title: Ratiometric temperature sensing with semiconducting polymer dots.
abstract: This communication describes ultrabright single-nanoparticle ratiometric temperature sensors based on semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots). We attached the temperature sensitive dye-Rhodamine B (RhB), whose emission intensity decreases with increasing temperature-within the matrix of Pdots. The as-prepared Pdot-RhB nanoparticle showed excellent temperature sensitivity and high brightness because it took advantage of the light harvesting and amplified energy transfer capability of Pdots. More importantly, the Pdot-RhB nanoparticle showed ratiometric temperature sensing under a single wavelength excitation and has a linear temperature sensing range that matches well with the physiologically relevant temperatures. We employed Pdot-RhB for measuring intracellular temperatures in a live-cell imaging mode. The exceptional brightness of Pdot-RhB allows this nanoscale temperature sensor to be used also as a fluorescent probe for cellular imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Fangmao
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Changfeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yuhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Yang-Hsiang
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Xuanjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Daniel T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D004735:Energy Transfer; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D053758:Nanoparticles; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D011108:Polymers; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000737:chemistry*; D012666:Semiconductors; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011108:Polymers; D012235:Rhodamines; C029773:rhodamine B