charged, water-soluble lanthanide complex into a hydrophobic polymer for the preparation of luminescent films

Doping a highly charged water-soluble complex in a hydrophobic polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) to form transparent film is demonstrated with using a heptaanionic tri-TbIII complex of thiacalix[4]arene-p-tetrasulfonate (TCAS), formulated as Tb3TCAS2. A bulky hydrophobic countercation, trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium (THTDP+), enabled the isolation of the Tb3TCAS2 salt, which was soluble in a PMMA solution in chloroform. The drop casting of a polymer solution containing 10 wt% THTDP–Tb3TCAS2 salt yielded a transparent film with energy-transfer luminescence. Near-infrared emitting films with Yb3TCAS2 and Nd3TCAS2 were also prepared. The luminescence lifetime (τ) (1.15 ms) of 1.0 wt% Tb3TCAS2-doped PMMA films surpassed that of the salt (0.924 ms), while the luminescence quantum yield (Φ) of the film (0.17) was smaller than that of the salt (0.33). DMSO was the suitable solvent for the salt, providing longer τ (1.40 ms) and larger Φ (0.44) at 0.50 wt%. A low salt concentration in PMMA resulted in a long lifetime. Spin-coated films had longer lifetimes (1.47 ms) at 1.0 wt% owing to a solution-like PMMA environment preventing Tb3TCAS2 aggregation. Drop-casted films had larger Φ values than spin-coated films, as the former might contain salt-like Tb3TCAS2 aggregates.

Achieving Cross Time-Domain Multiplexed Signal Cascade and Cancer Exosomes Identification by Bridging Long Lifetime Phosphor to NIR-II Lanthanide Energy Transfer.

Designing lanthanide luminescence lifetime sensors in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window holds great potentials for physiological studies. However, the single lifetime signal is confined to one or two orders of magnitude of signal variation, which limits the sensitivity of lifetime probes. In this study, a lifetime cascade system, i.e., ZGO:Mn, Eu-DNA-1/TCPP-PEI70K@Yb-AptEpCAM, with a variety of signals (τm, τn, τµ, τm/τn and τm/τµ) is constructed for exosome identification using time-domain multiplexing. The sensitized ligand TCPP acts as both target-modulated switch and a bridge for connecting long lifetime ZGO:Mn, Eu-DNA-1 emitter to lanthanide Yb3+. This drives successive dual-path energy transfer and forms two D(donor)-A(acceptor) pairs. The lifetime variation is dominantly modulated by arranging TCPP as energy intermediate relay to covert milliseconds to nanoseconds to microseconds. It enables a broad lifetime range of six orders of magnitude. The presence of exosome specifically recognizes aptamers on TCPP-PEI70K@Yb-AptEpCAM to impede D-A pairs and reverse multiplexed response signals of the lifetime cascade system. The ratio lifetime signals τm/τn and τm/τµ achieve prominent exosome quantification and exosome type differentiation attributed to signal amplification. The cascade system relying on lifetime criteria can realize precise quantization and provide an effective strategy for subsequent physiological study.

Strong green up-conversion luminescence and optical thermometry of Ho3+/Yb3+ Co-doped AlN submicron towers

Rare-earth (RE) doped aluminum nitride (AlN) holds great promise for integrated optoelectronic devices. Here, the Ho and Yb co-doped AlN (AlN:Ho3+/Yb3+) submicron towers were prepared by a direct nitridation route. XRD, Raman, XPS and EDS studies showed successful doping of Ho and Yb ions into AlN. SEM images show that the submicron towers have an interesting layered structure by layer-by-layer stacking of hexagonal AlN nanosheets. Under excitation at 980 nm, AlN:Ho3+/Yb3+ submicron towers exhibit up-conversion (UC) luminescence at 540, 550, 659, and 762 nm, which are due to Ho3+/Yb3+ system from 5F4, 5S2→5I8, 5F5→5I8, and 5F4, 5S2→5I7 respectively. Based on the intensity ratio and decay lifetime of UC luminescence, the optical temperature sensing characteristics are investigated from 298 K to 548 K. The maximum relative sensitivities associated with the intensity ratio of I540, 550 and I659 and decay lifetime of 659 nm are as high as 2.73% K−1 and 0.43% K−1, respectively. This work broadens the optoelectronic properties of RE doped AlN.

Introduction of BaF2 to titanate-germanate glasses doped with rare-earth ions evidenced by NIR luminescence spectroscopy

A novel TiO2-GeO2-BaO-BaF2-Ga2O3 glasses doped with rare-earth were synthesized, and the impact of the substitution of BaF2 for BaO on properties has been investigated by luminescence spectroscopy. The IR absorption coefficient is extremely low, which is attractive for optical fibers emitting NIR radiation. Near-IR luminescence associated to the Er3+:4I13/2 → 4I15/2 (FWHM = 108 nm), Tm3+:3F4 → 3H6 (FWHM = 244 nm) and Ho3+:5I7 → 5I8 (FWHM = 179 nm) transitions are enhanced in the presence of BaF2. Luminescence lifetimes increase with increasing content of BaF2 in the glass composition. Fabricated optical materials with relatively high BaF2 content represent a good starting point for further investigations in the field of glass technology and modern photonics.

Early events during the aggregation of Aβ16-22-derived switch-peptides tracked using Protein Charge Transfer Spectra

BackgroundUnderstanding Aβ aggregation and inhibiting it at early stages is of utmost importance in treating Alzheimer's and other related amyloidogenic diseases. However, majority of the techniques to study Aβ aggregation mainly target the late stages; while those used to monitor early stages are either expensive, use extrinsic dyes, or do not provide information on molecular level interactions. Here, we investigate the early events of Aβ16-22(KLVFFAE) aggregation using Aβ16-22 derived switch-peptides (SwPs) through a novel label-free approach employing Protein Charge Transfer Spectra (ProCharTS). ResultsWhen pH is increased from 2 to 7.2, the Aβ-derived switch peptides undergo controlled self-assembly, where the initial random coil peptides convert into β-sheet. We leveraged the intrinsic absorbance/luminescence arising from ProCharTS among growing peptide oligomers to observe the aggregation kinetics in real-time. In comparison to monomer, the lysine and glutamate headgroups in the peptide oligomer are expected to come in proximity enhancing ProCharTS intensity due to photoinduced electron transfer. With a combination of Aβ-derived switch-peptides and ProCharTS, we obtained structural insights on the early stages of Aβ-derived SwP aggregation in four unique peptides. Increase in scatter corrected ProCharTS absorbance (250–500 nm) and luminescence (320–720 nm) along with decreased mean luminescence lifetime (2.3–0.8 ns) characterize the initial stages of aggregation monitored for 1–96 h depending on the peptide. We correlated the results with Circular Dichroism (CD), 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) and Thioflavin T (ThT) measurements. SignificanceWe demonstrate ProCharTS as an intrinsic analytical probe with following advantages over other conventional methods to track aggregation: it is a label-free probe; it's intensity can be measured using a UV–Vis spectrophotometer; it is more sensitive in detecting the early molecular events in aggregation compared to ANS and ThT; and it can provide information on specific contacts made between charged headgroups of Lysine/Glutamate in the oligomer.

Multicolor Afterglow Carbon Dots: Luminescence Regulation, Preparation, and Application

AbstractAfterglow materials have attracted much attention owing to their long luminescence lifetimes, large Stokes shifts, and emission without real‐time excitation. Compared with traditional organic afterglow materials, carbon dots (CDs), as a new afterglow material, have superior properties such as easy preparation, low toxicity, and low cost. The emission color of afterglow CDs can be regulated by external factors such as excitation wavelength, temperature, and time, which is highly significant for expanding the diversified applications to make them available for biotechnology and information applications. This review summarizes the research progress of multicolor afterglow CDs in recent years, including luminescence regulation strategies, preparation methods, and applications. First, the multicolor afterglow CDs are classified into three strategies: multicolor room temperature phosphorescence (RTP), thermally activated delayed fluorescence converted to RTP, and delayed fluorescence based on Förster resonance energy transfer, and the strategies for regulating their luminescence properties are analyzed. Second, the preparation methods of achieving multicolor afterglow CDs are summarized in both matrix‐free and matrix‐confined aspects. Then, applications in anticounterfeiting and information encryption, sensing and bioimaging are introduced in detail. Finally, the future challenges and opportunities of multicolor afterglow CDs are prospected to provide ideas for their controlled design and wide application.

Giant thermal enhancement of upconversion photoluminescence in Y2W3O12:Nd phosphor under 808 nm excitation

Luminescent materials usually suffer from thermal quenching at high temperature due to the aggravation of nonradiation relaxations. Herein, a giant enhancement of up conversion (UC) luminescence is observed in negative thermal expansion (NTE) Y2W3O12:Nd phosphor upon increasing the temperature from 310 to 790 K. In addition, the temperature-dependent UC emission is reversible. To penetrate into the mechanisms, the temperature-dependent luminescence intensity and lifetime are investigated for Nd doped negative and positive thermal expansion (PTE) phosphors. Based these investigation, we infer that the underlying mechanism of the giant enhancement for Y2W3O12:Nd phosphor are due to combined effects of phonon assisted absorptions and contraction of NTE crystals. Moreover, the observation of temperature-dependent near-infrared spectra (NIR) can support the mechanism from the other side. The present findings pave the way to overcome thermal quenching of Nd3+ ions and explore new thermal enhancement materials sensitized by Nd3+ ions.

Test of the orbital-based LI3 index as a predictor of the height of the [formula omitted]MLCT [formula omitted][formula omitted]MC transition-state barrier for gas-phase [Ru(N[formula omitted]N)[formula omitted]][formula omitted] polypyridine complexes

Ruthenium(II) polypyridine compounds often luminesce, with ligand-dependant lifetimes. This is the third in a series of papers devoted to finding orbital-based luminescence indices (LI) for predicting luminescence lifetimes. The third attempt (LI3) was based upon a frontier molecular orbital (FMO) like estimate of the height of the barrier to conversion from an initial phosophorescent triplet metal-ligand charge transfer (3MLCT) state to a nonluminescent triplet metal-centered (3MC) state which decays nonradiatively. A linear correlation was found between LI3 and extracted empirical average 3MLCT →3MC transition state (TS) barrier heights (Eaves) which were not believed to be quantitative but which were believed to capture the trends in the true barrier heights correctly. As it is known that Eave is a large underestimate of the true 3MLCT →3MC TS barrier height in the case of the trisbipyridine ruthenium(II) cation { [Ru(bpy)3]2+ }, but accurate TS barrier heights are difficult to obtain experimentally, it was judged useful to verify the ideas used to derive the LI3 index in the present work by calculating the energetics of the gas-phase 3MLCT →3MC reaction for a series of ruthenium(II) tris bipyridine complexes using the same density functional and basis sets used in calculating LI3. Specifically, four closely-related bipyridine complexes { [Ru(N∧N)3]2+ with N∧N = bpy (6), 4,4’-dm-bpy (70), 4,4’-dph-bpy (73), and 4,4’-DTB-bpy (74) } were used for these calculations. In the process, we examined the gas-phase trans dissociation mechanism in greater detail than has been previously done and uncovered a two part mechanism. In the first part, the electron is transferred to a single ligand rather than symmetrically to all three ligands. It is the two Ru-N bonds to this ligand which are equally elongated in the transition state. The intrinsic reaction coordinate then continues down a ridge in hyperspace and bifurcates into one of two symmetry-equivalent 3MC structures with elongated trans bonds. Interestingly, no significant difference is found for the TS barriers for the four complexes treated here. Instead, LI3 is linearly correlated with the energy difference ΔE=E(3MLCT)−E(3MC), different from what was originally intended but still consistent with the FMO arguments underlying the derivation of LI3.

The influences of LaVO4:Eu3+,Cr3+ red phosphors on white light-emitting diode applications

<span>In this present paper, the </span><span lang="EN-ID">LaVO<sub>4</sub>:Eu<sup>3+</sup>,Cr<sup>3+</sup> (</span><span>LV:Eu,Cr) </span><span lang="EN-ID">red-orange phosphors</span><span>are introduced in WLED fabrication. The LV:Eu,Cr phosphor is synthesized with high-temperature solid-phase reaction</span><span lang="IN">.</span><span> The luminescence properties of the phosphor are monitored with ultraviolet-visible and near-infrared (UV-vis-NIR) measurements. The heat generating in the phosphor sample is also investigated with different power densities of the 980 nm laser. The phosphor exhibits absorption bands at 254 nm and 316 nm, suitable for UV light-emitting diodes (UV LED) applications. The Cr<sup>3+</sup> concentrations have noticeable effects on the luminescence of the phosphor. The increasing Cr<sup>3+ </sup>dosage initiates reduction in Eu<sup>3+</sup> emission intensity and luminescence lifetime average. The heat-activated amount in the phosphor is also significant with the higher concentration of Cr<sup>3+</sup> ions. When using the LV:Eu,Cr phosphor in white light-emitting model (WLED), the dominant red-orange emission centered at 595 nm is observed, in addition to the blue peak at 453 nm. The luminosity, color rendition, and color uniformity of the WLED light are also discussed. The findings indicate that the phosphor can be combined with other high-efficiency blue and green phosphors to obtain the improved color rendition and luminous performances and used in heat-creating optical applications.</span>

Bioimaging and prospects of night pearls-based persistence phosphors in cancer diagnostics.

Inorganic persistent phosphors feature great potential for cancer diagnosis due to the long luminescence lifetime, low background scattering, and minimal autofluorescence. With the prominent advantages of near-infrared light, such as deep penetration, high resolution, low autofluorescence, and tissue absorption, persistent phosphors can be used for deep bioimaging. We focus on highlighting inorganic persistent phosphors, emphasizing the synthesis methods and applications in cancer diagnostics. Typical synthetic methods such as the high-temperature solid state, thermal decomposition, hydrothermal/solvothermal, and template methods are proposed to obtain small-size phosphors for biological organisms. The luminescence mechanisms of inorganic persistent phosphors with different excitation are discussed and effective matrixes including galliumate, germanium, aluminate, and fluoride are explored. Finally, the current directions where inorganic persistent phosphors can continue to be optimized and how to further overcome the challenges in cancer diagnosis are summarized.

Main Group Elements Activated Near‐Infrared Photonic Materials

AbstractNear‐infrared (NIR) photonic materials find extensive applications across important fields such as telecommunications, laser radar, and atmospheric remote sensing. In particular, photonic materials activated by main group elements, which exhibit unique spectral features including ultra‐broadband tunable luminescence and long lifetime, have become rising stars in NIR emitting dopants. In this review, the energy level characteristics of the p‐electrons to gain insight into the fundamentals of the NIR optical response from the main group elements are first introduced. Next, the NIR luminescence properties of the main group elements are discussed. Then, the strategy for the design of main group elements activated materials with the desired properties based on local chemical environment engineering is proposed. In addition, recent advances in the applications of main group element (excluding bismuth) activated materials are highlighted. Furthermore, the key scientific issues that urgently need to be solved for such materials, such as the detailed luminescence mechanism are highlighted. Anticipation also extends to the future research trends in this exciting field, including the ways for enhancing luminescence efficiency and extending spectral region, and the efforts for implementing these advancements in novel cutting‐edge technologies like photovoltaics and biomedicine.

Luminescence Lifetime-Based Sensing Platform Based on Cyclometalated Iridium(III) Complexes for the Detection of Perfluorooctanoic Acid in Aqueous Samples.

Luminescence lifetimes are an attractive analytical method for detection due to its high sensitivity and stability. Iridium probes exhibit luminescence with long excited-state lifetimes, which are sensitive to the local environment. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is listed as a chemical of high concern regarding its toxicity and is classified as a "forever chemical". In addition to strict limits on the presence of PFOA in drinking water, environmental contamination from industrial effluent or chemical spills requires rapid, simple, accurate, and cost-effective analysis in order to aid containment. Herein, we report the fabrication and function of a novel and facile luminescence sensor for PFOA based on iridium modified on gold surfaces. These surfaces were modified with lipophilic iridium complexes bearing alkyl chains, namely, IrC6 and IrC12, and Zonyl-FSA surfactant. Upon addition of PFOA, the modified surfaces IrC6-FSA@Au and IrC12-FSA @Au show the largest change in the red luminescence signal with changes in the luminescence lifetime that allow monitoring of PFOA concentrations in aqueous solutions. The platform was tested for the measurement of PFOA in aqueous samples spiked with known concentrations of PFOA and demonstrated the capacity to determine PFOA at concentrations >100 μg/L (240 nM).

Comparing Sensor Fusion and Multimodal Chemometric Models for Monitoring U(VI) in Complex Environments Representative of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel.

Optical sensors and chemometric models were leveraged for the quantification of uranium(VI) (0-100 μg mL-1), europium (0-150 μg mL-1), samarium (0-250 μg mL-1), praseodymium (0-350 μg mL-1), neodymium (0-1000 μg mL-1), and HNO3 (2-4 M) with varying corrosion product (iron, nickel, and chromium) levels using laser fluorescence, Raman scattering, and ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared absorption spectra. In this paper, an efficient approach to developing and evaluating tens of thousands of partial least-squares regression (PLSR) models, built from fused optical spectra or multimodal acquisitions, is discussed. Each PLSR model was optimized with unique preprocessing combinations, and features were selected using genetic algorithm filters. The 7-factor D-optimal design training set contained just 55 samples to minimize the number of samples. The performance of PLSR models was evaluated by using an automated latent variable selection script. PLS1 regression models tailored to each species outperformed a global PLS2 model. PLS1 models built using fused spectra data and a multimodal (i.e., analyzed separately) approach yielded similar information, resulting in percent root-mean-square error of prediction values of 0.9-5.7% for the seven factors. The optical techniques and data processing strategies established in this study allow for the direct analysis of numerous species without measuring luminescence lifetimes or relying on a standard addition approach, making it optimal for near-real-time, in situ measurements. Nuclear reactor modeling helped bound training set conditions and identified elemental ratios of lanthanide fission products to characterize the burnup of irradiated nuclear fuel. Leveraging fluorescence, spectrophotometry, experimental design, and chemometrics can enable the remote quantification and characterization of complex systems with numerous species, monitor system performance, help identify the source of materials, and enable rapid high-throughput experiments in a variety of industrial processes and fundamental studies.

The effect of annealing temperature on the site occupancy and the persistent luminescence of Mn2+-doped magnesium germanate

Mn2+-doped magnesium germanate (MGO:Mn2+) nanoparticles exhibit persistent luminescence in the near-infrared (NIR) region. The origin of the luminescence is from the Mn2+ d-d transition when Mn2+ occupies an octahedral site in MGO that was previously occupied by Mg2+. MGO has two stable stoichiometric forms: MgGeO3 and Mg2GeO4. The octahedra surrounding the Mg2+ ions in these two structures have different extents of distortion. Previous studies have found that under high temperatures, MgGeO3 could turn into Mg2GeO4. However, when Mg2+ is partially substituted with Mn2+, whether the structural transition follows the same trend as the undoped MGO is unclear. In this work, MGO:Mn2+ with mixed MgGeO3 and Mg2GeO4 is produced by thermal annealing at different temperatures. The photoluminescence intensity and persistent luminescence lifetime are found highly dependent on the annealing temperature and the crystallinities of the MGO host. The site where Mn2+ occupies in MGO with mixed stoichiometries is evaluated using X-ray absorption spectroscopy combined with structure simulation. The distribution of the Mn2+ at different Mg2+ sites can be quantitatively identified. This is further related to the observed optical properties, and the mechanism of luminescence enhancement of high-temperature-treated MGO:Mn2+ is rationalized.

The development of a dual-mode optical temperature sensor based on fluorescence intensity ratio and lifetime

The utilization of optical parameters is crucial for achieving accurate temperature detection, which in turn facilitates the development of new phosphors used for non-contact optical thermometers. In this study, a series of phosphors of KSrGdTeO6 (KSGT) co-doping Mn4+ and Sm3+ luminescent centers, were synthesized through high temperature solid-state reactions. Notably, the temperature-dependent emission spectra and attenuation curves of KSGT:Mn4+/Sm3+ were measured across a wide temperature range of 298–573 K. In the absence of energy transfer between Mn4+ and Sm3+, Mn4+ and Sm3+ activators can emit their characterized emissions by 405 nm excitation. With increasing temperature, the fluorescence intensity of Mn4+ ions decreases at a faster rate compared to that of Sm3+ ions as the temperature increases. Consequently, by utilizing the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) between the two activators Mn4+ and Sm3+, the optimal temperature sensing relative sensitivity (Sr) and absolute sensitivities of (Sa) of KSGT:Mn4+/Sm3+ were found to be 2.591 % K−1 at 298 K and 0.0246 K−1 at 573 K. Moreover, the luminescent lifetime of Mn4+ emission decreases rapidly with increasing temperature, which makes it also possible to be a lifetime-based thermometry with Sa and Sa of 2.3233 %K−1 at 448 K and 0.1444 K−1 at 398 K. The dual-mode sensing properties of KSGT:Mn4+/Sm3+ make it a highly sensitive temperature thermometer, which provides design ideas for future researchers in this field.

On the temperature dependence of transition intensities of rare-earth ions: A modified Judd-Ofelt theory

We report on a modification of the Judd-Ofelt theory accounting for thermal populations of Stark sub-levels of the multiplets involved in transitions in absorption and emission. The calculations require the data on the crystal-field splitting, the irreducible representations of Stark sub-levels and the selection rules for electric-dipole transitions. Simple formulas for absorption oscillator strengths and probabilities of radiative spontaneous transitions are obtained. The application of the proposed model allowed us to remove the contradiction between the transition intensities in absorption and emission (3H6 ↔ 3F4) for Tm3+-doped crystals. It was also used to explain the experimental temperature dependences of luminescence lifetimes of the 3F4 Tm3+ manifold in two widely used laser crystals, LiYF4 and Y3Al5O12. The case of Yb3+ ions featuring a small number of crystal-field sub-levels is also considered.

Intraoperative Surgical Margin Assessment by NIR‐II Imaging with Urine Excretable Nd‐Based Nanoprobe in Breast Cancers

AbstractLanthanide neodymium (Nd)‐based nanocrystals exhibit exceptional near‐infrared II (NIR‐II) fluorescence imaging properties, like narrow and multi‐peak emissions, long luminescence lifetime, and good photostability. However, long‐term accumulation in the reticuloendothelial system restrains their clinical applications due to toxicity in vivo. Here, a biodegradable hollow virus‐like neodymium oxide (Nd2O3) Nd‐nanoprobe is presented that is modified with cyclic arginine‐glycine‐aspartic acid (cRGD) pentapeptide, showing remarkable cancer‐targeting ability and NIR‐II fluorescence imaging features. The nanoprobe is biodegraded to 4–6 nm Nd2O3 nanogranules in vivo, and the pharmacokinetics of the nanoprobe demonstrated its rapid urine excretion and negligible systematic toxicity. Moreover, this nanoprobe can accurately identify malignant lesions from normal tissues in xenograft and transgenic mice models and precisely navigate breast cancer surgery under NIR‐II imaging guidance. Taken together, this Nd2O3‐based nanoprobe enables real‐time, dynamic delineation and accurate resection of cancers guided by NIR‐II fluorescence imaging with great potential for future clinical translation during breast‐conservative surgery.

Room temperature synthesis of nanocomposite thin films with embedded Cs2AgIn0.9Bi0.1Cl6 lead-free double perovskite nanocrystals with long-term water stability, wide range pH tolerance, and high quantum yield

Cs2AgIn0.9Bi0.1Cl6 nanocrystals encapsulated with polystyrene or polymethyl methacrylate are described with high quantum yields, long luminescence lifetimes and water stability.

Cell-penetrating peptides noncovalently modified red phosphorescent nanoparticles for high-efficiency imaging.

The application of long-lived phosphorescence probes in time-resolved luminescence imaging is limited by their low quantum yield in aqueous solutions. However, sensitization of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials can compensate for this limitation while addressing the issue of insufficient proportion of their own long lifetime. In this study, we utilized the characteristics of phosphorescence and TADF materials simultaneously by doping the receptor iridium complex PMD-Ir into the donor TADF polymer PCzDP-20 through donor-receptor doping method, and successfully prepared highly efficient red phosphorescent nanoparticles. The quantum yield of the nanoparticles obtained by this method reaches up to 30%, and the luminescence lifetime can reach several thousand nanoseconds. Additionally, due to the low concentration doping of PMD-Ir, the risk of transition metal toxicity is greatly reduced. Furthermore, we used non-covalent modification with amphiphilic cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) to increase the cell membrane permeability of the nanoparticles. The CPPs modified nanoparticles achieve in vivo confocal imaging of zebrafish and intracellular time-resolved imaging by its significantly improved bioimaging capabilities. The functional nanoparticles designing method fully utilizes the characteristics of PMD-Ir, PCzDP-20, and CPPs, solving the problems of low quantum yield and poor membrane permeability of Ir-complex nanoparticles. This will greatly promote the development of time-resolved luminescence imaging.

Impact of excitation pulse width on the upconversion luminescence lifetime of NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ nanoparticles.

The upconversion luminescence (UCL) lifetime has a wide range of applications, serving as a critical parameter for optimizing the performance of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) in various fields. It is crucial to understand that this lifetime does not directly correlate with the decay time of the emission level; rather, it represents a compilation of all the physical phenomena taking place in the upconversion process. To delve deeper into this, we analyzed the dependence of the UCL lifetime on the excitation pulse width for β-NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ nanoparticles. The results revealed a significant increase in the UCL lifetime with both the excitation pulse width and the excitation intensity. The laser fluence was identified as the parameter governing the UCL decay dynamics. We showcased the universality of the pulse-width-dependent UCL lifetime phenomenon by employing UCNPs of various sizes, surface coatings, host matrices, Yb3+ and Er3+ ratios, and dispersing UCNPs in different solvents. Theoretical explanations for the experimental findings were derived through a rate equation analysis. Finally, we discussed the implications of these results in UCNP-FRET (Förster resonance energy transfer)-based applications.