Nd3+-Sensitized Upconversion Nanostructure as a Dual-Channel Emitting Optical Probe for Near Infrared-to-Near Infrared Fingerprint Imaging.
Lanthanide upconversion nanophosphors (Ln-UCNPs) have attracted great attention in a variety of fields, benefiting from low background fluorescence interference and a high signal-to-noise ratio of upconversion luminescence. However, the establishment of Ln-UCNPs with dual near-infrared (NIR) emission channels still remains challenging. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of Nd3+-sensitized NaYbF4:Tm@NaYF4:Yb@NaNdF4:Yb hierarchical-structured nanoparticles that emit NIR luminescence at 696 and 980 nm under excitation at 808 nm. The sensitizer-rich NaYbF4core promotes efficient energy transfer to Tm3+. The interlayer of NaYF4:Yb effectively prevents the cross-relaxation process from Tm3+to Nd3+and thus enhances the luminescence emission. The introduction of Nd3+ion as the sensitizer transforms the excitation wavelength from 980 to 808 nm, which subtly averts the laser-induced thermal effect and offers a new pathway for the NIR emission channel at 980 nm. The as-prepared nanoparticles were further applied in developing latent and blood fingerprint images, which exhibited high signal-to-noise ratio and distinguishable details under 808 nm excitation with negligible thermal damage to the sample. Our work provides a promising strategy to realize NIR-to-NIR dual-channel emissions in Ln-UCNPs. With further functionalization, such nanoparticles are expected to have great potential in forensic and biological sciences.
Department of Chemistry & Institutes of Biomedical Sciences & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University , 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, P. R. China.
Jiachang
J
Li
Department of Chemistry & Institutes of Biomedical Sciences & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University , 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, P. R. China.
Xingjun
X
Zhu
Department of Chemistry & Institutes of Biomedical Sciences & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University , 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, P. R. China.
Meng
M
Xue
Department of Chemistry & Institutes of Biomedical Sciences & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University , 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, P. R. China.
Wei
W
Feng
Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Public Security , Beijing, P. R. China.
Rongliang
R
Ma
Department of Chemistry & Institutes of Biomedical Sciences & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University , 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, P. R. China.
Fuyou
F
Li
D001801:Blood Stains; D003878:Dermatoglyphics; D006361:Heating; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D049408:Luminescent Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009354:Neodymium / Q000737:chemistry*; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D013696:Temperature
D049408:Luminescent Agents; D009354:Neodymium