Photon up-conversion increases biomass yield in Chlorella vulgaris.

PubMed

Menon, Kavya R; Jose, Steffi; Suraishkumar, Gadi K

2014-12-01

Photon up-conversion, a process whereby lower energy radiations are converted to higher energy levels via the use of appropriate phosphor systems, was employed as a novel strategy for improving microalgal growth and lipid productivity. Photon up-conversion enables the utilization of regions of the solar spectrum, beyond the typical photosynthetically active radiation, that are usually wasted or are damaging to the algae. The effects of up-conversion of red light by two distinct sets of up-conversion phosphors were studied in the model microalgae Chlorella vulgaris. Up-conversion by set 1 phosphors led to a 2.85 fold increase in biomass concentration and a 3.2 fold increase in specific growth rate of the microalgae. While up-conversion by set 2 phosphors resulted in a 30% increase in biomass and 12% increase in specific intracellular neutral lipid, while the specific growth rates were comparable to that of the control. Furthermore, up-conversion resulted in higher levels of specific intracellular reactive oxygen species in C. vulgaris. Up-conversion of red light (654 nm) was shown to improve biomass yields in C. vulgaris. In principle, up-conversion can be used to increase the utilization range of the electromagnetic spectrum for improved cultivation of photosynthetic systems such as plants, algae, and microalgae. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Upconversion luminescence in BaMoO{sub 4}:Pr{sup 3+} phosphor for display devices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soni, Abhishek Kumar; Rai, Vineet Kumar, E-mail: vineetkrrai@yahoo.co.in

2015-08-28

The frequency upconversion is an important nonlinear optical property by which near infrared light is converted into the visible light. The BaMoO{sub 4}:Pr{sup 3+} powder phosphor has been synthesized by solid state reaction method. The upconversion emission bands are recorded under the excitation of 808 nm diode laser. The phase formation of the prepared phosphor has been identified by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The upconversion emission mechanism and colour coordinate have been explained by using energy level and CIE (International Commission on Illumination) chromaticity diagram study, respectively.

Near-infrared photocatalysts of BiVO4/CaF2:Er3+, Tm3+, Yb3+ with enhanced upconversion properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Shouqiang; Zhu, Nanwen; Lou, Ziyang; Gu, Lin; Miao, Chen; Yuan, Haiping; Shan, Aidang

2014-01-01

Upconversion photocatalysts have the potential to absorb the near-infrared (NIR) light in solar energy and improve the photocatalytic performance. A hierarchical upconversion photocatalyst of BiVO4 (BVO)/CaF2:Er3+, Tm3+, Yb3+ (CF) combined with the narrow-band semiconductor of BVO and the luminescence agent of CF to enhance upconversion properties was synthesized via the hydrothermal method. The CF particles were deposited homogeneously on the surface of the BVO/CF composite with regular dendritic structure, which led to efficient upconversion emissions. The upconversion emission intensity of the BVO/CF composite was 8 times higher than that of pure CF, through tailoring the crystal symmetry of lanthanide ions by Bi3+ ions. The upconverted ultraviolet (361 and 379 nm), violet (408 nm), and blue (485 nm) light was able to excite BVO for photocatalysis in BVO/CF under NIR irradiation, which improved the degradation rate of methyl orange (MO).Upconversion photocatalysts have the potential to absorb the near-infrared (NIR) light in solar energy and improve the photocatalytic performance. A hierarchical upconversion photocatalyst of BiVO4 (BVO)/CaF2:Er3+, Tm3+, Yb3+ (CF) combined with the narrow-band semiconductor of BVO and the luminescence agent of CF to enhance upconversion properties was synthesized via the hydrothermal method. The CF particles were deposited homogeneously on the surface of the BVO/CF composite with regular dendritic structure, which led to efficient upconversion emissions. The upconversion emission intensity of the BVO/CF composite was 8 times higher than that of pure CF, through tailoring the crystal symmetry of lanthanide ions by Bi3+ ions. The upconverted ultraviolet (361 and 379 nm), violet (408 nm), and blue (485 nm) light was able to excite BVO for photocatalysis in BVO/CF under NIR irradiation, which improved the degradation rate of methyl orange (MO). Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Additional tables and figures. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr05266d

Enhancing light harvesting and charge transport in organic solar cells via integrating lanthanide-doped upconversation materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fei; Yang, Xiao-Yu; Niu, Meng-si; Feng, Lin; Lv, Cheng-kun; Zhang, Kang-ning; Bi, Peng-qing; Yang, Junliang; Hao, Xiao-Tao

2018-07-01

Irradiation of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles with infrared light can lead to the emission of visible light, which is subsequently absorbed by the organic photoactive layer resulting in the performance enhancement of organic solar cells (OSCs). In this work, OSCs based on poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and Phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) blending ytterbium(III), erbium(III) co-doped sodium yttrium fluoride (NaYF4: Yb3+, Er3+) nanoparticles were fabricated with inverted structures. The results indicated that the short current density (J sc) and fill factor were apparently enhanced from 8.60 mA cm‑2 to 9.31 mA cm‑2 and from 57.96% to 64.84%, respectively, leading to an increment of power conversion efficiency (PCE). The photocurrent improvement may have attributed to the additional absorption light generated from upconversion with 980 nm excitation. The active layers with upconversion nanoparticles were investigated to prove enhanced light harvesting, charge transport and energy transfer from upconversion nanoparticles to P3HT. A synergistic effect of broadening light harvesting, efficient energy transfer process, increased carrier mobility and enhanced exciton dissociation in the polymer bulk heterojunction may contribute to the performance enhancement.

The Quality of In Vivo Upconversion Fluorescence Signals Inside Different Anatomic Structures.

PubMed

Wang, Lijiang; Draz, Mohamed Shehata; Wang, Wei; Liao, Guodong; Xu, Yuhong

2015-02-01

Fluorescence imaging is a broadly interesting and rapidly growing strategy for non-invasive clinical applications. However, because of interference from light scattering, absorbance, and tissue autofluorescence, the images can exhibit low sensitivity and poor quality. Upconversion fluorescence imaging, which is based on the use of near-infrared (NIR) light for excitation, has recently been introduced as an improved approach to minimize the effects of light scattering and tissue autofluorescence. This strategy is promising for ultrasensitive and deep tissue imaging applications. However, the emitted upconversion fluorescence signals are primarily in the visible range and are likely to be absorbed and scattered by tissues. Therefore, different anatomic structures could impose various effects on the quality of the images. In this study, we used upconversion-core/silica-shell nanoprobes to evaluate the quality of upconversion fluorescence at different anatomic locations in athymic nude mice. The nanoprobe contained an upconversion core, which was green (β-NaYF4:Yb3+/Ho3+) or red (β-NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+), and a nonporous silica shell to allow for multicolor imaging. High-quality upconversion fluorescence signals were detected with signal-to-noise ratios of up to 170 at tissue depths of up to - 1.0 cm when a 980 nm laser excitation source and a bandpass emission filter were used. The presence of dense tissue structures along the imaging path reduced the signal intensity and imaging quality, and nanoprobes with longer-wavelength emission spectra were therefore preferable. This study offers a detailed analysis of the quality of upconversion signals in vivo inside different anatomic structures. Such information could be essential for the analysis of upconversion fluorescence images in any in vivo biodiagnostic and microbial tracking applications.

Upconversion of Tm3+ ions in BaY2F8

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruan, Yongfeng; Tsuboi, Taiju

1999-06-01

Up-conversion of red light with wavelength of 660 nm in Tm3+-doped BaY2F8 powder results in the two violet luminescence bands with peaks at 417 and 430 nm and two blue luminescence bands with peaks at 455 and 470 nm. The two violet bands are observed to be stronger than the blue bands. The blue luminescence is also observed by pumping with 993 nm light. The up-conversion is explained by a multiple excited state absorption process.

Energy-Cascaded Upconversion in an Organic Dye-Sensitized Core/Shell Fluoride Nanocrystal.

PubMed

Chen, Guanying; Damasco, Jossana; Qiu, Hailong; Shao, Wei; Ohulchanskyy, Tymish Y; Valiev, Rashid R; Wu, Xiang; Han, Gang; Wang, Yan; Yang, Chunhui; Ågren, Hans; Prasad, Paras N

2015-11-11

Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles hold promises for bioimaging, solar cells, and volumetric displays. However, their emission brightness and excitation wavelength range are limited by the weak and narrowband absorption of lanthanide ions. Here, we introduce a concept of multistep cascade energy transfer, from broadly infrared-harvesting organic dyes to sensitizer ions in the shell of an epitaxially designed core/shell inorganic nanostructure, with a sequential nonradiative energy transfer to upconverting ion pairs in the core. We show that this concept, when implemented in a core-shell architecture with suppressed surface-related luminescence quenching, yields multiphoton (three-, four-, and five-photon) upconversion quantum efficiency as high as 19% (upconversion energy conversion efficiency of 9.3%, upconversion quantum yield of 4.8%), which is about ~100 times higher than typically reported efficiency of upconversion at 800 nm in lanthanide-based nanostructures, along with a broad spectral range (over 150 nm) of infrared excitation and a large absorption cross-section of 1.47 × 10(-14) cm(2) per single nanoparticle. These features enable unprecedented three-photon upconversion (visible by naked eye as blue light) of an incoherent infrared light excitation with a power density comparable to that of solar irradiation at the Earth surface, having implications for broad applications of these organic-inorganic core/shell nanostructures with energy-cascaded upconversion.

Current advances in lanthanide ion (Ln(3+))-based upconversion nanomaterials for drug delivery.

PubMed

Yang, Dongmei; Ma, Ping'an; Hou, Zhiyou; Cheng, Ziyong; Li, Chunxia; Lin, Jun

2015-03-21

Lanthanide ion (Ln(3+))-based upconversion nano/micromaterials that emit higher-energy visible light when excited by low-energy NIR light have aroused considerable attention in the forefront of materials science and biomedical fields, which stems from their unique optical and chemical properties including minimum photodamage to living organisms, low autofluorescence, high signal-to-noise ratio and detection sensitivity, and high penetration depth in biological or environmental samples. Thus, Ln(3+)-based upconversion materials are rising new stars and are quickly emerging as potential candidates to revolutionize novel biomedical applications. In this review article, we mainly focus on the recent progress in various chemical syntheses of Ln(3+)-based upconversion nanomaterials, with special emphasis on their application in stimuli-response controlled drug release and subsequent therapy. Functional groups that are introduced into the stimuli-responsive system can respond to external triggers, such as pH, temperature, light, and even magnetic fields, which can regulate the movement of the pharmaceutical cargo and release the drug at a desired time and in a desired area. This is crucial to boost drug efficacy in cancer treatment while minimizing the side effects of cytotoxic drugs. Many multifunctional (magnetic/upconversion luminescence and porous) composite materials based on Ln(3+) have been designed for controlled drug delivery and multimodal bioimaging. Finally, the challenges and future opportunities for Ln(3+)-based upconversion materials are discussed.

Auger Up-Conversion of Low-Intensity Infrared Light in Engineered Quantum Dots

DOE PAGES

Makarov, Nikolay S.; Lin, Qianglu; Pietryga, Jeffrey M.; ...

2016-11-29

One source of efficiency losses in photovoltaic cells is their transparency toward solar photons with energies below the band gap of the absorbing layer. This loss can be reduced using a process of up-conversion whereby two or more sub-band-gap photons generate a single above-gap exciton. Traditional approaches to up-conversion, such as nonlinear two-photon absorption (2PA) or triplet fusion, suffer from low efficiency at solar light intensities, a narrow absorption bandwidth, nonoptimal absorption energies, and difficulties for implementing in practical devices. We show that these deficiencies can be alleviated using the effect of Auger up-conversion in thick-shell PbSe/CdSe quantum dots. Thismore » process relies on Auger recombination whereby two low-energy, core-based excitons are converted into a single higher-energy, shell-based exciton. When compared to their monocomponent counterparts, the tailored PbSe/CdSe heterostructures feature enhanced absorption cross-sections, a higher efficiency of the “productive” Auger pathway involving re-excitation of a hole, and longer lifetimes of both core- and shell-localized excitons. These features lead to effective up-conversion cross-sections that are more than 6 orders of magnitude higher than for standard nonlinear 2PA, which allows for efficient up-conversion of continuous wave infrared light at intensities as low as a few watts per square centimeter.« less

Solid state photon upconversion utilizing thermally activated delayed fluorescence molecules as triplet sensitizer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Tony C.; Congreve, Daniel N.; Baldo, Marc A., E-mail: baldo@mit.edu

2015-07-20

The ability to upconvert light is useful for a range of applications, from biological imaging to solar cells. But modern technologies have struggled to upconvert incoherent incident light at low intensities. Here, we report solid state photon upconversion employing triplet-triplet exciton annihilation in an organic semiconductor, sensitized by a thermally activated-delayed fluorescence (TADF) dye. Compared to conventional phosphorescent sensitizers, the TADF dye maximizes the wavelength shift in upconversion due to its small singlet-triplet splitting. The efficiency of energy transfer from the TADF dye is 9.1%, and the conversion yield of sensitizer exciton pairs to singlet excitons in the annihilator ismore » 1.1%. Our results demonstrate upconversion in solid state geometries and with non-heavy metal-based sensitizer materials.« less

Activation of the surface dark-layer to enhance upconversion in a thermal field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Jiajia; Wen, Shihui; Liao, Jiayan; Clarke, Christian; Tawfik, Sherif Abdulkader; Ren, Wei; Mi, Chao; Wang, Fan; Jin, Dayong

2018-03-01

Thermal quenching, in which light emission experiences a loss with increasing temperature, broadly limits luminescent efficiency at higher temperature in optical materials, such as lighting phosphors1-3 and fluorescent probes4-6. Thermal quenching is commonly caused by the increased activity of phonons that leverages the non-radiative relaxation pathways. Here, we report a kind of heat-favourable phonons existing at the surface of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanomaterials to combat thermal quenching. It favours energy transfer from sensitizers to activators to pump up the intermediate excited-state upconversion process. We identify that the oxygen moiety chelating Yb3+ ions, [Yb...O], is the key underpinning this enhancement. We demonstrate an approximately 2,000-fold enhancement in blue emission for 9.7 nm Yb3+-Tm3+ co-doped nanoparticles at 453 K. This strategy not only provides a powerful solution to illuminate the dark layer of ultra-small upconversion nanoparticles, but also suggests a new pathway to build high-efficiency upconversion systems.

Upconversion-Triggered Charge Separation in Polymer Semiconductors.

PubMed

Jang, Yu Jin; Kim, Eunah; Ahn, Seonghyeon; Chung, Kyungwha; Kim, Jihyeon; Kim, Heejun; Wang, Huan; Lee, Jiseok; Kim, Dong-Wook; Kim, Dong Ha

2017-01-19

Upconversion is a unique optical property that is driven by a sequential photon pumping and generation of higher energy photons in a consecutive manner. The efficiency improvement in photovoltaic devices can be achieved when upconverters are integrated since upconverters contribute to the generation of extra photons. Despite numerous experimental studies confirming the relationship, fundamental explanations for a real contribution of upconversion to photovoltaic efficiency are still in demand. In this respect, we suggest a new approach to visualize the upconversion event in terms of surface photovoltage (SPV) by virtue of Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). One of the most conventional polymer semiconductors, poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT), is employed as a sensitizer to generate charge carriers by upconverted light. KPFM measurements reveal that the light upconversion enabled the formation of charge carriers in P3HT, resulting in large SPV of -54.9 mV. It confirms that the energy transfer from upconverters to P3HT can positively impact the device performance in organic solar cells (OSCs).

Up-conversion in rare-earth doped micro-particles applied to new emissive two-dimensional displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milliez, Anne Janet

Up-conversion (UC) in rare-earth co-doped fluorides to convert diode laser light in the near infrared to red, green and blue visible light is applied to make possible high performance emissive displays. The infrared-to-visible UC in the materials we study is a sequential form of non-linear two photon absorption in which a strong absorbing constituent absorbs two low energy photons and transfers this energy to another constituent which emits visible light. Some of the UC emitters' most appealing characteristics for displays are: a wide color gamut with very saturated colors, very high brightness operation without damage to the emitters, long lifetimes and efficiencies comparable to those of existing technologies. Other advantages include simplicity of fabrication, versatility of operating modes, and the potential for greatly reduced display weight and depth. Thanks to recent advances in material science and diode laser technology at the excitation wavelength, UC selected materials can be very efficient visible emitters. However, optimal UC efficiencies strongly depend on chosing proper operating conditions. In this thesis, we studied the conditions required for optimization. We demonstrated that high efficiency UC depends on high pump irradiance, low temperature and low scattering. With this understanding we can predict how to optimally use UC emitters in a wide range of applications. In particular, we showed how our very efficient UC emitters can be applied to make full color displays and very efficient white light sources.

Sensitive Infrared Signal Detection by Upconversion Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Teh-Hwa; Yu, Jirong; Bai, Yingxin; Johnson, William; Chen, Songsheng; Petros, Mulugeta; Singh, Upendra N.

2014-01-01

We demonstrated upconversion assisted detection of a 2.05-micron signal by sum frequency generation to generate a 700-nm light using a bulk periodically poled lithium niobate crystal. The achieved 94% intrinsic upconversion efficiency and 22.58% overall detection efficiency at a pW level of 2.05 micron pave the path to detect extremely weak infrared (IR) signals for remote sensing applications.

Color Tunable and Upconversion Luminescence in Yb-Tm Co-Doped Yttrium Phosphate Inverse Opal Photonic Crystals.

PubMed

Wang, Siqin; Qiu, Jianbei; Wang, Qi; Zhou, Dacheng; Yang, Zhengwen

2016-04-01

For this paper, YPO4: Tm, Yb inverse opals with the photonic band gaps at 475 nm and 655 nm were prepared by polystyrene colloidal crystal templates. We investigated the influence of photonic band gaps on the Tm-Yb upconversion emission which was in the YPO4: Tm Yb inverse opal photonic crystals. Comparing with the reference sample, significant suppression of both the blue and red upconversion luminescence of Tm3+ ions were observed in the inverse opals. The color purity of the blue emission was improved in the inverse opal by the suppression of red upconversion emission. Additionally, mechanism of upconversion emission in the inverse opal was discussed. We believe that the present work will be valuable for not only the foundational study of upconversion emission modification but also the development of new optical devices in upconversion lighting and display.

Light-Emitting Photon-Upconversion Nanoparticles in the Generation of Transdermal Reactive-Oxygen Species.

PubMed

Prieto, Martin; Rwei, Alina Y; Alejo, Teresa; Wei, Tuo; Lopez-Franco, Maria Teresa; Mendoza, Gracia; Sebastian, Victor; Kohane, Daniel S; Arruebo, Manuel

2017-12-06

Common photosensitizers used in photodynamic therapy do not penetrate the skin effectively. In addition, the visible blue and red lights used to excite such photosensitizers have shallow penetration depths through tissue. To overcome these limitations, we have synthesized ultraviolet- and visible-light-emitting, energy-transfer-based upconversion nanoparticles and coencapsulated them inside PLGA-PEG (methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) nanoparticles with the photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX. Nd 3+ has been introduced as a sensitizer in the upconversion nanostructure to allow its excitation at 808 nm. The subcytotoxic doses of the hybrid nanoparticles have been evaluated on different cell lines (i.e., fibroblasts, HaCaT, THP-1 monocytic cell line, U251MG (glioblastoma cell line), and mMSCs (murine mesenchymal stem cells). Upon NIR (near infrared)-light excitation, the upconversion nanoparticles emitted UV and VIS light, which consequently activated the generation of reactive-oxygen species (ROS). In addition, after irradiating at 808 nm, the resulting hybrid nanoparticles containing both upconversion nanoparticles and protoporphyrin IX generated 3.4 times more ROS than PLGA-PEG nanoparticles containing just the same dose of protoporphyrin IX. Their photodynamic effect was also assayed on different cell cultures, demonstrating their efficacy in selectively killing treated and irradiated cells. Compared to the topical application of the free photosensitizer, enhanced skin permeation and penetration were observed for the nanoparticulate formulation, using an ex vivo human-skin-permeation experiment. Whereas free protoporphyrin IX remained located at the outer layer of the skin, nanoparticle-encapsulated protoporphyrin IX was able to penetrate through the epidermal layer slightly into the dermis.

Upconversion fiber-optic confocal microscopy under near-infrared pumping.

PubMed

Kim, Do-Hyun; Kang, Jin U; Ilev, Ilko K

2008-03-01

We present a simple upconversion fiber-optic confocal microscope design using a near-infrared laser for pumping of a rare-earth-doped glass powder. The nonlinear optical frequency conversion process is highly efficient with more than 2% upconversion fluorescence efficiency at a near-infrared pumping wavelength of 1.55 microm. The upconversion confocal design allows the use of conventional Si detectors and 1.55 microm near-infrared pump light. The lateral and axial resolutions of the system were equal to or better than 1.10 and 13.11 microm, respectively.

Smart pH-responsive upconversion nanoparticles for enhanced tumor cellular internalization and near-infrared light-triggered photodynamic therapy.

PubMed

Wang, Sheng; Zhang, Lei; Dong, Chunhong; Su, Lin; Wang, Hanjie; Chang, Jin

2015-01-01

A smart pH-responsive photodynamic therapy system based on upconversion nanoparticle loaded PEG coated polymeric lipid vesicles (RB-UPPLVs) was designed and prepared. These RB-UPPLVs which are promising agents for deep cancer photodynamic therapy applications can achieve enhanced tumor cellular internalization and near-infrared light-triggered photodynamic therapy.

Simultaneous quasi-one-dimensional propagation and tuning of upconversion luminescence through waveguide effect

PubMed Central

Gao, Dangli; Tian, Dongping; Zhang, Xiangyu; Gao, Wei

2016-01-01

Luminescence-based waveguide is widely investigated as a promising alternative to conquer the difficulties of efficiently coupling light into a waveguide. But applications have been still limited due to employing blue or ultraviolet light as excitation source with the lower penetration depth leading to a weak guided light. Here, we show a quasi-one-dimensional propagation of luminescence and then resulting in a strong luminescence output from the top end of a single NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ microtube under near infrared light excitation. The mechanism of upconversion propagation, based on the optical waveguide effect accompanied with energy migration, is proposed. The efficiency of luminescence output is highly dependent on the concentration of dopant ions, excitation power, morphology, and crystallinity of tube as an indirect evidence of the existence of the optical actived waveguide effect. These findings provide the possibility for the construction of upconversion fiber laser. PMID:26926491

Simultaneous multiple wavelength upconversion in a core-shell nanoparticle for enhanced near infrared light harvesting in a dye-sensitized solar cell.

PubMed

Yuan, Chunze; Chen, Guanying; Li, Lin; Damasco, Jossana A; Ning, Zhijun; Xing, Hui; Zhang, Tianmu; Sun, Licheng; Zeng, Hao; Cartwright, Alexander N; Prasad, Paras N; Ågren, Hans

2014-10-22

The efficiency of most photovoltaic devices is severely limited by near-infrared (NIR) transmission losses. To alleviate this limitation, a new type of colloidal upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), hexagonal core-shell-structured β-NaYbF4:Er(3+)(2%)/NaYF4:Nd(3+)(30%), is developed and explored in this work as an NIR energy relay material for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). These UCNPs are able to harvest light energy in multiple NIR regions, and subsequently convert the absorbed energy into visible light where the DSSCs strongly absorb. The NIR-insensitive DSSCs show compelling photocurrent increases through binary upconversion under NIR light illumination either at 785 or 980 nm, substantiating efficient energy relay by these UCNPs. The overall conversion efficiency of the DSSCs was improved with the introduction of UCNPs under simulated AM 1.5 solar irradiation.

Achieving high-efficiency emission depletion nanoscopy by employing cross relaxation in upconversion nanoparticles.

PubMed

Zhan, Qiuqiang; Liu, Haichun; Wang, Baoju; Wu, Qiusheng; Pu, Rui; Zhou, Chao; Huang, Bingru; Peng, Xingyun; Ågren, Hans; He, Sailing

2017-10-20

Stimulated emission depletion microscopy provides a powerful sub-diffraction imaging modality for life science studies. Conventionally, stimulated emission depletion requires a relatively high light intensity to obtain an adequate depletion efficiency through only light-matter interaction. Here we show efficient emission depletion for a class of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles with the assistance of interionic cross relaxation, which significantly lowers the laser intensity requirements of optical depletion. We demonstrate two-color super-resolution imaging using upconversion nanoparticles (resolution ~ 66 nm) with a single pair of excitation/depletion beams. In addition, we show super-resolution imaging of immunostained cytoskeleton structures of fixed cells (resolution ~ 82 nm) using upconversion nanoparticles. These achievements provide a new perspective for the development of photoswitchable luminescent probes and will broaden the applications of lanthanide-doped nanoparticles for sub-diffraction microscopic imaging.

Scalable Direct Writing of Lanthanide-Doped KMnF3 Perovskite Nanowires into Aligned Arrays with Polarized Up-Conversion Emission.

PubMed

Shi, Shuo; Sun, Ling-Dong; Xue, Ying-Xian; Dong, Hao; Wu, Ke; Guo, Shi-Chen; Wu, Bo-Tao; Yan, Chun-Hua

2018-05-09

The use of one-dimensional nano- and microstructured semiconductor and lanthanide materials is attractive for polarized-light-emission studies. Up-conversion emission from single-nanorod or anisotropic nanoparticles with a degree of polarization has also been discussed. However, microscale arrays of nanoparticles, especially well-aligned one-dimensional nanostructures as well as their up-conversion polarization characterization, have not been investigated yet. Herein, we present a novel and facile paradigm for preparing highly aligned arrays of lanthanide-doped KMnF 3 (KMnF 3 :Ln) perovskite nanowires, which are good candidates for polarized up-conversion emission studies. These perovskite nanowires, with a width of 10 nm and length of a few micrometers, are formed through the oriented attachment of KMnF 3 :Ln nanocubes along the [001] direction. By the employment of KMnF 3 :Ln nanowire gel as nanoink, a direct-writing method is developed to obtain diverse types of aligned patterns from the nanoscale to the wafer scale. Up-conversion emissions from the highly aligned nanowire arrays are polarized along the array direction with a polarization degree up to 60%. Taking advantage of microscopic nanowire arrays, these polarized up-conversion emissions should offer potential applications in light or information transportation.

Near infrared harvesting dye-sensitized solar cells enabled by rare-earth upconversion materials.

PubMed

Li, Deyang; Ågren, Hans; Chen, Guanying

2018-02-01

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been deemed as promising alternatives to silicon solar cells for the conversion of clean sunlight energy into electricity. A major limitation to their conversion efficiency is their inability to utilize light in the infrared (IR) spectral range, which constitutes almost half the energy of the sun's radiation. This fact has elicited motivations and endeavors to extend the response wavelength of DSSCs to the IR range. Photon upconversion through rare-earth ions constitutes one of the most promising approaches toward the goal of converting near-IR (NIR) or IR light into visible or ultraviolet light, where DSSCs typically have high sensitivity. In the present review, we summarize recent progress based on the utilization of various upconversion materials and device structures to improve the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells.

Up-conversion of MMW radiation to visual band using glow discharge detector and silicon detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aharon Akram, Avihai; Rozban, Daniel; Abramovich, Amir; Yitzhaky, Yitzhak; Kopeika, Natan S.

2016-10-01

In this work we describe and demonstrate a method for up-conversion of millimeter wave (MMW) radiation to the visual band using a very inexpensive miniature Glow Discharge Detector (GDD), and a silicon detector (photodetector). Here we present 100 GHz up-conversion images based on measuring the visual light emitting from the GDD rather than its electrical current. The results showed better response time of 480 ns and better sensitivity compared to the electronic detection that was performed in our previous work. In this work we performed MMW imaging based on this method using a GDD lamp, and a photodetector to measure GDD light emission.

Upconversion excitations in Pr3+-doped BaY2F8 crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piramidowicz, R.; Mahiou, R.; Boutinaud, P.; Malinowski, M.

2011-09-01

We report the orange-to-blue and infrared-(IR)-to-blue wavelengths upconversion luminescence in Pr3+:BaY2F8 crystals. Mechanism of the orange light upconversion into blue 3P0 state emission was confirmed to be energy transfer between two Pr3+ ions in the 1D2 state. IR-to-blue upconversion has only been observed under two different color IR pumping. The first resonant step was the 3H4→1G4 ground state absorption transition, and the second resonant transition was the excited state absorption from the 1G4 to 1I6 and 3PJ levels. A comparison of the efficiency of the IR-to-blue upconversion in several praseodymium activated host is presented and discussed. A model of the IR pumped upconversion praseodymium blue laser is presented and the population inversion conditions are calculated.

Slow-light-enhanced upconversion for photovoltaic applications in one-dimensional photonic crystals.

PubMed

Johnson, Craig M; Reece, Peter J; Conibeer, Gavin J

2011-10-15

We present an approach to realizing enhanced upconversion efficiency in erbium (Er)-doped photonic crystals. Slow-light-mode pumping of the first Er excited state transition can result in enhanced emission from higher-energy levels that may lead to finite subbandgap external quantum efficiency in crystalline silicon solar cells. Using a straightforward electromagnetic model, we calculate potential field enhancements of more than 18× within he slow-light mode of a one-dimensional photonic crystal and discuss design trade-offs and considerations for photovoltaics.

Enhanced near-infrared to visible upconversion nanoparticles of Ho³⁺-Yb³⁺-F⁻ tri-doped TiO₂ and its application in dye-sensitized solar cells with 37% improvement in power conversion efficiency.

PubMed

Yu, Jia; Yang, Yulin; Fan, Ruiqing; Liu, Danqing; Wei, Liguo; Chen, Shuo; Li, Liang; Yang, Bin; Cao, Wenwu

2014-08-04

New near-infrared (NIR)-to-green upconversion nanoparticles of Ho(3+)-Yb(3+)-F(-) tridoped TiO2 (UC-F-TiO2) were designed and fabricated via the hydrosol-hydrothermal method. Under 980 nm NIR excitation, UC-F-TiO2 emit strong green upconversion fluorescence with three emission bands at 543, 644, and 751 nm and convert the NIR light in situ to the dye-sensitive visible light that could effectively reduce the distance between upconversion materials and sensitizers; thus, they minimize the loss of the converted light. Our results show that this UC-F-TiO2 offers excellent opportunities for the other types of solar cells applications, such as organic solar cells, c-Si solar cells, multijunction solar cells, and so on. When integrating the UC-F-TiO2 into dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), superior total energy conversion efficiency was achieved. Under AM1.5G light, open-circuit voltage reached 0.77 ± 0.01 V, short-circuit current density reached 21.00 ± 0.69 mA cm(-2), which resulted in an impressive overall energy conversion efficiency of 9.91 ± 0.30%, a 37% enhancement compared to DSSCs with pristine TiO2 photoanode.

Low-noise mid-IR upconversion detector for improved IR-degenerate four-wave mixing gas sensing.

PubMed

Høgstedt, Lasse; Dam, Jeppe Seidelin; Sahlberg, Anna-Lena; Li, Zhongshan; Aldén, Marcus; Pedersen, Christian; Tidemand-Lichtenberg, Peter

2014-09-15

We compare a nonlinear upconversion detector with a conventional cryogenic InSb detector for the detection of coherent infrared light showing near-shot-noise-limited performance in the upconversion system. The InSb detector is limited by dark noise, which results in a 500 times lower signal-to-noise ratio. The two detectors are compared for the detection of a coherent degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) signal in the mid-infrared, and applied to measure trace-level acetylene in a gas flow at atmospheric pressure, probing its fundamental rovibrational transitions. In addition to lower noise, the upconversion system provides image information of the signal, thus adding new functionality compared to standard point detection methods. We further show that the upconversion detector system can be implemented as a simple replacement of the cryogenic detector.

Photochemical Upconversion: A Physical or Inorganic Chemistry Experiment for Undergraduates Using a Conventional Fluorimeter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilke, Bryn M.; Castellano, Felix N.

2013-01-01

Photochemical upconversion is a regenerative process that transforms lower-energy photons into higher-energy light through two sequential bimolecular reactions, triplet sensitization of an appropriate acceptor followed by singlet fluorescence producing triplet-triplet annihilation derived from two energized acceptors. This laboratory directly…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Makarov, Nikolay S.; Lin, Qianglu; Pietryga, Jeffrey M.

One source of efficiency losses in photovoltaic cells is their transparency toward solar photons with energies below the band gap of the absorbing layer. This loss can be reduced using a process of up-conversion whereby two or more sub-band-gap photons generate a single above-gap exciton. Traditional approaches to up-conversion, such as nonlinear two-photon absorption (2PA) or triplet fusion, suffer from low efficiency at solar light intensities, a narrow absorption bandwidth, nonoptimal absorption energies, and difficulties for implementing in practical devices. We show that these deficiencies can be alleviated using the effect of Auger up-conversion in thick-shell PbSe/CdSe quantum dots. Thismore » process relies on Auger recombination whereby two low-energy, core-based excitons are converted into a single higher-energy, shell-based exciton. When compared to their monocomponent counterparts, the tailored PbSe/CdSe heterostructures feature enhanced absorption cross-sections, a higher efficiency of the “productive” Auger pathway involving re-excitation of a hole, and longer lifetimes of both core- and shell-localized excitons. These features lead to effective up-conversion cross-sections that are more than 6 orders of magnitude higher than for standard nonlinear 2PA, which allows for efficient up-conversion of continuous wave infrared light at intensities as low as a few watts per square centimeter.« less

Multicolor tunability and upconversion enhancement of fluoride nanoparticles by oxygen dopant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Wenbin; Wu, Suli; Zhang, Shufen; Su, Liap Tat; Tok, Alfred Iing Yoong

2013-08-01

The ability to manipulate the upconversion luminescence of lanthanide-ion doped fluoride upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) is particularly important and highly desired due to their wide applications in color displays, multiplexing bioassays and multicolor imaging. Here, we developed a strategy for simultaneously tuning color output and enhancing upconversion emission of Yb/Er doped fluoride UCNPs, based on adjusting the oxygen doping level. The synthesis of multicolored multifunctional NaGdF4:Yb,Er UCNPs was used as the model host system to demonstrate this protocol. Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) was used as the oxygen source and added into the reaction system at the beginning stage of nucleation and growth process of fluoride UCNPs, which facilitates the formation of enough oxygen atoms and the diffusion of these into the fluoride host matrix. The results revealed that multicolour output and upconversion enhancement mainly resulted from the variation of phonon energy and crystal field symmetry of the host lattice, respectively. This strategy can be further expanded to other fluoride host matrices. As an example of an application, multicolored UCNPs were used as a color converter in light emitting diodes, which can effectively convert near-infrared light into visible light. It is expected that these multicolored UCNPs will be promising for applications in multiplexing biodetection, bioimaging (optical and magnetic resonance imaging) and other optical technologies, and the present method for the control of O2- doping may also be used in other functional nanomaterials.The ability to manipulate the upconversion luminescence of lanthanide-ion doped fluoride upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) is particularly important and highly desired due to their wide applications in color displays, multiplexing bioassays and multicolor imaging. Here, we developed a strategy for simultaneously tuning color output and enhancing upconversion emission of Yb/Er doped fluoride UCNPs, based on adjusting the oxygen doping level. The synthesis of multicolored multifunctional NaGdF4:Yb,Er UCNPs was used as the model host system to demonstrate this protocol. Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) was used as the oxygen source and added into the reaction system at the beginning stage of nucleation and growth process of fluoride UCNPs, which facilitates the formation of enough oxygen atoms and the diffusion of these into the fluoride host matrix. The results revealed that multicolour output and upconversion enhancement mainly resulted from the variation of phonon energy and crystal field symmetry of the host lattice, respectively. This strategy can be further expanded to other fluoride host matrices. As an example of an application, multicolored UCNPs were used as a color converter in light emitting diodes, which can effectively convert near-infrared light into visible light. It is expected that these multicolored UCNPs will be promising for applications in multiplexing biodetection, bioimaging (optical and magnetic resonance imaging) and other optical technologies, and the present method for the control of O2- doping may also be used in other functional nanomaterials. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Upconversion spectra of NaYF4:Yb,Er UCNPs prepared with various oxygen sources (trimethylamine N-oxide and ammonium carbonate, Fig. S1) and different addition temperatures of NH4NO3 (Fig. S2), enlarged XRD patterns (Fig. S3), the intensity ratios of green to red emissions of NaGdF4:Yb,Er UCNPs prepared with various amounts of NH4NO3 (Fig. S4), power dependence of upconversion spectra of NaGdF4:Yb,Er UCNPs prepared at 300 °C for 1 h (Fig. S5), upconversion spectra of the product after further reaction between as-prepared NaYF4:Yb,Er and 50 mg of NH4NO3 at 300 °C for 1 h (Fig. S6), XRD patterns of NaYF4:Yb,Er and NaLuF4:Yb,Er UCNPs prepared with various amounts of NH4NO3 (Fig. S7 and S8), the corresponding magnetization curves of NaGdF4:Yb,Er UCNPs (Fig. S9). See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr01612a

Dental optical tomography with upconversion nanoparticles—a feasibility study

PubMed Central

Long, Feixiao; Intes, Xavier

2017-01-01

Abstract. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have the unique ability to emit multiple colors upon excitation by near-infrared (NIR) light. Herein, we investigate the potential use of UCNPs as contrast agents for dental optical tomography, with a focus on monitoring the status of fillings after dental restoration. The potential of performing tomographic imaging using UCNP emission of visible or NIR light is established. This in silico and ex vivo study paves the way toward employing UCNPs as theranostic agents for dental applications. PMID:28586852

Dental optical tomography with upconversion nanoparticles—a feasibility study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Feixiao; Intes, Xavier

2017-06-01

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have the unique ability to emit multiple colors upon excitation by near-infrared (NIR) light. Herein, we investigate the potential use of UCNPs as contrast agents for dental optical tomography, with a focus on monitoring the status of fillings after dental restoration. The potential of performing tomographic imaging using UCNP emission of visible or NIR light is established. This in silico and ex vivo study paves the way toward employing UCNPs as theranostic agents for dental applications.

Dental optical tomography with upconversion nanoparticles-a feasibility study.

PubMed

Long, Feixiao; Intes, Xavier

2017-06-01

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have the unique ability to emit multiple colors upon excitation by near-infrared (NIR) light. Herein, we investigate the potential use of UCNPs as contrast agents for dental optical tomography, with a focus on monitoring the status of fillings after dental restoration. The potential of performing tomographic imaging using UCNP emission of visible or NIR light is established. This in silico and ex vivo study paves the way toward employing UCNPs as theranostic agents for dental applications.

Sub-Band Gap Turn-On Near-Infrared-to-Visible Up-Conversion Device Enabled by an Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Photovoltaic Absorber.

PubMed

Yu, By Hyeonggeun; Cheng, Yuanhang; Li, Menglin; Tsang, Sai-Wing; So, Franky

2018-05-09

Direct integration of an infrared (IR) photodetector with an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) enables low-cost, pixel-free IR imaging. However, the operation voltage of the resulting IR-to-visible up-conversion is large because of the series device architecture. Here, we report a low-voltage near-IR (NIR)-to-visible up-conversion device using formamidinium lead iodide as a NIR absorber integrated with a phosphorescent OLED. Because of the efficient photocarrier injection from the hybrid perovskite layer to the OLED, we observed a sub-band gap turn-on of the OLED under NIR illumination. The device showed a NIR-to-visible up-conversion efficiency of 3% and a luminance on/off ratio of 10 3 at only 5 V. Finally, we demonstrate pixel-free NIR imaging using the up-conversion device.

Multiple visible emissions by means of up-conversion process in a microstructured tellurite glass optical fiber.

PubMed

Boetti, Nadia G; Lousteau, Joris; Negro, Davide; Mura, Emanuele; Scarpignato, Gerardo; Abrate, Silvio; Milanese, Daniel

2012-02-27

We present a microstructured fiber whose 9 µm diameter core consists in three concentric rings made of three active glasses having different rare earth oxide dopants, Yb3+/Er3+, Yb3+/Tm3+ and Yb3+/Pr3+, respectively. Morphological and optical characterization of the optical fiber are presented. The photoluminescence spectrum is investigated for different pumping conditions using a commercial 980 nm laser diode. Tuning of the RGB (or white light) emission is demonstrated not only by adjusting the pump power but also by using an optical iris as spatial filter which, thanks to the microstructured core, also acts as a spectral filter.

Photodegradation of near-infrared-pumped Tm(3+)-doped ZBLAN fiber upconversion lasers.

PubMed

Booth, I J; Archambault, J L; Ventrudo, B F

1996-03-01

Photodegradation has been observed in Tm(3+)-doped ZBLAN fiber lasers pumped with laser diodes at 1135 nm. After upconversion lasing at 482 nm, the fiber develops color centers that absorb strongly at wavelengths below ~650 nm, affecting further upconversion lasing. The rate of damage formation is strongly dependent on the pump power level and on the thulium concentration. The color centers are bleached by intense blue light but recover with thermal excitation and can be removed by thermal annealing at temperature near 100 degrees C.

Upconverting fluorescent nanoparticles for biodetection and photoactivation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Kai; Li, WenKai; Jayakumar, Muthu Kumara Gnanasammandhan; Zhang, Yong

2013-03-01

Fluorophores including fluorescent dyes/proteins and quantum dots (QDs) are used for fluorescence-based imaging and detection. These are based on `downconversion fluorescence' and have several drawbacks: photobleaching, autofluorescence, short tissue penetration depth and tissue photo-damage. Upconversion fluorescent nanoparticles (UCNs) emit detectable photons of higher energy in the short wavelength range upon irradiation with near-infrared (NIR) light based on a process termed `upconversion'. UCNs show absolute photostability, negligible autofluorescence, high penetration depth and minimum photodamage to biological tissues. Lanthanide doped nanocrystals with nearinfrared NIR-to-NIR and/or NIR-to-VIS and/or NIR-to-UV upconversion fluorescence emission have been synthesized. The nanocrystals with small size and tunable multi-color emission have been developed. The emission can be tuned by doping different upconverting lanthanide ions into the nanocrystals. The nanocrystals with core-shell structure have also been prepared to tune the emission color. The surfaces of these nanocrystals have been modified to render them water dispersible and biocompatible. They can be used for ultrasensitive interference-free biodetection because most biomolecules do not have upconversion properties. UCNs are also useful for light based therapy with enhanced efficiency, for example, photoactivation.

[Multiply upconversion emission in oxyfluoride ceramics].

PubMed

Xiao, Si-guo; Yang, Xiao-liang; Liu, Zhen-wei

2003-02-01

Oxyfluoride ceramics with the host composition of SiO2 and PbF2 have been prepared. X-ray diffraction analysis of the ceramics revealed that fluoride type beta-PbF2 solid solution regions are precipitated in the glass matrix. Rare earth ions in the beta-PbF2 solid solution show highly efficient upconversion performance due to the very small multi-phonon relaxation rates. Eight upconversion emission bands whose central wavelength are 846, 803, 665, 549, 523, 487, 456 and 411 nm have been observed when the sample was excited with 930 nm diode light. Four possible energy transfer processes between Er3+ and Yb3+ cause the electronic population of high energy level of Er3+ and realize the abound upconversion luminescence bands.

A novel contrast agent with rare earth-doped up-conversion luminescence and Gd-DTPA magnetic resonance properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Qing; Wei, Daixu; Cheng, Jiejun; Xu, Jianrong; Zhu, Jun

2012-08-01

The magnetic-luminescent multifunctional nanoparticles based on Gd-DTPA and NaYF4:Yb, Er were successfully synthesized by the conjugation of activated DTPA and silica-coated/surface-aminolated NaYF4:Yb, Er nanoparticles through EDC/NHS coupling chemistry. The as-prepared products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The room-temperature upconversion luminescent spectra and T1-weighted maps of the obtained nanoparticles were carried out by 980 nm NIR light excitation and a 3T MR imaging scanner, respectively. The results indicated that the as-synthesized multifunctional nanoparticles with small size, highly solubility in water, and both high MR relaxivities and upconversion luminescence may have potential usage for MR imaging in future.

The Sensitive Infrared Signal Detection by Sum Frequency Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Teh-Hwa; Yu, Jirong; Bai, Yingxin

2013-01-01

An up-conversion device that converts 2.05-micron light to 700 nm signal by sum frequency generation using a periodically poled lithium niobate crystal is demonstrated. The achieved 92% up-conversion efficiency paves the path to detect extremely weak 2.05-micron signal with well established silicon avalanche photodiode detector for sensitive lidar applications.

Upconversion-pumped luminescence efficiency of rare-earth-doped hosts sensitized with trivalent ytterbium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Page, R.H.; Schaffers, K.I.; Waide, P.A.

We discuss the upconversion luminescence efficiencies of phosphors that generate red, green, and blue light. The phosphors studied are single crystals and powders co-doped with Er{sup 3+} and Yb{sup 3+}, and with Tm{sup 3+} and Yb{sup 3+}. The Yb ions are pumped near 980 nm; transfers of two or three quanta to the co-doped rare earth ion generate visible luminescence. The main contribution embodied in this work is the quantitative measurement of this upconversion efficiency, based on the use of a calibrated integrating sphere, determination of the fraction of pump light absorbed, and careful control of the pump laser beammore » profile. The green phosphors are the most efficient, yielding efficiency values as high as 4 %, with the red and blue materials giving 1 - 2 %. Saturation was observed in all cases, suggesting that populations of upconversion steps of the ions are maximized at higher power. Quasi-CW modeling of the intensity- dependent upconversion efficiency was attempted; input data included level lifetimes, transition cross sections, and cross-relaxation rate coefficients. The saturation of the Yb,Er:fluoride media is explained as the pumping of Er{sup 3+} ions into a bottleneck (long-lived state)- the {sup 4}I{sub 13/2} metastable level, making them unavailable for further excitation transfer. 32 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Enhancing Solar Cell Efficiency Using Photon Upconversion Materials

PubMed Central

Shang, Yunfei; Hao, Shuwei; Yang, Chunhui; Chen, Guanying

2015-01-01

Photovoltaic cells are able to convert sunlight into electricity, providing enough of the most abundant and cleanest energy to cover our energy needs. However, the efficiency of current photovoltaics is significantly impeded by the transmission loss of sub-band-gap photons. Photon upconversion is a promising route to circumvent this problem by converting these transmitted sub-band-gap photons into above-band-gap light, where solar cells typically have high quantum efficiency. Here, we summarize recent progress on varying types of efficient upconversion materials as well as their outstanding uses in a series of solar cells, including silicon solar cells (crystalline and amorphous), gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, and other types of solar cells. The challenge and prospect of upconversion materials for photovoltaic applications are also discussed. PMID:28347095

Near-infrared deep brain stimulation via upconversion nanoparticle–mediated optogenetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shuo; Weitemier, Adam Z.; Zeng, Xiao; He, Linmeng; Wang, Xiyu; Tao, Yanqiu; Huang, Arthur J. Y.; Hashimotodani, Yuki; Kano, Masanobu; Iwasaki, Hirohide; Parajuli, Laxmi Kumar; Okabe, Shigeo; Teh, Daniel B. Loong; All, Angelo H.; Tsutsui-Kimura, Iku; Tanaka, Kenji F.; Liu, Xiaogang; McHugh, Thomas J.

2018-02-01

Optogenetics has revolutionized the experimental interrogation of neural circuits and holds promise for the treatment of neurological disorders. It is limited, however, because visible light cannot penetrate deep inside brain tissue. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) absorb tissue-penetrating near-infrared (NIR) light and emit wavelength-specific visible light. Here, we demonstrate that molecularly tailored UCNPs can serve as optogenetic actuators of transcranial NIR light to stimulate deep brain neurons. Transcranial NIR UCNP-mediated optogenetics evoked dopamine release from genetically tagged neurons in the ventral tegmental area, induced brain oscillations through activation of inhibitory neurons in the medial septum, silenced seizure by inhibition of hippocampal excitatory cells, and triggered memory recall. UCNP technology will enable less-invasive optical neuronal activity manipulation with the potential for remote therapy.

In vivo multimodality imaging and cancer therapy by near-infrared light-triggered trans-platinum pro-drug-conjugated upconverison nanoparticles.

PubMed

Dai, Yunlu; Xiao, Haihua; Liu, Jianhua; Yuan, Qinghai; Ma, Ping'an; Yang, Dongmei; Li, Chunxia; Cheng, Ziyong; Hou, Zhiyao; Yang, Piaoping; Lin, Jun

2013-12-18

Controlling anticancer drug activity and release on demand is very significant in cancer therapy. The photoactivated platinum(IV) pro-drug is stable in the dark and can be activated by UV light. In this study, we develop a multifunctional drug delivery system combining upconversion luminescence/magnetic resonance/computer tomography trimodality imaging and NIR-activated platinum pro-drug delivery. We use the core-shell structured upconversion nanoparticles to convert the absorbed NIR light into UV to activate the trans-platinum(IV) pro-drug, trans,trans,trans-[Pt(N3)2(NH3)(py)(O2CCH2CH2COOH)2]. Compared with using the UV directly, the NIR has a higher tissue penetration depth and is less harmful to health. Meanwhile, the upconversion nanoparticles can effectively deliver the platinum(IV) pro-drugs into the cells by endocytosis. The mice treated with pro-drug-conjugated nanoparticles under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation demonstrated better inhibition of tumor growth than that under direct UV irradiation. This multifunctional nanocomposite could be used as multimodality bioimaging contrast agents and transducers by converting NIR light into UV for control of drug activity in practical cancer therapy.

Molecular approaches to third generation photovoltaics: photochemical up-conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yuen Yap; Fückel, Burkhard; Roberts, Derrick A.; Khoury, Tony; Clady, Rapha"l. G. C. R.; Tayebjee, Murad J. Y.; Piper, Roland; Ekins-Daukes, N. J.; Crossley, Maxwell J.; Schmidt, Timothy W.

2010-08-01

We have investigated a photochemical up-conversion system comprising a molecular mixture of a palladium porphyrin to harvest light, and a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon to emit light. The energy of harvested photons is stored as molecular triplet states which then annihilate to bring about up-converted fluorescence. The limiting efficiency of such triplet-triplet annihilation up-conversion has been believed to be 11% for some time. However, by rigorously investigating the kinetics of delayed fluorescence following pulsed excitation, we demonstrate instantaneous annihilation efficiencies exceeding 40%, and limiting efficiencies for the current system of ~60%. We attribute the high efficiencies obtained to the electronic structure of the emitting molecule, which exhibits an exceptionally high T2 molecular state. We utilize the kinetic data obtained to model an up-converting layer irradiated with broadband sunlight, finding that ~3% efficiencies can be obtained with the current system, with this improving dramatically upon optimization of various parameters.

Color-coded multilayer photopatterned microstructures using lanthanide (III) ion co-doped NaYF4 nanoparticles with upconversion luminescence for possible applications in security.

PubMed

Kim, Won Jin; Nyk, Marcin; Prasad, Paras N

2009-05-06

We report a method for fabricating predefined photopatterns of upconversion nanophosphors using a chemical amplification reaction for direct writing of films with multilayer color-coded patterning for security applications. To photopattern the nanocrystal film we have synthesized rare-earth ion (Er(3+)/Yb(3+) or Tm(3+)/Yb(3+)) co-doped sodium yttrium fluoride (alpha-NaYF(4)) nanophosphors and functionalized the nanocrystal surfaces by incorporation of a photopatternable ligand such as t-butoxycarbonyl (t-BOC). The surface modification allows photopatterning of the nanophosphor solid state film. Furthermore, upconversion nanophosphors show a nearly quadratic dependence of the upconversion photoluminescence (PL) intensity on the excitation light power, and tailoring of the PL wavelength is possible by changing the lanthanide ions. We have demonstrated the capability of anchoring nanophosphors at desirable locations by a photolithography technique. The photopatterned films exhibit fixed nanophosphor structures clearly identifiable by strong upconversion photoluminescence under IR illumination which is useful for a number of applications in security.

Red-light-controllable liquid-crystal soft actuators via low-power excited upconversion based on triplet-triplet annihilation.

PubMed

Jiang, Zhen; Xu, Ming; Li, Fuyou; Yu, Yanlei

2013-11-06

A red-light-controllable soft actuator has been achieved, driven by low-power excited triplet-triplet annihilation-based upconversion luminescence (TTA-UCL). First, a red-to-blue TTA-based upconversion system with a high absolute quantum yield of 9.3 ± 0.5% was prepared by utilizing platinum(II) tetraphenyltetrabenzoporphyrin (PtTPBP) as the sensitizer and 9,10-bis(diphenylphosphoryl)anthracene (BDPPA) as the annihilator. In order to be employed as a highly effective phototrigger of photodeformable cross-linked liquid-crystal polymers (CLCPs), the PtTPBP&BDPPA system was incorporated into a rubbery polyurethane film and then assembled with an azotolane-containing CLCP film. The generating assembly film bent toward the light source when irradiated with a 635 nm laser at low power density of 200 mW cm(-2) because the TTA-UCL was effectively utilized by the azotolane moieties in the CLCP film, inducing their trans-cis photoisomerization and an alignment change of the mesogens via an emission-reabsorption process. It is the first example of a soft actuator in which the TTA-UCL is trapped and utilized to create photomechanical effect. Such advantages of using this novel red-light-controllable soft actuator in potential biological applications have also been demonstrated as negligible thermal effect and its excellent penetration ability into tissues. This work not only provides a novel photomanipulated soft actuation material system based on the TTA-UCL technology but also introduces a new technological application of the TTA-based upconversion system in photonic devices.

NaYF{sub 4}:Er,Yb/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} core/shell nanocomposite: A highly efficient visible-light-driven photocatalyst utilizing upconversion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Yuanyuan; Wang, Wenzhong, E-mail: wzwang@mail.sic.ac.cn; Sun, Songmei

2014-04-01

Highlights: • Design and synthesis of NaYF{sub 4}:Er,Yb/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} based on upconversion. • NaYF{sub 4}:Er,Yb/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} nanocomposite was prepared for the first time. • Core–shell structure benefits the properties. • Upconversion contributed to the enhanced photocatalytic activity. • Helps to understand the functionality of new type photocatalysts. - Abstract: NaYF{sub 4}:Er,Yb/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} core/shell nanocomposite was designed and prepared for the first time based on upconversion. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution TEM (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The results revealed that the as-synthesizedmore » NaYF{sub 4}:Er,Yb/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} consisted of spheres with a core diameter of about 26 nm and a shell diameter of around 6 nm. The core was upconversion illuminant NaYF{sub 4}:Er,Yb and the shell was Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} around the core, which was confirmed by EDS. The NaYF{sub 4}:Er,Yb/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} exhibited higher photocatalytic activity for the photodecomposition of Rhodamine B (RhB) under the irradiation of Xe lamp and green light emitting diode (g-LED). The mechanism of the high photocatalytic activity was discussed by photoluminescence spectra (PL), which is mainly attributed to upconversion of NaYF{sub 4}:Er,Yb in the NaYF{sub 4}:Er,Yb/Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} nanocomposite and the core–shell structure.« less

Observing quantum control of up-conversion luminescence in Dy3+ ion doped glass from weak to intermediate shaped femtosecond laser fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Pei; Cheng, Wenjing; Yao, Yunhua; Xu, Cheng; Zheng, Ye; Deng, Lianzhong; Jia, Tianqing; Qiu, Jianrong; Sun, Zhenrong; Zhang, Shian

2017-11-01

Controlling the up-conversion luminescence of rare-earth ions in real-time, in a dynamical and reversible manner, is very important for their application in laser sources, fiber-optic communications, light-emitting diodes, color displays and biological systems. In previous studies, the up-conversion luminescence control mainly focused on the weak femtosecond laser field. Here, we further extend this control behavior from weak to intermediate femtosecond laser fields. In this work, we experimentally and theoretically demonstrate that the up-conversion luminescence in Dy3+ ion doped glass can be artificially controlled by a π phase step modulation, but the up-conversion luminescence control behavior will be affected by the femtosecond laser intensity, and the up-conversion luminescence is suppressed by lower laser intensity while enhanced by higher laser intensity. We establish a new theoretical model (i.e. the fourth-order perturbation theory) to explain the physical control mechanism by considering the two- and four-photon absorption processes, and the theoretical results show that the relative weight of four-photon absorption in the whole excitation process will increase with the increase in laser intensity, and the interference between two- and four-photon absorptions results in up-conversion luminescence control modulation under different laser intensities. These theoretical and experimental works can provide a new method to control and understand up-conversion luminescence in rare-earth ions, and also may open a new opportunity to the related application areas of rare-earth ions.

Femtowatt incoherent image conversion from mid-infrared light to near-infrared light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Nan; Liu, Hongjun; Wang, Zhaolu; Han, Jing; Zhang, Shuan

2017-03-01

We report on the experimental conversion imaging of an incoherent continuous-wave dim source from mid-infrared light to near-infrared light with a lowest input power of 31 femtowatt (fW). Incoherent mid-infrared images of light emission from a heat lamp bulb with an adjustable power supply at window wavelengths ranging from 2.9 µm to 3.5 µm are used for upconversion. The sum-frequency generation is realized in a laser cavity with the resonant wavelength of 1064 nm pumped by an LD at 806 nm built around a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal. The converted infrared image in the wavelength range ~785 nm with a resolution of about 120  ×  70 is low-noise detected using a silicon-based camera. By optimizing the system parameters, the upconversion quantum efficiency is predicted to be 28% for correctly polarized, on-axis and phase-matching light.

Streak camera imaging of single photons at telecom wavelength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allgaier, Markus; Ansari, Vahid; Eigner, Christof; Quiring, Viktor; Ricken, Raimund; Donohue, John Matthew; Czerniuk, Thomas; Aßmann, Marc; Bayer, Manfred; Brecht, Benjamin; Silberhorn, Christine

2018-01-01

Streak cameras are powerful tools for temporal characterization of ultrafast light pulses, even at the single-photon level. However, the low signal-to-noise ratio in the infrared range prevents measurements on weak light sources in the telecom regime. We present an approach to circumvent this problem, utilizing an up-conversion process in periodically poled waveguides in Lithium Niobate. We convert single photons from a parametric down-conversion source in order to reach the point of maximum detection efficiency of commercially available streak cameras. We explore phase-matching configurations to apply the up-conversion scheme in real-world applications.

Experimental demonstration of photon upconversion via cooperative energy pooling

DOE PAGES

Weingarten, Daniel H.; LaCount, Michael D.; van de Lagemaat, Jao; ...

2017-03-15

Photon upconversion is a fundamental interaction of light and matter that has applications in fields ranging from bioimaging to microfabrication. However, all photon upconversion methods demonstrated thus far involve challenging aspects, including requirements of high excitation intensities, degradation in ambient air, requirements of exotic materials or phases, or involvement of inherent energy loss processes. Here we experimentally demonstrate a mechanism of photon upconversion in a thin film, binary mixture of organic chromophores that provides a pathway to overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages. This singlet-based process, called Cooperative Energy Pooling (CEP), utilizes a sensitizer-acceptor design in which multiple photoexcited sensitizers resonantly andmore » simultaneously transfer their energies to a higher-energy state on a single acceptor. Data from this proof-of-concept implementation is fit by a proposed model of the CEP process. As a result, design guidelines are presented to facilitate further research and development of more optimized CEP systems.« less

Experimental demonstration of photon upconversion via cooperative energy pooling

PubMed Central

Weingarten, Daniel H.; LaCount, Michael D.; van de Lagemaat, Jao; Rumbles, Garry; Lusk, Mark T.; Shaheen, Sean E.

2017-01-01

Photon upconversion is a fundamental interaction of light and matter that has applications in fields ranging from bioimaging to microfabrication. However, all photon upconversion methods demonstrated thus far involve challenging aspects, including requirements of high excitation intensities, degradation in ambient air, requirements of exotic materials or phases, or involvement of inherent energy loss processes. Here we experimentally demonstrate a mechanism of photon upconversion in a thin film, binary mixture of organic chromophores that provides a pathway to overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages. This singlet-based process, called Cooperative Energy Pooling (CEP), utilizes a sensitizer-acceptor design in which multiple photoexcited sensitizers resonantly and simultaneously transfer their energies to a higher-energy state on a single acceptor. Data from this proof-of-concept implementation is fit by a proposed model of the CEP process. Design guidelines are presented to facilitate further research and development of more optimized CEP systems. PMID:28294129

Experimental demonstration of photon upconversion via cooperative energy pooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weingarten, Daniel H.; Lacount, Michael D.; van de Lagemaat, Jao; Rumbles, Garry; Lusk, Mark T.; Shaheen, Sean E.

2017-03-01

Photon upconversion is a fundamental interaction of light and matter that has applications in fields ranging from bioimaging to microfabrication. However, all photon upconversion methods demonstrated thus far involve challenging aspects, including requirements of high excitation intensities, degradation in ambient air, requirements of exotic materials or phases, or involvement of inherent energy loss processes. Here we experimentally demonstrate a mechanism of photon upconversion in a thin film, binary mixture of organic chromophores that provides a pathway to overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages. This singlet-based process, called Cooperative Energy Pooling (CEP), utilizes a sensitizer-acceptor design in which multiple photoexcited sensitizers resonantly and simultaneously transfer their energies to a higher-energy state on a single acceptor. Data from this proof-of-concept implementation is fit by a proposed model of the CEP process. Design guidelines are presented to facilitate further research and development of more optimized CEP systems.

High-Temperature Surface Thermometry Technique based on Upconversion Nano-Phosphors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Combs, C.; Clemens, N.; Guo, X.; Song, H.; Zhao, H.; Li, K. K.; Zou, Y. K.; Jiang, H.

2011-11-01

Downconversion thermographic phosphors have been extensively used for high-temperature surface thermometry applications (e.g., aerothermodynamics, turbine blades) where temperature-sensitive paint is not viable. In downconversion techniques the phosphorescence is at longer wavelengths than the excitation source. We are developing a new upconversion thermographic phosphor technique that employs rare-earth-doped ceramics whose phosphorescence exhibit a strong temperature dependence. In the upconversion technique the phosphor is excited with near-IR light and emission is at visible wavelengths; thus, it does not require expensive UV windows and does not suffer from interference from background fluorescence. In this work the upconversion phosphors have been characterized in terms of their intensity, lifetimes and spectral content over a temperature range of 300K to 1500K. The technique has been evaluated for applications of 2D surface temperature measurements by using the total integrated intensity and the ratio of emission in different visible color bands. The results indicate that upconversion phosphor thermometry is a promising technique for making non-contact high-surface temperature measurements with good accuracy. Work supported by NASA under contract NNX11CG89P.

Nd3+/Yb3+ cascade-sensitized single-band red upconversion emission in active-core/active-shell nanocrystals.

PubMed

Ding, M Y; Hou, J J; Yuan, Y J; Bai, W F; Lu, C H; Xi, J H; Ji, Z G; Chen, D Q

2018-08-24

Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanomaterials (UCNMs) have promoted extensive interest for its biological research and biomedical applications, benefiting from low autofluorescence background, deep light penetration depth, and minimal photo-damage to biological tissues. However, owing to the 980 nm laser-induced overheating issue and the attenuation effect associated with conventional multi-peak emissions, the usage of UCNMs as fluorescent bioprobes is still limited. To address these issues, an effective strategy has been proposed to tune both the excitation and emission peaks of UCNMs into the first biological window (650 ∼ 900 nm), where the light absorption by water and hemoglobin in biological tissues is minimal. Based on the Nd 3+ /Yb 3+ cascade-sensitized upconversion process and efficient exchange-energy transfer between Mn 2+ and Er 3+ in conjunction with the active-core@active-shell nanostructured design, we have developed a new class of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) that exhibit strong single-band red emission upon excitation of an 808 nm near-infrared laser. Hopefully, the well-designed KMnF 3 :Yb/Er/Nd@ KMnF 3 :Yb/Nd core-shell nanocrystals will be considered a promising alternative to conventionally used UCNPs for biolabeling applications without the concern of the overheating issue and the attenuation constraints.

Improvement Photocatalytic Activity of P25 by Modification with a Rare Earth-Free Upconversion Nanocrystal.

PubMed

Yin, Dongguang; Liu, Yumin; Zhao, Feifei; Zhang, Xinyu; Zhang, Tingting; Wu, Chenglong; Chang, Na; Chen, Zhiwen

2018-05-01

It has been reported that coupling TiO2 with rare earth upconversion nanocrystals (UCNCs) is an efficient strategy to significantly improve photocatalytic activity of TiO2. However, the rare earth materials are scarcity and cost, and the synthesis process of UCNCs using the rare earth materials is complicated. In the present study, we have designed a new approach using a rare earth-free upconversion nanocrystal (REF-UCNCs) as upconversion luminescent material to replace the rare earth UCNCs. A novel nanocomposite photocatalyst of REF-UCNCs@P25: Mo/GN was developed for the first time. Based on the designed structure, the REF-UCNCs, Mo-doping, and GN (graphene) have a synergistic effect that can improve catalytic activity of P25 significantly. The results of photocatalytic experiments using RhB as a model pollutant under simulated solar light irradiation show that the photocatalytic efficiency of the as-prepared catalyst is 3-folds higher than that of benchmark substance P25. This work provides a new strategy for efficiently improving catalytic activity of semiconductor photocatalysts by coupling with REF-UCNCs. This approach is facile and low-cost which can be widely applied for modification of semiconductor photocatalysts and facilitates their applications in environmental protection issues using solar light.

Synergistic plasmonic and photonic crystal light-trapping: architectures for optical up-conversion in thin-film solar cells.

PubMed

Le, Khai Q; John, Sajeev

2014-01-13

We demonstrate, numerically, that with a 60 nanometer layer of optical up-conversion material, embedded with plasmonic core-shell nano-rings and placed below a sub-micron silicon conical-pore photonic crystal it is possible to absorb sunlight well above the Lambertian limit in the 300-1100 nm range. With as little as 500 nm, equivalent bulk thickness of silicon, the maximum achievable photo-current density (MAPD) is about 36 mA/cm2, using above-bandgap sunlight. This MAPD increases to about 38 mA/cm2 for one micron of silicon. Our architecture also provides solar intensity enhancement by a factor of at least 1400 at the sub-bandgap wavelength of 1500 nm, due to plasmonic and photonic crystal resonances, enabling a further boost of photo-current density from up-conversion of sub-bandgap sunlight. With an external solar concentrator, providing 100 suns, light intensities sufficient for significant nonlinear up-conversion can be realized. Two-photon absorption of sub-bandgap sunlight is further enhanced by the large electromagnetic density of states in the photonic crystal at the re-emission wavelength near 750 nm. It is suggested that this synergy of plasmonic and photonic crystal resonances can lead to unprecedented power conversion efficiency in ultra-thin-film silicon solar cells.

Plasmon-enhanced energy transfer for improved upconversion of infrared radiation in doped-lanthanide nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qi; Mundoor, Haridas; Ribot, Josep; Singh, Vivek; Smalyukh, Ivan; Nagpal, Prashant

2014-03-01

Upconversion of infrared radiation into visible light has been investigated for applications in biological imaging and photovoltaics. However, low conversion efficiency due to small absorption cross-section for infrared light (Yb3+) , and slow rate of energy transfer (to Er3+ states) has prevented application of upconversion photoluminescence (UPL) for diffuse sunlight or imaging tissue samples. Here, we utilize resonant surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) waves to enhance UPL in doped-lanthanide nanocrystals. Our analysis indicates that SPP waves not only enhance the electromagnetic field, and hence weak Purcell effect, but also increases the rate of resonant energy transfer from Yb3+ to Er3+ ions by 6 fold. While we do observe strong metal mediated quenching (14 fold) of green fluorescence on flat metal surfaces, the nanostructured metal is resonant in the infrared, and hence enhances the nanocrystal UPL. This strong columbic effect on energy transfer can have important implications for other fluorescent and excitonic systems too.

Tetherless near-infrared control of brain activity in behaving animals using fully implantable upconversion microdevices.

PubMed

Wang, Ying; Lin, Xudong; Chen, Xi; Chen, Xian; Xu, Zhen; Zhang, Wenchong; Liao, Qinghai; Duan, Xin; Wang, Xin; Liu, Ming; Wang, Feng; He, Jufang; Shi, Peng

2017-10-01

Many nanomaterials can be used as sensors or transducers in biomedical research and they form the essential components of transformative novel biotechnologies. In this study, we present an all-optical method for tetherless remote control of neural activity using fully implantable micro-devices based on upconversion technology. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) were used as transducers to convert near-infrared (NIR) energy to visible light in order to stimulate neurons expressing different opsin proteins. In our setup, UCNPs were packaged in a glass micro-optrode to form an implantable device with superb long-term biocompatibility. We showed that remotely applied NIR illumination is able to reliably trigger spiking activity in rat brains. In combination with a robotic laser projection system, the upconversion-based tetherless neural stimulation technique was implemented to modulate brain activity in various regions, including the striatum, ventral tegmental area, and visual cortex. Using this system, we were able to achieve behavioral conditioning in freely moving animals. Notably, our microscale device was at least one order of magnitude smaller in size (∼100 μm in diameter) and two orders of magnitude lighter in weight (less than 1 mg) than existing wireless optogenetic devices based on light-emitting diodes. This feature allows simultaneous implantation of multiple UCNP-optrodes to achieve modulation of brain function to control complex animal behavior. We believe that this technology not only represents a novel practical application of upconversion nanomaterials, but also opens up new possibilities for remote control of neural activity in the brains of behaving animals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancing multiphoton upconversion through energy clustering at sublattice level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Juan; Deng, Renren; MacDonald, Mark A.; Chen, Bolei; Yuan, Jikang; Wang, Feng; Chi, Dongzhi; Andy Hor, Tzi Sum; Zhang, Peng; Liu, Guokui; Han, Yu; Liu, Xiaogang

2014-02-01

The applications of lanthanide-doped upconversionnanocrystals in biological imaging, photonics, photovoltaics and therapeutics have fuelled a growing demand for rational control over the emission profiles of the nanocrystals. A common strategy for tuning upconversion luminescence is to control the doping concentration of lanthanide ions. However, the phenomenon of concentration quenching of the excited state at high doping levels poses a significant constraint. Thus, the lanthanide ions have to be stringently kept at relatively low concentrations to minimize luminescence quenching. Here we describe a new class of upconversion nanocrystals adopting an orthorhombic crystallographic structure in which the lanthanide ions are distributed in arrays of tetrad clusters. Importantly, this unique arrangement enables the preservation of excitation energy within the sublattice domain and effectively minimizes the migration of excitation energy to defects, even in stoichiometric compounds with a high Yb3+ content (calculated as 98 mol%). This allows us to generate an unusual four-photon-promoted violet upconversion emission from Er3+ with an intensity that is more than eight times higher than previously reported. Our results highlight that the approach to enhancing upconversion through energy clustering at the sublattice level may provide new opportunities for light-triggered biological reactions and photodynamic therapy.

Photon upconversion towards applications in energy conversion and bioimaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qi-C.; Ding, Yuchen C.; Sagar, Dodderi M.; Nagpal, Prashant

2017-12-01

The field of plasmonics can play an important role in developing novel devices for application in energy and healthcare. In this review article, we consider the progress made in design and fabrication of upconverting nanoparticles and metal nanostructures for precisely manipulating light photons, with a wavelength of several hundred nanometers, at nanometer length scales, and describe how to tailor their interactions with molecules and surfaces so that two or more lower energy photons can be used to generate a single higher energy photon in a process called photon upconversion. This review begins by introducing the current state-of-the-art in upconverting nanoparticle synthesis and achievements in color tuning and upconversion enhancement. Through understanding and tailoring physical processes, color tuning and strong upconversion enhancement have been demonstrated by coupling with surface plasmon polariton waves, especially for low intensity or diffuse infrared radiation. Since more than 30% of incident sunlight is not utilized in most photovoltaic cells, this photon upconversion is one of the promising approaches to break the so-called Shockley-Queisser thermodynamic limit for a single junction solar cell. Furthermore, since the low energy photons typically cover the biological window of optical transparency, this approach can also be particularly beneficial for novel biosensing and bioimaging techniques. Taken together, the recent research boosts the applications of photon upconversion using designed metal nanostructures and nanoparticles for green energy, bioimaging, and therapy.

Construction of Hierarchical Polymer Brushes on Upconversion Nanoparticles via NIR-Light-Initiated RAFT Polymerization.

PubMed

Xie, Zhongxi; Deng, Xiaoran; Liu, Bei; Huang, Shanshan; Ma, Pingan; Hou, Zhiyao; Cheng, Ziyong; Lin, Jun; Luan, Shifang

2017-09-13

Photoinduced reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization generally adopts high-energy ultraviolet (UV) or blue light. In combination with photoredox catalyst, the excitation light wavelength was extended to the visible and even near-infrared (NIR) region for photoinduced electron transfer RAFT polymerization. In this report, we introduce for the first time a surface NIR-light-initiated RAFT polymerization on upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) without adding any photocatalyst and construct a functional inorganic core/polymer shell nanohybrid for application in cancer theranostics. The multilayer core-shell UCNPs (NaYF 4 :Yb/Tm@NaYbF 4 :Gd@NaNdF 4 :Yb@NaYF 4 ), with surface anchorings of chain transfer agents, can serve as efficient NIR-to-UV light transducers for initiating the RAFT polymerization. A hierarchical double block copolymer brush, consisting of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(oligo(ethylene oxide)methacrylate-co-2-(2-methoxy-ethoxy)ethyl methacrylate) (PEG for short), was grafted from the surface in sequence. The targeting arginine-glycine-aspartic (RGD) peptide was modified at the end of the copolymer through the trithiolcarbonate end group. After loading of doxorubicin, the UCNPs@PAA-b-PEG-RGD exhibited an enhanced U87MG cancer cell uptake efficiency and cytotoxicity. Besides, the unique upconversion luminescence of the nanohybrids was used for the autofluoresence-free cell imaging and labeling. Therefore, our strategy verified that UCNPs could efficiently activate RAFT polymerization by NIR photoirradiation and construct the complex nanohybrids, exhibiting prospective biomedical applications due to the low phototoxicity and deep penetration of NIR light.

Enhanced Power Conversion Efficiency of Perovskite Solar Cells with an Up-Conversion Material of Er3+-Yb3+-Li+ Tri-doped TiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhenlong; Qin, Jianqiang; Shi, Wenjia; Liu, Yanyan; Zhang, Yan; Liu, Yuefeng; Gao, Huiping; Mao, Yanli

2018-05-01

In this paper, Er3+-Yb3+-Li+ tri-doped TiO2 (UC-TiO2) was prepared by an addition of Li+ to Er3+-Yb3+ co-doped TiO2. The UC-TiO2 presented an enhanced up-conversion emission compared with Er3+-Yb3+ co-doped TiO2. The UC-TiO2 was applied to the perovskite solar cells. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the solar cells without UC-TiO2 was 14.0%, while the PCE of the solar cells with UC-TiO2 was increased to 16.5%, which presented an increase of 19%. The results suggested that UC-TiO2 is an effective up-conversion material. And this study provided a route to expand the spectral absorption of perovskite solar cells from visible light to near-infrared using up-conversion materials.

Tailoring Plasmonic Enhanced Upconversion in Single NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ Nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ya-Lan; Mohammadi Estakhri, Nasim; Johnson, Amber; Li, Hai-Yang; Xu, Li-Xiang; Zhang, Zhenyu; Alù, Andrea; Wang, Qu-Quan; Shih, Chih-Kang (Ken)

2015-05-01

By using silver nanoplatelets with a widely tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), and their corresponding local field enhancement, here we show large manipulation of plasmonic enhanced upconversion in NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ nanocrystals at the single particle level. In particular, we show that when the plasmonic resonance of silver nanolplatelets is tuned to 656 nm, matching the emission wavelength, an upconversion enhancement factor ~5 is obtained. However, when the plasmonic resonance is tuned to 980 nm, matching the nanocrystal absorption wavelength, we achieve an enhancement factor of ~22 folds. The precise geometric arrangement between fluorescent nanoparticles and silver nanoplatelets allows us to make, for the first time, a comparative analysis between experimental results and numerical simulations, yielding a quantitative agreement at the single particle level. Such a comparison lays the foundations for a rational design of hybrid metal-fluorescent nanocrystals to harness the upconversion enhancement for biosensing and light harvesting applications.

Enhanced Power Conversion Efficiency of Perovskite Solar Cells with an Up-Conversion Material of Er3+-Yb3+-Li+ Tri-doped TiO2.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhenlong; Qin, Jianqiang; Shi, Wenjia; Liu, Yanyan; Zhang, Yan; Liu, Yuefeng; Gao, Huiping; Mao, Yanli

2018-05-11

In this paper, Er 3+ -Yb 3+ -Li + tri-doped TiO 2 (UC-TiO 2 ) was prepared by an addition of Li + to Er 3+ -Yb 3+ co-doped TiO 2 . The UC-TiO 2 presented an enhanced up-conversion emission compared with Er 3+ -Yb 3+ co-doped TiO 2 . The UC-TiO 2 was applied to the perovskite solar cells. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the solar cells without UC-TiO 2 was 14.0%, while the PCE of the solar cells with UC-TiO 2 was increased to 16.5%, which presented an increase of 19%. The results suggested that UC-TiO 2 is an effective up-conversion material. And this study provided a route to expand the spectral absorption of perovskite solar cells from visible light to near-infrared using up-conversion materials.

Nanocomplexes of Photolabile Polyelectrolyte and Upconversion Nanoparticles for Near-Infrared Light-Triggered Payload Release.

PubMed

Xiang, Jun; Ge, Feijie; Yu, Bing; Yan, Qiang; Shi, Feng; Zhao, Yue

2018-06-07

A new approach to encapsulating charged cargo molecules into a nanovector and subsequently using near-infrared (NIR) light to trigger the release is demonstrated. NIR light-responsive nanovector was prepared through electrostatic interaction-driven complexation between negatively charged silica-coated upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP@silica, 87 nm hydrodynamic diameter, polydispersity index ∼0.05) and a positively charged UV-labile polyelectrolyte bearing pendants of poly(ethylene glycol) and o-nitrobenzyl side groups; whereas charged fluorescein (FLU) was loaded through a co-complexation process. By controlling the amount of polyelectrolyte, UCNP@silica can be covered by the polymer, whereas remaining dispersed in aqueous solution. Under 980 nm laser excitation, UV light emitted by UCNP is absorbed by photolytic side groups within polyelectrolyte, which results in cleavage of o-nitrobenzyl groups and formation of carboxylic acid groups. Such NIR light-induced partial reversal of positive charge to negative charge on the polyelectrolyte layer disrupts the equilibrium among UCNP@silica, polyelectrolyte, and FLU and, consequently, leads to release of FLU molecules.

Reversible near-infrared light directed reflection in a self-organized helical superstructure loaded with upconversion nanoparticles.

PubMed

Wang, Ling; Dong, Hao; Li, Yannian; Xue, Chenming; Sun, Ling-Dong; Yan, Chun-Hua; Li, Quan

2014-03-26

Adding external, dynamic control to self-organized superstructures with desired functionalities is an important leap necessary in leveraging the fascinating molecular systems for applications. Here, the new light-driven chiral molecular switch and upconversion nanoparticles, doped in a liquid crystal media, were able to self-organize into an optically tunable helical superstructure. The resulting nanoparticle impregnated helical superstructure was found to exhibit unprecedented reversible near-infrared (NIR) light-guided tunable behavior only by modulating the excitation power density of a continuous-wave NIR laser (980 nm). Upon irradiation by the NIR laser at the high power density, the reflection wavelength of the photonic superstructure red-shifted, whereas its reverse process occurred upon irradiation by the same laser but with the lower power density. Furthermore, reversible dynamic NIR-light-driven red, green, and blue reflections in a single thin film, achieved only by varying the power density of the NIR light, were for the first time demonstrated.

Heterogeneous Semiconductor Shells Sequentially Coated on Upconversion Nanoplates for NIR-Light Enhanced Photocatalysis.

PubMed

Cui, Cao; Tou, Meijie; Li, Mohua; Luo, Zhenguo; Xiao, Lingbo; Bai, Song; Li, Zhengquan

2017-02-20

Combination of upconversion nanocrystals (UCNs) with CeO 2 is a decent choice to construct NIR-activated photocatalysts for utilizing the NIR light in the solar spectrum. Herein we present a facile approach to deposit a CeO 2 layer with controllable thickness on the plate-shaped NaYF 4 :Yb,Tm UCNs. The developed core-shell nanocomposites display obvious photocatalytic activity under the NIR light and exhibit enhanced activity under the full solar spectrum. For enhancing the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes on the CeO 2 surface, we sequentially coat a ZnO shell on the nanocomposites so as to form a heterojunction structure for achieving a better activity. The developed hybrid photocatalysts have been characterized with TEM, SEM, PL, etc., and the working mechanism of such UCN-semiconductor heterojunction photocatalysts has been proposed.

Electro-holographic display using a ZBLAN glass as the image space.

PubMed

Son, Jung-Young; Lee, Hyoung; Byeon, Jina; Zhao, Jiangbo; Ebendorff-Heidepriem, Heike

2017-04-01

An Er³⁺-doped ZBLAN glass is used to display a 360° viewable reconstructed image from a hologram on a DMD. The reconstructed image, when the hologram is illuminated by a 852 nm wavelength laser beam, is situated at the inside of the glass, and then a 1530 nm wavelength laser beam is crossed through the image to light it with an upconversion green light, which is viewable at all surrounding directions. This enables us to eliminate the limitation of the viewing zone angle imposed by the finite size of pixels in electro-holographic displays based on digital display chips/panels. The amount of the green light is much higher than that known previously. This is partly caused by the upconversion luminescence induced by 852 and 1530 nm laser beams.

A smart upconversion-based light-triggered polymer for synergetic chemo-photodynamic therapy and dual-modal MR/UCL imaging.

PubMed

Du, Bin; Han, Shuping; Zhao, Feifei; Lim, Kok Hwa; Xi, Hongwei; Su, Xiangjie; Yao, Hanchun; Zhou, Jie

2016-10-01

We have developed a novel nanocomposite to achieve effective therapy and live surveillance of tumor tissue. In this study, fullerene (C 60 ) with iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles and upconversion nanophosphors (UCNPs) was loaded into N-succinyl-N'-4-(2-nitrobenzyloxy)-succinyl-chitosan micelles (SNSC) with good biocompatibility. In addition, hydrophobic anticancer drug docetaxel (DTX) was also loaded into the nanocomposites. The experiments conducted in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that C 60 /Fe 3 O 4 -UCNPs@DTX@SNSC can act synergistically to kill tumor cells by releasing chemotherapy drugs at specific target site as well as generating reactive oxygen using 980nm. In addition, it can also be used for non-invasive deep magnetic resonance and upconversion fluorescence dual-mode imaging. The results indicated that this system provided an efficient method to surmount the drawback of UV or visible light-responsive polymeric systems for controlled drug release and generated reactive oxygen in deep tissues and ultimately realized the integration of dual-modal imaging and treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Light-activated endosomal escape using upconversion nanoparticles for enhanced delivery of drugs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnanasammandhan, Muthu Kumara; Bansal, Akshaya; Zhang, Yong

2013-02-01

Nanoparticle-based delivery of drugs has gained a lot of prominence recently but the main problem hampering efficient delivery of payload is the clearing or degradation of nanoparticles by endosomes. Various strategies have been used to overcome this issue and one such effective solution is Photochemical Internalization (PCI). This technique involves the activation of certain photosensitizing compounds by light, which accumulate specifically in the membranes of endocytic vesicles. The activated photosensitizers induce the formation of reactive oxygen species which in turn induces localized disruption of endosomal membranes. But the drawback of this technique is that it needs blue light for activation and hence confined to be used only in in-vitro systems due to the poor tissue penetration of blue light. Here, we report the use of Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNs) as a transducer for activation of the photosensitizer, TPPS 2a. NIR light has good tissue penetrating ability and thus enables PCI in greater depths. Highly monodisperse, uniformly-sized, sub-100 nm, biocompatible upconversion nanoparticles were synthesized with a mesoporous silica coating. These UCNs activated TPPS 2a efficiently in solution and in cells. Paclitaxel, an anti-cancer drug was used as a model drug and was loaded into the mesoporous silica coating. B16F0 cells transfected with drug-loaded UCNs and irradiated with NIR showed significantly higher nanoparticle uptake and in turn higher cell death caused by the delivered drug. This technique can be used to enhance the delivery of any therapeutic molecule and thus increase the therapeutic efficiency considerably.

Highly efficient upconversion luminescence in hexagonal NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ nanocrystals synthesized by a novel reverse microemulsion method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunaseelan, M.; Yamini, S.; Kumar, G. A.; Senthilselvan, J.

2018-01-01

A new reverse microemulsion system is proposed for the first time to synthesize NaYF4:Yb,Er nanocrystals, which demonstrated high upconversion emission in 550 and 662 nm at 980 nm diode laser excitation. The reverse microemulsion (μEs) system is comprised of CTAB and oleic acid as surfactant and 1-butanol co-surfactant and isooctane oil phase. The surfactant to water ratio is able to tune the microemulsion droplet size from 14 to 220 nm, which eventually controls the crystallinity and particulate morphology of NaYF4:Yb,Er. Also, the microemulsion precursor and calcination temperature plays certain role in transforming the cubic NaYF4:Yb,Er to highly luminescent hexagonal crystal structured upconversion material. Single phase hexagonal NaYF4:YbEr nanorod prepared by water-in-oil reverse microemulsion (μEs) gives intense red upconversion emission. Both nanosphere and nanorod shaped NaYF4:Yb,Er was obtained, but nanorod morphology resulted an enhanced upconversion luminescence. The structural, morphological, thermal and optical luminescence properties of the NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles are discussed in detail by employing powder X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering, high resolution electron microscopy, TGA-DTA, UV-DRS, FTIR and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Intense upconversion emission achieved in the microemulsion synthesized NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ nanocrystal can make it as useful optical phosphor for solar cell applications.

A new near infrared photosensitizing nanoplatform containing blue-emitting up-conversion nanoparticles and hypocrellin A for photodynamic therapy of cancer cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Shan; Zhou, Liangjun; Gu, Zhanjun; Tian, Gan; Yan, Liang; Ren, Wenlu; Yin, Wenyan; Liu, Xiaodong; Zhang, Xiao; Hu, Zhongbo; Zhao, Yuliang

2013-11-01

The utilization of up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) for photodynamic therapy (PDT) has gained significant interest due to their unique ability to convert near infrared light to UV/visible light. Previous work mainly focused on the fabrication of green and red emitting UCNPs to load photosensitizers (PSs) for PDT. In this work, we firstly developed a new multifunctional nanoplatform combining blue-emitting UCNPs with blue-light excited PS (hypocrellin A, HA) as a NIR photosensitizing nanoplatform for PDT of cancer cells. Tween 20 coated NaYbF4:Tm, Gd@NaGdF4 UCNPs (Tween 20-UCNPs) with strong blue up-conversion luminescence and good water dispersibility were prepared for use as PS carriers. The blue emission band matched well with the efficient absorption band of HA, thereby facilitating the resonance energy transfer from UCNPs to HA and then activating HA to produce singlet oxygen (1O2). The in vitro study showed that these Tween 20-UCNPs@HA complexes could efficiently produce 1O2 to kill cancer cells under 980 nm NIR excitation. Moreover, these Gd3+ and Yb3+ containing nanoparticles also exhibited positive contrast effects in both T1 weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) imaging, making them become a multifunctional platform for simultaneous PDT and bio-imaging.The utilization of up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) for photodynamic therapy (PDT) has gained significant interest due to their unique ability to convert near infrared light to UV/visible light. Previous work mainly focused on the fabrication of green and red emitting UCNPs to load photosensitizers (PSs) for PDT. In this work, we firstly developed a new multifunctional nanoplatform combining blue-emitting UCNPs with blue-light excited PS (hypocrellin A, HA) as a NIR photosensitizing nanoplatform for PDT of cancer cells. Tween 20 coated NaYbF4:Tm, Gd@NaGdF4 UCNPs (Tween 20-UCNPs) with strong blue up-conversion luminescence and good water dispersibility were prepared for use as PS carriers. The blue emission band matched well with the efficient absorption band of HA, thereby facilitating the resonance energy transfer from UCNPs to HA and then activating HA to produce singlet oxygen (1O2). The in vitro study showed that these Tween 20-UCNPs@HA complexes could efficiently produce 1O2 to kill cancer cells under 980 nm NIR excitation. Moreover, these Gd3+ and Yb3+ containing nanoparticles also exhibited positive contrast effects in both T1 weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) imaging, making them become a multifunctional platform for simultaneous PDT and bio-imaging. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03515h

Perspectives and challenges of photon-upconversion nanoparticles - Part I: routes to brighter particles and quantitative spectroscopic studies.

PubMed

Resch-Genger, Ute; Gorris, Hans H

2017-10-01

Lanthanide-doped photon-upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have been the focus of many research activities in materials and life sciences in the last 15 years because of their potential to convert light between different spectral regions and their unique photophysical properties. To fully exploit the application potential of these fascinating nanomaterials, a number of challenges have to be overcome, such as the low brightness, particularly of small UCNPs, and the reliable quantification of the excitation-power-density-dependent upconversion luminescence. In this series of critical reviews, recent developments in the design, synthesis, optical-spectroscopic characterization, and application of UCNPs are presented with special focus on bioanalysis and the life sciences. Here we guide the reader from the synthesis of UCNPs to different concepts to enhance their luminescence, including the required optical-spectroscopic assessment to quantify material performance; surface modification strategies and bioanalytical applications as well as selected examples of the use of UCNPs as reporters in different assay formats are addressed in part II. Future trends and challenges in the field of upconversion are discussed with special emphasis on UCNP synthesis and material characterization, particularly quantitative luminescence studies. Graphical Abstract Both synthesis and spectroscopy as well bioanalytical applications of UCNPs are driven and supported by COST Action CM1403 "The European Upconversion Network".

Up-conversion luminescence coupled to plasmonic gold nanorods for light harvesting and hydrogen production.

PubMed

AlGhamdi, H; Katsiev, K; Wahab, A K; Llorca, J; Idriss, H

2017-12-05

The conversion of infrared light to visible-light which allows a larger fraction of sun-light to be used is needed to improve light-harvesting. In this work a tri-functional material composed of an up-converter (NaYF 4 -Yb-Tm), plasmonic gold nanorods and CdS was made photocatalytically active using 980 nm wavelength light for the reduction of H + to H 2 .

Purely organic electroluminescent material realizing 100% conversion from electricity to light

PubMed Central

Kaji, Hironori; Suzuki, Hajime; Fukushima, Tatsuya; Shizu, Katsuyuki; Suzuki, Katsuaki; Kubo, Shosei; Komino, Takeshi; Oiwa, Hajime; Suzuki, Furitsu; Wakamiya, Atsushi; Murata, Yasujiro; Adachi, Chihaya

2015-01-01

Efficient organic light-emitting diodes have been developed using emitters containing rare metals, such as platinum and iridium complexes. However, there is an urgent need to develop emitters composed of more abundant materials. Here we show a thermally activated delayed fluorescence material for organic light-emitting diodes, which realizes both approximately 100% photoluminescence quantum yield and approximately 100% up-conversion of the triplet to singlet excited state. The material contains electron-donating diphenylaminocarbazole and electron-accepting triphenyltriazine moieties. The typical trade-off between effective emission and triplet-to-singlet up-conversion is overcome by fine-tuning the highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital distributions. The nearly zero singlet–triplet energy gap, smaller than the thermal energy at room temperature, results in an organic light-emitting diode with external quantum efficiency of 29.6%. An external quantum efficiency of 41.5% is obtained when using an out-coupling sheet. The external quantum efficiency is 30.7% even at a high luminance of 3,000 cd m−2. PMID:26477390

Infrared to visible image up-conversion using optically addressed spatial light modulator utilizing liquid crystal and InGaAs photodiodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Solodar, A., E-mail: asisolodar@gmail.com; Arun Kumar, T.; Sarusi, G.

2016-01-11

Combination of InGaAs/InP heterojunction photodetector with nematic liquid crystal (LC) as the electro-optic modulating material for optically addressed spatial light modulator for short wavelength infra-red (SWIR) to visible light image conversion was designed, fabricated, and tested. The photodetector layer is composed of 640 × 512 photodiodes array based on heterojunction InP/InGaAs having 15 μm pitch on InP substrate and with backside illumination architecture. The photodiodes exhibit extremely low, dark current at room temperature, with optimum photo-response in the SWIR region. The photocurrent generated in the heterojunction, due to the SWIR photons absorption, is drifted to the surface of the InP,more » thus modulating the electric field distribution which modifies the orientation of the LC molecules. This device can be attractive for SWIR to visible image upconversion, such as for uncooled night vision goggles under low ambient light conditions.« less

Photocatalytic Water-Splitting Enhancement by Sub-Bandgap Photon Harvesting.

PubMed

Monguzzi, Angelo; Oertel, Amadeus; Braga, Daniele; Riedinger, Andreas; Kim, David K; Knüsel, Philippe N; Bianchi, Alberto; Mauri, Michele; Simonutti, Roberto; Norris, David J; Meinardi, Francesco

2017-11-22

Upconversion is a photon-management process especially suited to water-splitting cells that exploit wide-bandgap photocatalysts. Currently, such catalysts cannot utilize 95% of the available solar photons. We demonstrate here that the energy-conversion yield for a standard photocatalytic water-splitting device can be enhanced under solar irradiance by using a low-power upconversion system that recovers part of the unutilized incident sub-bandgap photons. The upconverter is based on a sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation mechanism (sTTA-UC) obtained in a dye-doped elastomer and boosted by a fluorescent nanocrystal/polymer composite that allows for broadband light harvesting. The complementary and tailored optical properties of these materials enable efficient upconversion at subsolar irradiance, allowing the realization of the first prototype water-splitting cell assisted by solid-state upconversion. In our proof-of concept device the increase of the performance is 3.5%, which grows to 6.3% if concentrated sunlight (10 sun) is used. Our experiments show how the sTTA-UC materials can be successfully implemented in technologically relevant devices while matching the strict requirements of clean-energy production.

Gold decorated NaYF4:Yb,Er/NaYF4/silica (core/shell/shell) upconversion nanoparticles for photothermal destruction of BE(2)-C neuroblastoma cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Li Peng; Zhou, Li Han; Too, Heng-Phon; Chow, Gan-Moog

2011-02-01

Gold decorated NaYF4:Yb,Er/NaYF4/silica (core/shell/shell) upconversion (UC) nanoparticles ( 70-80 nm) were synthesized using tetraethyl orthosilicate and chloroauric acid in a one-step reverse microemulsion method. Gold nanoparticles ( 6 nm) were deposited on the surface of silica shell of these core/shell/shell nanoparticles. The total upconversion emission intensity (green, red, and blue) of the core/shell/shell nanoparticles decreased by 31% after Au was deposited on the surface of silica shell. The upconverted green light was coupled with the surface plasmon of Au leading to rapid heat conversion. These UC/silica/Au nanoparticles were very efficient to destroy BE(2)-C cancer cells and showed strong potential in photothermal therapy.

Upconversion Nanoparticles for Photodynamic Therapy and Other Cancer Therapeutics

PubMed Central

Wang, Chao; Cheng, Liang; Liu, Zhuang

2013-01-01

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-invasive treatment modality for a variety of diseases including cancer. PDT based on upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) has received much attention in recent years. Under near-infrared (NIR) light excitation, UCNPs are able to emit high-energy visible light, which can activate surrounding photosensitizer (PS) molecules to produce singlet oxygen and kill cancer cells. Owing to the high tissue penetration ability of NIR light, NIR-excited UCNPs can be used to activate PS molecules in much deeper tissues compared to traditional PDT induced by visible or ultraviolet (UV) light. In addition to the application of UCNPs as an energy donor in PDT, via similar mechanisms, they could also be used for the NIR light-triggered drug release or activation of 'caged' imaging or therapeutic molecules. In this review, we will summarize the latest progresses regarding the applications of UCNPs for photodynamic therapy, NIR triggered drug and gene delivery, as well as several other UCNP-based cancer therapeutic approaches. The future prospects and challenges in this emerging field will be also discussed. PMID:23650479

2D Layered Materials of Rare-Earth Er-Doped MoS2 with NIR-to-NIR Down- and Up-Conversion Photoluminescence.

PubMed

Bai, Gongxun; Yuan, Shuoguo; Zhao, Yuda; Yang, Zhibin; Choi, Sin Yuk; Chai, Yang; Yu, Siu Fung; Lau, Shu Ping; Hao, Jianhua

2016-09-01

A 2D system of Er-doped MoS2 layered nanosheets is developed. Structural studies indicate that the Er atoms can be substitutionally introduced into MoS2 to form stable doping. Density functional theory calculation implies that the system remains stable. Both NIR-to-NIR up-conversion and down-conversion light-emissions are observed in 2D transition metal dichalcogenides, ascribed to the energy transition from Er(3+) dopants. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Near-field thermal upconversion and energy transfer through a Kerr medium.

PubMed

Khandekar, Chinmay; Rodriguez, Alejandro W

2017-09-18

We present an approach for achieving large Kerr χ (3) -mediated thermal energy transfer at the nanoscale that exploits a general coupled-mode description of triply resonant, four-wave mixing processes. We analyze the efficiency of thermal upconversion and energy transfer from mid- to near-infrared wavelengths in planar geometries involving two slabs supporting far-apart surface plasmon polaritons and separated by a nonlinear χ (3) medium that is irradiated by externally incident light. We study multiple geometric and material configurations and different classes of intervening mediums-either bulk or nanostructured lattices of nanoparticles embedded in nonlinear materials-designed to resonantly enhance the interaction of the incident light with thermal slab resonances. We find that even when the entire system is in thermodynamic equilibrium (at room temperature) and under typical drive intensities ~ W/μm 2 , the resulting upconversion rates can approach and even exceed thermal flux rates achieved in typical symmetric and non-equilibrium configurations of vacuum-separated slabs. The proposed nonlinear scheme could potentially be exploited to achieve thermal cooling and refrigeration at the nanoscale, and to actively control heat transfer between materials with dramatically different resonant responses.

Development of Phase-Stable Photon Upconverters for Efficient Solar Energy Utilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murakami, Yoichi

Photon upconversion based on triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) of excited triplet molecules is drawing attention due to its applicability for weak incident light, possessing a potential for improving efficiencies of solar energy conversion devices. Since energy transfer between triplet levels of different molecules and TTA are based on the Dexter mechanism, inter-molecular collision is necessary and hence the majority of previous studies have been done with organic solvents, which are volatile and flammable. This paper presents the development and characterization of phase-stable photon upconverters fabricated with ionic liquids, which are room temperature molten salts with negligible vapor pressure and high thermal stability. The employed aromatic molecules, which are carrier of photo-created energies and are non-polar (or weakly polar) molecules, are found to be stable in the polar environment of ionic liquids, contrary to expectation. The mechanism of the stable solvation is proposed. The upconversion quantum yields are found to rapidly saturate as the excitation light power increases. An analytical model was developed and compared with the experimental data. It is shown that ionic liquids are not viscous media for the purpose of TTA-based upconversion.

Broadband dye-sensitized upconverting nanocrystals enabled near-infrared planar perovskite solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Xuesen; Li, Xitao; Lv, Xinding; Zheng, Yan-Zhen; Meng, Fanli; Tao, Xia

2017-12-01

Extending the spectral absorption of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) from visible into near-infrared (NIR) range is a promising strategy to minimize non-absorption loss of solar photons and enhance the cell photovoltaic performance. Herein, we report on for the first time a viable strategy of incorporating IR806 dye-sensitized upconversion nanocrystals (IR806-UCNCs) into planar PSC for broadband upconversion of NIR light (800-1000 nm) into perovskite absorber-responsive visible emissions. A smart trick is firstly adopted to prepare hydrophilic IR806-UCNCs via a NOBF4 assisted two-step ligand-exchange that allows incorporating with perovskite precursor for in-situ growth of upconverting planar perovskite film. Unlike typically reported upconverting nanoparticles with narrow NIR absorption, the as-prepared IR806-UCNCs are able to harvest NIR light broadly and then transfer the captured energy to the UCNCs for an efficient visible upconversion. The IR806-UCNCs-incorporated cell exhibits a power conversion efficiency of 17.49%, corresponding to 29% increment from that of the pristine cell (13.52%). This strategy provides a feasible way to enable the most efficient harvesting of NIR sunlight for solar cells and other optoelectric devices.

Light-Driven Chiral Molecular Motors for Passive Agile Filters

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-20

liquid crystal , we fabricated the self-organized, phototubable 3D photonic superstructure, i.e. photoresponsive monodisperse cholesteric liquid...systems for applications. Here the new light-driven chiral molecular switch and upconversion nanoparticles, doped in a liquid crystal media, were...the bottom-up nanofabrication of intelligent molecular devices. Light-driven chiral molecular switches or motors in liquid crystal (LC) media that

Rich stochastic dynamics of co-doped Er:Yb fluorescence upconversion nanoparticles in the presence of thermal, non-conservative, harmonic and optical forces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nome, Rene A.; Sorbello, Cecilia; Jobbágy, Matías; Barja, Beatriz C.; Sanches, Vitor; Cruz, Joyce S.; Aguiar, Vinicius F.

2017-03-01

The stochastic dynamics of individual co-doped Er:Yb upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) were investigated from experiments and simulations. The UCNP were characterized by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential measurements. Single UCNP measurements were performed by fluorescence upconversion micro-spectroscopy and optical trapping. The mean-square displacement (MSD) from single UCNP exhibited a time-dependent diffusion coefficient which was compared with Brownian dynamics simulations of a viscoelastic model of harmonically bound spheres. Experimental time-dependent two-dimensional trajectories of individual UCNP revealed correlated two-dimensional nanoparticle motion. The measurements were compared with stochastic trajectories calculated in the presence of a non-conservative rotational force field. Overall, the complex interplay of UCNP adhesion, thermal fluctuations and optical forces led to a rich stochastic behavior of these nanoparticles.

Solar-Pumping Upconversion of Interfacial Coordination Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Ishii, Ayumi; Hasegawa, Miki

2017-01-30

An interfacial coordination nanoparticle successfully exhibited an upconversion blue emission excited by very low-power light irradiation, such as sunlight. The interfacial complex was composed of Yb ions and indigo dye, which formed a nano-ordered thin shell layer on a Tm 2 O 3 nanoparticle. At the surface of the Tm 2 O 3 particle, the indigo dye can be excited by non-laser excitation at 640 nm, following the intramolecular energy transfer from the indigo dye to the Yb ions. Additionally, the excitation energy of the Yb ion was upconverted to the blue emission of the Tm ion at 475 nm. This upconversion blue emission was achieved by excitation with a CW Xe lamp at an excitation power of 0.14 mW/cm 2 , which is significantly lower than the solar irradiation power of 1.4 mW/cm 2 at 640 ± 5 nm.

Synthesis of Er(III)/Yb(III)-doped BiF3 upconversion nanoparticles for use in optical thermometry.

PubMed

Du, Peng; Yu, Jae Su

2018-03-23

The authors describe an ethylene glycol assisted precipitation method for synthesis of Er(III)/Yb(III)-doped BiF 3 nanoparticles (NPs) at room temperature. Under 980-nm light irradiation, the NPs emit upconversion (UC) emission of Er(III) ions as a result of a two-photon absorption process. The temperature-dependent green emissions (peaking at 525 and 545 nm) are used to establish an unambiguous relationship between the ratio of fluorescence intensities and temperature. The NPs have a maximum sensitivity of 6.5 × 10 -3  K -1 at 619 K and can be applied over the 291-691 K temperature range. The results indicate that these NPs are a promising candidate for optical thermometry. Graphical abstract Schematic of the room-temperature preparation of Er(III)/Yb(III)-doped BiF 3 nanoparticles with strongly temperature-dependent upconversion emission.

Synthetic and spectroscopic studies of vanadate glaserites I: Upconversion studies of doubly co-doped (Er, Tm, or Ho):Yb:K{sub 3}Y(VO{sub 4}){sub 2}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kimani, Martin M., E-mail: kimani@g.clemson.edu; Chen, Hongyu, E-mail: hongyuc@g.clemson.edu; McMillen, Colin D., E-mail: cmcmill@g.clemson.edu

2015-03-15

The synthesis and upconversion properties of trigonal glaserite-type K{sub 3}Y(VO{sub 4}){sub 2} co-doped with Er{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+}, Ho{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+}, or Tm{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+} were studied. Powder samples were synthesized by solid state reactions at 1000 °C for 48 h, while well-formed hexagonal single crystals of the same were grown hydrothermally using 10 M K{sub 2}CO{sub 3} at 560–650 °C. Infrared-to-visible upconversion by Er{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+}, Ho{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+}, or Tm{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+} codoped-K{sub 3}Y(VO{sub 4}){sub 2} glaserite powder and single crystals was observed, and the upconversion spectral properties were studied as a function of different Er{sup 3+}, Tm{sup 3+},more » Ho{sup 3+}, and Yb{sup 3+} ion concentrations. The process is observed under 980 nm laser diode excitation and leads to strong green (552 nm) and red (659 nm) emission for Er{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+}, green (549 nm) and red (664 nm) emission for Ho{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+}, and blue (475 nm) and red (647 nm) emission for Tm{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+}. The main mechanism that allows for up-conversion is attributed the energy transfer among Yb{sup 3+} and the various Er{sup 3+}/Ho{sup 3+}/Tm{sup 3+} ions in excited states. These results illustrate the large potential of co-doped alkali double vanadates for photonic applications involving optoelectronics devices. - Graphical abstract: Synthesis and upconversion in vanadate glaserites. - Highlights: • K{sub 3}Y(VO{sub 4}){sub 2} codoped with Er, Tm, or Ho:Yb were synthesized via solid-state and hydrothermal routes. • Upconversion properties are investigated. • The codoped compounds revealed efficient infrared-to-visible upconversion. • The presented compounds are potential host for solid state lighting.« less

Excitonic luminescence upconversion in a two-dimensional semiconductor

DOE PAGES

Jones, Aaron M.; Yu, Hongyi; Schaibley, John R.; ...

2015-12-21

Photon upconversion is an elementary light-matter interaction process in which an absorbed photon is re-emitted at higher frequency after extracting energy from the medium. Furthermore, this phenomenon lies at the heart of optical refrigeration in solids(1), where upconversion relies on anti-Stokes processes enabled either by rare-earth impurities(2) or exciton-phonon coupling(3). We demonstrate a luminescence upconversion process from a negatively charged exciton to a neutral exciton resonance in monolayer WSe2, producing spontaneous anti-Stokes emission with an energy gain of 30 meV. Polarization-resolved measurements find this process to be valley selective, unique to monolayer semiconductors(4). Since the charged exciton binding energy(5) closelymore » matches the 31 meV A(1)' optical phonon(6-9), we ascribe the spontaneous excitonic anti-Stokes to doubly resonant Raman scattering, where the incident and outgoing photons are in resonance with the charged and neutral excitons, respectively. Additionally, we resolve a charged exciton doublet with a 7 meV splitting, probably induced by exchange interactions, and show that anti-Stokes scattering is efficient only when exciting the doublet peak resonant with the phonon, further confirming the excitonic doubly resonant picture.« less

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells based on NaYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+)-incorporated nanocrystalline TiO2 electrodes.

PubMed

Zhu, Guang; Wang, Hongyan; Zhang, Quanxin; Zhang, Li

2015-08-01

Near infrared to visible up-conversion of light by rare earth ion-doped phosphors (NaYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+)) that convert multiple photons of lower energy to higher energy photons offer new possibilities for improved performance of photovoltaic devices. Here, up-conversion phosphor NaYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+) doped nanocrystalline TiO2 films are designed and used as a electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells, and the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs based on composite electrodes are investigated. The results show the cell with NaYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+) achieves a power conversion efficiency of 7.65% under one sun illumination (AM 1.5G, 100mWcm(-2)), which is an increase of 14% compared to the cell without NaYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+) (6.71%). The performance improvement is attributed to the dual effects of enhanced light harvesting from extended light absorption range and increased light scattering, and lower electron transfer resistance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From UV to Near-Infrared Light-Responsive Metal-Organic Framework Composites: Plasmon and Upconversion Enhanced Photocatalysis.

PubMed

Li, Dandan; Yu, Shu-Hong; Jiang, Hai-Long

2018-05-15

The exploitation of photocatalysts that harvest solar spectrum as broad as possible remains a high-priority target yet grand challenge. In this work, for the first time, metal-organic framework (MOF) composites are rationally fabricated to achieve broadband spectral response from UV to near-infrared (NIR) region. In the core-shell structured upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs)-Pt@MOF/Au composites, the MOF is responsive to UV and a bit visible light, the plasmonic Au nanoparticles (NPs) accept visible light, whereas the UCNPs absorb NIR light to emit UV and visible light that are harvested by the MOF and Au once again. Moreover, the MOF not only facilitates the generation of "bare and clean" Au NPs on its surface and realizes the spatial separation for the Au and Pt NPs, but also provides necessary access for catalytic substrates/products to Pt active sites. As a result, the optimized composite exhibits excellent photocatalytic hydrogen production activity (280 µmol g -1 h -1 ) under simulated solar light, and the involved mechanism of photocatalytic H 2 production under UV, visible, and NIR irradiation is elucidated. Reportedly, this is an extremely rare study on photocatalytic H 2 production by light harvesting in all UV, visible, and NIR regions. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ligand Enhanced Upconversion of Near-Infrared Photons with Nanocrystal Light Absorbers

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-04

www.rsc.org/chemicalscience This journal is © The Royal Society of Cupconversion of near-infrared photons with nanocrystal light absorbers† Zhiyuan...the energy contained in light in order to improve the performance of photovoltaic devices or photocatalysts.1 Reshaping the solar spectrum to match the...optical properties of common semi- conductors will allow the efficient use of all incident light . While many efforts e.g. hot carrier devices,2

Multicolor upconversion emission from Tm3++Ho3++Yb3+ codoped tellurite glass on NIR excitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giri, N. K.; Rai, D. K.; Rai, S. B.

2008-06-01

Multicolor emission has been produced using 798 nm and 980 nm laser excitation in a Tm3++Ho3++Yb3+ codoped tellurite based glass. This glass generates simultaneously red, green and blue (RGB) emission on 798 nm excitation. Multicolor emission thus obtained was tuned to white luminescence by adjusting the Ho3+ ion concentration. There is a close match between the calculated color coordinate for the white luminescence obtained here and the point of equal energy which represents white in the 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram. The 980 nm excitation of the same sample on the other hand gives intense green and red emission and the glass appears greenish.

Luminescence in Conjugated Molecular Materials under Sub-bandgap Excitation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

So, Franky

2014-05-08

Light emission in semiconductors occurs when they are under optical and electrical excitation with energy larger than the bandgap energy. In some low-dimensional semiconductor heterostructure systems, this thermodynamic limit can be violated due to radiative Auger recombination (AR), a process in which the sub-bandgap energy released from a recombined electron-hole pair is transferred to a third particle leading to radiative band-to-band recombination.1 Thus far, photoluminescence up-conversion phenomenon has been observed in some low dimensional semiconductor systems, and the effect is very weak and it can only be observed at low temperatures. Recently, we discovered that efficient electroluminescence in poly[2-methoxy-5-(2’-ethylhexyloxy)-1, phenylenevinylene]more » (MEH-PPV) polymer light-emitting devices (PLEDs) at drive voltages below its bandgap voltage could be observed when a ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) electron injection layer was inserted between the polymer and the aluminum electrode. Specifically, emitted photons with energy of 2.13 eV can be detected at operating voltages as low as 1.2 V at room temperature. Based on these data, we propose that the sub-bandgap turn-on in the MEH-PPV device is due to an Auger-assisted energy up-conversion process. The significance of this discovery is three-fold. First, radiative recombination occurs at operating voltages below the thermodynamic bandgap voltage. This process can significantly reduce the device operating voltage. For example, the current density of the device with the ZnO NC layer is almost two orders of magnitude higher than that of the device without the NC layer. Second, a reactive metal is no longer needed for the cathode. Third, this electroluminescence up-conversion process can be applied to inorganic semiconductors systems as well and their operation voltages of inorganic LEDs can be reduced to about half of the bandgap energy. Based on our initial data, we propose that the sub-bandgap turn-on in MEH-PPV devices is due to Auger-assisted energy up-conversion process. Specifically, we propose that the up-conversion process is due to charge accumulation at the polymer/NPs interface. This model requires that holes should be the dominant carriers in the polymer and the polymer/ZnO NCs heterojunction should be a type II alignment. In order to determine the mechanism of the up-conversion process, we will characterize devices fabricated using polymers with different carrier transporting properties to determine whether hole accumulation at the polymer/nanocrystals is required. Likewise, we will also use NPs with different electronic structures to fabricate devices to determine how electron accumulation affects the up-conversion process. Finally, we will measure quantitatively the interface charge accumulation by electroabsorption and correlate the results with the up-conversion photoluminescence efficiency measurements under an applied electric field.« less

Frequency Up-Conversion Photon-Type Terahertz Imager.

PubMed

Fu, Z L; Gu, L L; Guo, X G; Tan, Z Y; Wan, W J; Zhou, T; Shao, D X; Zhang, R; Cao, J C

2016-05-05

Terahertz imaging has many important potential applications. Due to the failure of Si readout integrated circuits (ROICs) and the thermal mismatch between the photo-detector arrays and the ROICs at temperatures below 40 K, there are big technical challenges to construct terahertz photo-type focal plane arrays. In this work, we report pixel-less photo-type terahertz imagers based on the frequency up-conversion technique. The devices are composed of terahertz quantum-well photo-detectors (QWPs) and near-infrared (NIR) light emitting diodes (LEDs) which are grown in sequence on the same substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. In such an integrated QWP-LED device, photocurrent in the QWP drives the LED to emit NIR light. By optimizing the structural parameters of the QWP-LED, the QWP part and the LED part both work well. The maximum values of the internal and external energy up-conversion efficiencies are around 20% and 0.5%. A laser spot of a homemade terahertz quantum cascade laser is imaged by the QWP-LED together with a commercial Si camera. The pixel-less imaging results show that the image blurring induced by the transverse spreading of photocurrent is negligible. The demonstrated pixel-less imaging opens a new way to realize high performance terahertz imaging devices.

Frequency Up-Conversion Photon-Type Terahertz Imager

PubMed Central

Fu, Z. L.; Gu, L. L.; Guo, X. G.; Tan, Z. Y.; Wan, W. J.; Zhou, T.; Shao, D. X.; Zhang, R.; Cao, J. C.

2016-01-01

Terahertz imaging has many important potential applications. Due to the failure of Si readout integrated circuits (ROICs) and the thermal mismatch between the photo-detector arrays and the ROICs at temperatures below 40 K, there are big technical challenges to construct terahertz photo-type focal plane arrays. In this work, we report pixel-less photo-type terahertz imagers based on the frequency up-conversion technique. The devices are composed of terahertz quantum-well photo-detectors (QWPs) and near-infrared (NIR) light emitting diodes (LEDs) which are grown in sequence on the same substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. In such an integrated QWP-LED device, photocurrent in the QWP drives the LED to emit NIR light. By optimizing the structural parameters of the QWP-LED, the QWP part and the LED part both work well. The maximum values of the internal and external energy up-conversion efficiencies are around 20% and 0.5%. A laser spot of a homemade terahertz quantum cascade laser is imaged by the QWP-LED together with a commercial Si camera. The pixel-less imaging results show that the image blurring induced by the transverse spreading of photocurrent is negligible. The demonstrated pixel-less imaging opens a new way to realize high performance terahertz imaging devices. PMID:27147281

Magnetic nanosensor particles in luminescence upconversion capability.

PubMed

Wilhelm, Stefan; Hirsch, Thomas; Scheucher, Elisabeth; Mayr, Torsten; Wolfbeis, Otto S

2011-09-05

Nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit interesting size-dependent electrical, optical, magnetic, and chemical properties that cannot be observed in their bulk counterparts. The synthesis of NPs (i.e., crystalline particles ranging in size from 1 to 100 nm) has been intensely studied in the past decades. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) form a particularly attractive class of NPs and have found numerous applications such as in magnetic resonance imaging to visualize cancer, cardiovascular, neurological and other diseases. Other uses include drug targeting, tissue imaging, magnetic immobilization, hyperthermia, and magnetic resonance imaging. MNPs, due to their magnetic properties, can be easily separated from (often complex) matrices and manipulated by applying external magnetic field. Near-infrared to visible upconversion luminescent nanoparticles (UCLNPs) form another type of unusual nanoparticles. They are capable of emitting visible light upon NIR light excitation. Lanthanide-doped (Yb, Er) hexagonal NaYF₄ UCLNPs are the most efficient upconversion phosphors known up to now. The use of UCLNPs for in vitro imaging of cancer cells and in vivo imaging in tissues has been demonstrated. UCLNPs show great potential as a new class of luminophores for biological, biomedical, and sensor applications. We are reporting here on our first results on the combination of MNP and UCLNP technology within an ongoing project supported by the DFG and the FWF (Austria).

808 nm-excited upconversion nanoprobes with low heating effect for targeted magnetic resonance imaging and high-efficacy photodynamic therapy in HER2-overexpressed breast cancer.

PubMed

Zeng, Leyong; Pan, Yuanwei; Zou, Ruifen; Zhang, Jinchao; Tian, Ying; Teng, Zhaogang; Wang, Shouju; Ren, Wenzhi; Xiao, Xueshan; Zhang, Jichao; Zhang, Lili; Li, Aiguo; Lu, Guangming; Wu, Aiguo

2016-10-01

To avoid the overheating effect of excitation light and improve the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) of upconversion nanoplatform, a novel nanoprobe based on 808 nm-excited upconversion nanocomposites (T-UCNPs@Ce6@mSiO2) with low heating effect and deep penetration has been successfully constructed for targeted upconversion luminescence, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and high-efficacy PDT in HER2-overexpressed breast cancer. In this nanocomposite, photosensitizers (Ce6) were covalently conjugated inside of mesoporous silica to enhance the PDT efficacy by shortening the distance of fluorescence resonance energy transfer and to decrease the cytotoxicity by preventing the undesired leakage of Ce6. Compared with UCNPs@mSiO2@Ce6, UCNPs@Ce6@mSiO2 greatly promoted the singlet oxygen generation and amplified the PDT efficacy under the excitation of 808 nm laser. Importantly, the designed nanoprobe can greatly improve the uptake of HER2-positive cells and tumors by modifying the site-specific peptide, and the in vivo experiments showed excellent MRI and PDT via intravenous injection by modeling MDA-MB-435 tumor-bearing nude mice. Our strategy may provide an effective solution for overcoming the heating effect and improving the PDT efficacy of upconversion nanoprobes, and has potential application in visualized theranostics of HER2-overexpressed breast cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vivo 808 nm image-guided photodynamic therapy based on an upconversion theranostic nanoplatform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaomin; Que, Ivo; Kong, Xianggui; Zhang, Youlin; Tu, Langping; Chang, Yulei; Wang, Tong Tong; Chan, Alan; Löwik, Clemens W. G. M.; Zhang, Hong

2015-09-01

A new strategy for efficient in vivo image-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been demonstrated utilizing a ligand-exchange constructed upconversion-C60 nanophotosensitizer. This theranostic platform is superior to the currently reported nanophotosensitizers in (i) directly bonding photosensitizer C60 to the surface of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) by a smart ligand-exchange strategy, which greatly shortened the energy transfer distance and enhanced the 1O2 production, resulting in the improvement of the therapeutic effect; (ii) realizing in vivo NIR 808 nm image-guided PDT with both excitation (980 nm) and emission (808 nm) light falling in the biological window of tissues, which minimized auto-fluorescence, reduced light scatting and improved the imaging contrast and depth, and thus guaranteed noninvasive diagnostic accuracy. In vivo and ex vivo tests demonstrated its favorable bio-distribution, tumor-selectivity and high therapeutic efficacy. Owing to the effective ligand exchange strategy and the excellent intrinsic photophysical properties of C60, 1O2 production yield was improved, suggesting that a low 980 nm irradiation dosage (351 J cm-2) and a short treatment time (15 min) were sufficient to perform NIR (980 nm) to NIR (808 nm) image-guided PDT. Our work enriches the understanding of UCNP-based PDT nanophotosensitizers and highlights their potential use in future NIR image-guided noninvasive deep cancer therapy.A new strategy for efficient in vivo image-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been demonstrated utilizing a ligand-exchange constructed upconversion-C60 nanophotosensitizer. This theranostic platform is superior to the currently reported nanophotosensitizers in (i) directly bonding photosensitizer C60 to the surface of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) by a smart ligand-exchange strategy, which greatly shortened the energy transfer distance and enhanced the 1O2 production, resulting in the improvement of the therapeutic effect; (ii) realizing in vivo NIR 808 nm image-guided PDT with both excitation (980 nm) and emission (808 nm) light falling in the biological window of tissues, which minimized auto-fluorescence, reduced light scatting and improved the imaging contrast and depth, and thus guaranteed noninvasive diagnostic accuracy. In vivo and ex vivo tests demonstrated its favorable bio-distribution, tumor-selectivity and high therapeutic efficacy. Owing to the effective ligand exchange strategy and the excellent intrinsic photophysical properties of C60, 1O2 production yield was improved, suggesting that a low 980 nm irradiation dosage (351 J cm-2) and a short treatment time (15 min) were sufficient to perform NIR (980 nm) to NIR (808 nm) image-guided PDT. Our work enriches the understanding of UCNP-based PDT nanophotosensitizers and highlights their potential use in future NIR image-guided noninvasive deep cancer therapy. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03690a

HO:LULF and HO:LULF Laser Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnes, Norman P. (Inventor); Morrison, Clyde A. (Inventor); Filer, Elizabeth D. (Inventor); Jani, Mahendra G. (Inventor); Murray, Keith E. (Inventor); Lockard, George E. (Inventor)

1998-01-01

A laser host material LULF (LuLiF4) is doped with holmium (Ho) and thulium (Tm) to produce a new laser material that is capable of laser light production in the vicinity of 2 microns. The material provides an advantage in efficiency over conventional Ho lasers because the LULF host material allows for decreased threshold and upconversion over such hosts as YAG and YLF. The addition of Tm allows for pumping by commonly available GaAlAs laser diodes. For use with flashlamp pumping, erbium (Er) may be added as an additional dopant. For further upconversion reduction, the Tm can be eliminated and the Ho can be directly pumped.

Clean synthesis of YOF:Er3+, Yb3+ upconversion colloidal nanoparticles in water through liquid phase pulsed laser ablation for imaging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anjana, R.; Kurias, K. M.; Jayaraj, M. K.

2017-10-01

Upconversion luminescent nanomaterials have great outlook towards imaging applications. These materials have high chemical and thermal stability, low auto fluorescence, high photo stability and IR excitation does not cause photo damage to living cells and penetrate deeply into tissue. Most of the reported nanoparticles are synthesized through chemical methods in which surface modification is needed for dispersing nanoparticles in water. In this paper we report clean and simple synthesis of upconversion luminescent yttrium oxyfluoride (YOF) nanoparticles through laser ablation in deionized water. YOF:Er3+, Yb3+ pellets were used for ablation. Er3+ is the emission centre Yb3+ is the sensitizer. Obtained colloidal solution is transparent to day light and showing red emission on exciting with 980 nm IR laser. By controlling ablation parameters particles of size less than 10 nm dispersed uniformly in water can be obtained through this surfactant free method. The synthesized nanoparticles can be used for cell imaging.

Enabling valley selective exciton scattering in monolayer WSe2 through upconversion

PubMed Central

Manca, M.; Glazov, M. M.; Robert, C.; Cadiz, F.; Taniguchi, T.; Watanabe, K.; Courtade, E.; Amand, T.; Renucci, P.; Marie, X.; Wang, G.; Urbaszek, B.

2017-01-01

Excitons, Coulomb bound electron–hole pairs, are composite bosons and their interactions in traditional semiconductors lead to condensation and light amplification. The much stronger Coulomb interaction in transition metal dichalcogenides such as WSe2 monolayers combined with the presence of the valley degree of freedom is expected to provide new opportunities for controlling excitonic effects. But so far the bosonic character of exciton scattering processes remains largely unexplored in these two-dimensional materials. Here we show that scattering between B-excitons and A-excitons preferably happens within the same valley in momentum space. This leads to power dependent, negative polarization of the hot B-exciton emission. We use a selective upconversion technique for efficient generation of B-excitons in the presence of resonantly excited A-excitons at lower energy; we also observe the excited A-excitons state 2s. Detuning of the continuous wave, low-power laser excitation outside the A-exciton resonance (with a full width at half maximum of 4 meV) results in vanishing upconversion signal. PMID:28367962

Near infrared light-mediated photoactivation of cytotoxic Re(i) complexes by using lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles.

PubMed

Hu, Ming; Zhao, Jixian; Ai, Xiangzhao; Budanovic, Maja; Mu, Jing; Webster, Richard D; Cao, Qian; Mao, Zongwan; Xing, Bengang

2016-09-13

Platinum-based chemotherapy, although it has been well proven to be effective in the battle against cancer, suffers from limited specificity, severe side effects and drug resistance. The development of new alternatives with potent anticancer effects and improved specificity is therefore urgently needed. Recently, there are some new chemotherapy reagents based on photoactive Re(i) complexes which have been reported as promising alternatives to improve specificity mainly attributed to the spatial and temporal activation process by light irradiation. However, most of them respond to short-wavelength light (e.g. UV, blue or green light), which may cause unwanted photo damage to cells. Herein, we demonstrate a system for near-infrared (NIR) light controlled activation of Re(i) complex cytotoxicity by integration of photoactivatable Re(i) complexes and lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). Upon NIR irradiation at 980 nm, the Re(i) complex can be locally activated by upconverted UV light emitted from UCNPs and subsequently leads to enhanced cell lethality. Cytotoxicity studies showed effective inactivation of both drug susceptible human ovarian carcinoma A2780 cells and cisplatin resistant subline A2780cis cells by our UCNP based system with NIR irradiation, and there was minimum light toxicity observed in the whole process, suggesting that such a system could provide a promising strategy to control localized activation of Re(i) complexes and therefore minimize potential side effects.

In vivo 808 nm image-guided photodynamic therapy based on an upconversion theranostic nanoplatform.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaomin; Que, Ivo; Kong, Xianggui; Zhang, Youlin; Tu, Langping; Chang, Yulei; Wang, Tong Tong; Chan, Alan; Löwik, Clemens W G M; Zhang, Hong

2015-09-28

A new strategy for efficient in vivo image-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been demonstrated utilizing a ligand-exchange constructed upconversion-C60 nanophotosensitizer. This theranostic platform is superior to the currently reported nanophotosensitizers in (i) directly bonding photosensitizer C60 to the surface of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) by a smart ligand-exchange strategy, which greatly shortened the energy transfer distance and enhanced the (1)O2 production, resulting in the improvement of the therapeutic effect; (ii) realizing in vivo NIR 808 nm image-guided PDT with both excitation (980 nm) and emission (808 nm) light falling in the biological window of tissues, which minimized auto-fluorescence, reduced light scatting and improved the imaging contrast and depth, and thus guaranteed noninvasive diagnostic accuracy. In vivo and ex vivo tests demonstrated its favorable bio-distribution, tumor-selectivity and high therapeutic efficacy. Owing to the effective ligand exchange strategy and the excellent intrinsic photophysical properties of C60, (1)O2 production yield was improved, suggesting that a low 980 nm irradiation dosage (351 J cm(-2)) and a short treatment time (15 min) were sufficient to perform NIR (980 nm) to NIR (808 nm) image-guided PDT. Our work enriches the understanding of UCNP-based PDT nanophotosensitizers and highlights their potential use in future NIR image-guided noninvasive deep cancer therapy.

1.319 μm excited intense 800 nm frequency upconversion emission in Tm{sup 3+}-doped fluorogermanate glass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gouveia-Neto, A. S.; Vermelho, M. V. D.; Gouveia, E. A.

2015-11-23

Generation of near-infrared light within the first biological optical window via frequency upconversion in Tm{sup 3+}-doped PbGeO{sub 3}-PbF{sub 2}-CdF{sub 2} glass excited within the second biological window at 1.319 μm is reported. The upconversion emission at 800 nm is the sole light signal observed in the entire ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared spectral region making it possible obtaining high contrast imaging. The dependence of the 800 nm signal upon the sample temperature was investigated and results showed an increase by a factor of ×2.5 in the 30–280 °C range. Generation of detectable 690 nm for temperatures above 100 °C in addition to the intense 800 nm main signal was also observed.more » The proposed excitation mechanism for the 800 nm thulium emitting level is assigned to a multiphonon-assisted excitation from the ground-state {sup 3}H{sub 6} to the {sup 3}H{sub 5} excited-state level, a rapid relaxation to the {sup 3}F{sub 4} level and followed by an excited-state absorption of the pump photons mediated by multiphonons connecting the {sup 3}F{sub 4} level to the {sup 3}H{sub 4} emitting level.« less

Thermally enhanced photoluminescence for heat harvesting in photovoltaics

PubMed Central

Manor, Assaf; Kruger, Nimrod; Sabapathy, Tamilarasan; Rotschild, Carmel

2016-01-01

The maximal Shockley–Queisser efficiency limit of 41% for single-junction photovoltaics is primarily caused by heat dissipation following energetic-photon absorption. Solar-thermophotovoltaics concepts attempt to harvest this heat loss, but the required high temperatures (T>2,000 K) hinder device realization. Conversely, we have recently demonstrated how thermally enhanced photoluminescence is an efficient optical heat-pump that operates in comparably low temperatures. Here we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate such a thermally enhanced photoluminescence based solar-energy converter. Here heat is harvested by a low bandgap photoluminescent absorber that emits thermally enhanced photoluminescence towards a higher bandgap photovoltaic cell, resulting in a maximum theoretical efficiency of 70% at a temperature of 1,140 K. We experimentally demonstrate the key feature of sub-bandgap photon thermal upconversion with an efficiency of 1.4% at only 600 K. Experiments on white light excitation of a tailored Cr:Nd:Yb glass absorber suggest that conversion efficiencies as high as 48% at 1,500 K are in reach. PMID:27762271

Infrared spectroscopy and upconversion luminescence behaviour of erbium doped yttrium (III) oxide phosphor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubey, Vikas; Tiwari, Ratnesh; Tamrakar, Raunak Kumar; Rathore, Gajendra Singh; Sharma, Chitrakant; Tiwari, Neha

2014-11-01

The paper reports upconversion luminescence behaviour and infra-red spectroscopic pattern of erbium doped yttrium (III) oxide phosphor. Sample was synthesized by solid state reaction method with variable concentration or erbium (0.5-2.5 mol%). The conventional solid state method is suitable for large scale production and eco-friendly method. The prepared sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. From structural analysis by XRD technique shows cubic structure of prepared sample with variable concentration of erbium and no impurity phase were found when increase the concentration of Er3+. Particle size was calculated by Scherer's formula and it varies from 67 nm to 120 nm. The surface morphology of prepared phosphor was determined by field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEGSEM) technique. The surface morphology of the sample shows good connectivity with grains as well as some agglomerates formation occurs in sample. The functional group analysis was done by Fourier transform infra-red technique (FTIR) analysis which confirm the formation of Y2O3:Er3+ phosphor was prepared. The results indicated that the Y2O3:Er3+ phosphors might have high upconversion efficiency because of their low vibrational energy. Under 980 nm laser excitation sample shows intense green emission at 555 nm and orange emission at 590 nm wavelength. For green emission transition occurs 2H11/2 → 4I15/2, 4S3/2 → 4I15/2 for upconversion emissions. Excited state absorption and energy transfer process were discussed as possible upconversion mechanisms. The near infrared luminescence spectra was recorded. The upconversion luminescence intensity increase with increasing the concentration or erbium up to 2 mol% after that luminescence intensity decreases due to concentration quenching occurs. Spectrophotometric determinations of peaks are evaluated by Commission Internationale de I'Eclairage (CIE) technique. From CIE technique the dominant peak of from PL spectra shows intense green emission so the prepared phosphor is may be useful for green light emitting diode (GLED) application.

Color tunable emission through energy transfer from Yb3+ co-doped SrSnO3: Ho3+ perovskite nano-phosphor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Neha; Singh, Rajan Kr.; Sinha, Shriya; Singh, R. A.; Singh, Jai

2018-04-01

First time color tunable lighting observed from Ho3+ and Yb3+ co-doped SrSnO3 perovskite. Down-conversion and up-conversion (UC) photoluminescence emission spectra were recorded to understand the whole mechanism of energy migration between Ho3+ and Yb3+ ions. The intensity of green and red emission varies with Yb3+ doping which causes multicolour emissions from nano-phosphor. The intensity of UC red emission (654 nm) obtained from 1 at.% Ho3+ and 3 at.% Yb3+ co-doped nano-phosphor is nine times higher than from 1 at.% Ho3+ doped SrSnO3 nano-phosphor. Enhanced brightness of 654 nm in UC process belongs in biological transparency window so that it might be a promising phosphor in the bio-medical field. Moreover, for the other Yb3+ co-doped nano-phosphor, Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage chromaticity co-ordinates were found near the white region and their CCT values lie in the range 4900-5100 K indicating cool white. Decay time was measured for 545 nm emission of Ho3+ ion found in 7.652 and 8.734 µs at 355 nm excitation. The variation in lifetime was observed in ascending order with increasing Yb3+ concentration which supports PL emission spectra observation that with increasing Yb3+ concentration, rate of transition has changed. These studies reveal that Ho3+ and Yb3+ co-doped phosphor is useful for fabrication of white LEDs.

Architecture, development and implementation of a SWIR to visible integrated up-conversion imaging device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarusi, Gabby; Templeman, Tzvi; Hechster, Elad; Nissim, Nimrod; Vitenberg, Vladimir; Maman, Nitzan; Tal, Amir; Solodar, Assi; Makov, Guy; Abdulhalim, Ibrahim; Visoly-Fisher, Iris; Golan, Yuval

2016-04-01

A new concept of short wavelength infrared (SWIR) to visible upconversion integrated imaging device is proposed, modeled and some initial measured results are presented. The device is a hybrid inorganic-organic device that comprises six nano-metric scale sub-layers grown on n-type GaAs substrates. The first layer is a ~300nm thick PbSe nano-columnar absorber layer grown in (111) orientation to the substrate plan (100), with a diameter of 8- 10nm and therefore exhibit quantum confinement effects parallel to the substrate and bulk properties perpendicular to it. The advantage of this structure is the high oscillator strength and hence absorption to incoming SWIR photons while maintaining the high bulk mobility of photo-excited charges along the columns. The top of the PbSe absorber layer is coated with 20nm thick metal layer that serves as a dual sided mirror, as well as a potentially surface plasmon enhanced absorption in the PbSe nano-columns layer. The photo-excited charges (holes and electrons in opposite directions) are drifted under an external applied field to the OLED section (that is composed of a hole transport layer, an emission layer and an electron transport layer) where they recombine with injected electron from the transparent cathode and emit visible light through this cathode. Due to the high absorption and enhanced transport properties this architecture has the potential of high quantum efficiency, low cost and easy implementation in any optical system. As a bench-mark, alternative concept where InGaAs/InP heterojunction couple to liquid crystal optical spatial light modulator (OSLM) structure was built that shows a full upconversion to visible of 1550nm laser light.

A pre-protective strategy for precise tumor targeting and efficient photodynamic therapy with a switchable DNA/upconversion nanocomposite.

PubMed

Yu, Zhengze; Ge, Yegang; Sun, Qiaoqiao; Pan, Wei; Wan, Xiuyan; Li, Na; Tang, Bo

2018-04-14

Tumor-specific targeting based on folic acid (FA) is one of the most common and significant approaches in cancer therapy. However, the expression of folate receptors (FRs) in normal tissues will lead to unexpected targeting and unsatisfactory therapeutic effect. To address this issue, we develop a pre-protective strategy for precise tumor targeting and efficient photodynamic therapy (PDT) using a switchable DNA/upconversion nanocomposite, which can be triggered in the acidic tumor microenvironment. The DNA/upconversion nanocomposite is composed of polyacrylic acid (PAA) coated upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), the surface of which is modified using FA and chlorin e6 (Ce6) functionalized DNA sequences with different lengths. Initially, FA on the shorter DNA was protected by a longer DNA to prevent the bonding to FRs on normal cells. Once reaching the acidic tumor microenvironment, C base-rich longer DNA forms a C-quadruplex, resulting in the exposure of the FA groups and the bonding of FA and FRs on cancer cell membranes to achieve precise targeting. Simultaneously, the photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) gets close to the surface of UCNPs, enabling the excitation of Ce6 to generate singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) under near infrared light via Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). In vivo experiments indicated that higher tumor targeting efficiency was achieved and the tumor growth was greatly inhibited through the pre-protective strategy.

Highly Efficient LiYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+) Upconversion Single Crystal under Solar Cell Spectrum Excitation and Photovoltaic Application.

PubMed

Chen, Xu; Xu, Wen; Song, Hongwei; Chen, Cong; Xia, Haiping; Zhu, Yongsheng; Zhou, Donglei; Cui, Shaobo; Dai, Qilin; Zhang, Jiazhong

2016-04-13

Luminescent upconversion is a promising way to harvest near-infrared (NIR) sunlight and transforms it into visible light that can be directly absorbed by active materials of solar cells and improve their power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, it is still a great challenge to effectively improve the PCE of solar cells with the assistance of upconversion. In this work, we demonstrate the application of the transparent LiYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+) single crystal as an independent luminescent upconverter to improve the PCE of perovskite solar cells. The LiYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+) single crystal is prepared by an improved Bridgman method, and its internal quantum efficiency approached to 5.72% under 6.2 W cm(-2) 980 nm excitation. The power-dependent upconversion luminescence indicated that under the excitation of simulated sunlight the (4)F(9/2)-(4)I(15/2) red emission originally results from the cooperation of a 1540 nm photon and a 980 nm photon. Furthermore, when the single crystal is placed in front of the perovskite solar cells, the PCE is enhanced by 7.9% under the irradiation of simulated sunlight by 7-8 solar constants. This work implies the upconverter not only can serve as proof of principle for improving PCE of solar cells but also is helpful to practical application.

Enhanced Cellular Ablation by Attenuating Hypoxia Status and Reprogramming Tumor-Associated Macrophages via NIR Light-Responsive Upconversion Nanocrystals.

PubMed

Ai, Xiangzhao; Hu, Ming; Wang, Zhimin; Lyu, Linna; Zhang, Wenmin; Li, Juan; Yang, Huanghao; Lin, Jun; Xing, Bengang

2018-04-18

Near-infrared (NIR) light-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT), especially based on lanthanide-doped upconversion nanocrystals (UCNs), have been extensively investigated as a promising strategy for effective cellular ablation owing to their unique optical properties to convert NIR light excitation into multiple short-wavelength emissions. Despite the deep tissue penetration of NIR light in living systems, the therapeutic efficiency is greatly restricted by insufficient oxygen supply in hypoxic tumor microenvironment. Moreover, the coexistent tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play critical roles in tumor recurrence during the post-PDT period. Herein, we developed a unique photosensitizer-loaded UCNs nanoconjugate (PUN) by integrating manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) nanosheets and hyaluronic acid (HA) biopolymer to improve NIR light-mediated PDT efficacy through attenuating hypoxia status and synergistically reprogramming TAMs populations. After the reaction with overproduced H 2 O 2 in acidic tumor microenvironment, the MnO 2 nanosheets were degraded for the production of massive oxygen to greatly enhance the oxygen-dependent PDT efficiency upon 808 nm NIR light irradiation. More importantly, the bioinspired polymer HA could effectively reprogram the polarization of pro-tumor M2-type TAMs to anti-tumor M1-type macrophages to prevent tumor relapse after PDT treatment. Such promising results provided the great opportunities to achieve enhanced cellular ablation upon NIR light-mediated PDT treatment by attenuating hypoxic tumor microenvironment, and thus facilitated the rational design of new generations of nanoplatforms toward immunotherapy to inhibit tumor recurrence during post-PDT period.

Blue, green, orange, and red upconversion laser

DOEpatents

Xie, Ping; Gosnell, Timothy R.

1998-01-01

A laser for outputting visible light at the wavelengths of blue, green, orange and red light. This is accomplished through the doping of a substrate, such as an optical fiber or waveguide, with Pr.sup.3+ ions and Yb.sup.3+ ions. A light pump such as a diode laser is used to excite these ions into energy states which will produce lasing at the desired wavelengths. Tuning elements such as prisms and gratings can be employed to select desired wavelengths for output.

Blue, green, orange, and red upconversion laser

DOEpatents

Xie, P.; Gosnell, T.R.

1998-09-08

A laser is disclosed for outputting visible light at the wavelengths of blue, green, orange and red light. This is accomplished through the doping of a substrate, such as an optical fiber or waveguide, with Pr{sup 3+} ions and Yb{sup 3+} ions. A light pump such as a diode laser is used to excite these ions into energy states which will produce lasing at the desired wavelengths. Tuning elements such as prisms and gratings can be employed to select desired wavelengths for output. 11 figs.

Plasmon-Enhanced Sub-Bandgap Photocatalysis via Triplet-Triplet Annihilation Upconversion for Volatile Organic Compound Degradation.

PubMed

Kim, Hyoung-Il; Weon, Seunghyun; Kang, Homan; Hagstrom, Anna L; Kwon, Oh Seok; Lee, Yoon-Sik; Choi, Wonyong; Kim, Jae-Hong

2016-10-18

This study demonstrates the first reported photocatalytic decomposition of an indoor air pollutant, acetaldehyde, using low-energy, sub-bandgap photons harnessed through sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) upconversion (UC). To utilize low-intensity noncoherent indoor light and maximize photocatalytic activity, we designed a plasmon-enhanced sub-bandgap photocatalyst device consisting of two main components: (1) TTA-UC rubbery polymer films containing broad-band plasmonic particles (Ag-SiO 2 ) to upconvert sub-bandgap photons, and (2) nanodiamond (ND)-loaded WO 3 as a visible-light photocatalyst composite. Effective decomposition of acetaldehyde was achieved using ND/WO 3 (E g = 2.8 eV) coupled with TTA-UC polymer films that emit blue photons (λ Em = 425 nm, 2.92 eV) upconverted from green photons (λ Ex = 532 nm, 2.33 eV), which are wasted in most environmental photocatalysis. The overall photocatalytic efficiency was amplified by the broad-band surface plasmon resonance of AgNP-SiO 2 particles incorporated into the TTA-UC films.

A "win-win" nanoplatform: TiO2:Yb,Ho,F for NIR light-induced synergistic therapy and imaging.

PubMed

Zhou, Jie; Luo, Pei; Sun, Chong; Meng, Lingchang; Ye, Weiran; Chen, Shanshan; Du, Bin

2017-03-23

To avoid the defect of low energy transfer efficiency in core-shell UCNP-TiO 2 NPs, doping rare earth into TiO 2 and improving the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 itself under Vis-NIR light might be a more direct and efficient strategy for high 1 O 2 production. Here, we designed a TiO 2 :Yb,Ho,F-β-CD@DTX/HA nanoplatform using TiO 2 :Yb,Ho,F as the core, β-CD as the drug carrier, hyaluronic acid (HA) as the capping agent and target, and then applied it for 808 nm induced photodynamic-chemotherapy and 980 nm upconversion fluorescence/MR imaging. The results were as follows: (i) for TiO 2 as a photosensitizer, after doping Yb, Ho, F into TiO 2 , it could directly generate reactive oxygen species under an 808 nm laser; the dopants enhanced the absorption under the UV-Vis-NIR region and increased the electron-hole pair separation. (ii) For TiO 2 as the upconversion host, F and Ho also endowed TiO 2 :Yb,Ho,F with enhanced upconversion fluorescence under a 980 nm laser and T 2 -MRI contrast performance (r 2 = 30.71 mM -1 s -1 ), respectively, thus, facilitating imaging for deep tissues. (iii) The HA shell outside of β-CD prevented the unexpected leaking of DTX, which improved the target abilities and achieved the enzyme-responsive drug release. The in vitro and in vivo studies also demonstrated the nanosystem could efficiently suppress tumor growth by combination therapy and had excellent imaging (UCL/MR) ability. Particularly, our work was the first example that utilized TiO 2 simultaneously as a photosensitizer and upconversion host, which simplified the core-shell UCNP-TiO 2 nanocomposites and reached a "win-win" cooperation in NIR-induced photodynamic therapy and UCL imaging.

Annihilation limit of a visible-to-UV photon upconversion composition ascertained from transient absorption kinetics.

PubMed

Deng, Fan; Blumhoff, Jörg; Castellano, Felix N

2013-05-30

Noncoherent sensitized green-to-near-visible upconversion has been achieved utilizing palladium(II) octaethylporphyrin (PdOEP) as the triplet sensitizer and anthracene as the energy acceptor/annihilator in vacuum degassed toluene. Selective 547 nm excitation of PdOEP with incident irradiance as low as 600 μW/cm(2) results in the observation of anthryl fluorescence at higher energy. Stern-Volmer analysis of the dynamic phosphorescence quenching of PdOEP by anthracene possesses an extremely large K(SV) of 810,000 M(-1), yielding a triplet-triplet energy transfer quenching constant of 3.3 × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1). Clear evidence for the subsequent triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) of anthracene was afforded by numerous experiments, one of the most compelling was an excitation scan illustrating that the Q-band absorption features of PdOEP are solely responsible for sensitizing the anti-Stokes fluorescence. The upconverted emission intensity with respect to the excitation power was shown to vary between quadratic and linear using either coherent or noncoherent light sources, illustrating the expected kinetic limits for the light producing photochemistry under continuous wave illumination. Time-resolved experiments directly comparing the total integrated anthracene intensity/time fluorescence data produced through upconversion (λ(ex) = 547 nm, delayed signal) and with direct excitation (λ(ex) = 355 nm, prompt signal) under conditions where the laser pulse is completely absorbed by the sample reveal annihilation efficiencies of approximately 40%. Similarly, the delayed fluorescence kinetic analysis reported by Schmidt and co-workers (J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2010, 1, 1795-1799) was used to reveal the maximum possible efficiency from a model red-to-yellow upconverting composition and this treatment was applied to the anthryl triplet absorption decay transients of anthracene measured for the PdOEP/anthracene composition at 430 nm. From this analysis approximately 50% of the anthryl triplets that decay by TTA produce singlet fluorescence, consistent with the notion that annihilation spin statistics does not impose efficiency limits on upconversion photochemistry.

Strategies for the design of bright upconversion nanoparticles for bioanalytical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiesholler, Lisa M.; Hirsch, Thomas

2018-06-01

In recent years upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) received great attention because of their outstanding optical properties. Especially in bioanalytical applications this class of materials can overcome limitations of common probes like high background fluorescence or blinking. Nevertheless, the requirements for UCNPs to be applicable in biological samples, e.g. small size, water-dispersibility, excitation at low power density are in contradiction with the demand of high brightness. Therefore, a lot of attention is payed to the enhancement of the upconversion luminescence. This review discuss the recent trends and strategies to boost the brightness of UCNPs, classified in three main directions: a) improving the efficiency of energy absorption by the sensitizer via coupling to plasmonic or photonic structures or via attachment of ligands for light harvesting; b) minimizing non-radiative deactivation by variations in the architecture of UCNPs; and c) changing the excitation wavelength to get bright particles at low excitation power density for applications in aqueous systems. These strategies are critically reviewed including current limitations as well as future perspectives for the design of efficient UCNPs especially for sensing application in biological samples or cells.

Utilization of visible to NIR light energy by Yb+3, Er+3 and Tm+3 doped BiVO4 for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regmi, Chhabilal; Kshetri, Yuwaraj K.; Ray, Schindra Kumar; Pandey, Ramesh Prasad; Lee, Soo Wohn

2017-01-01

Lanthanide-doped BiVO4 semiconductors with efficient photocatalytic activities over a broad range of the solar light spectrum have been synthesized by the microwave hydrothermal method using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The structural, morphological, and optical properties of the as-synthesized samples were evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The chemical compositions were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The toxicity of the samples was measured using Mus musculus skin melanoma cells (B16-F10 (ATCC® CRL-6475™)) and were found to be nontoxic for human cells. The photocatalytic efficiency of the prepared samples was evaluated by methylene blue (MB) degradation. The best photocatalytic activity was shown by BiVO4 with 6:3:3 mol percentage of Yb+3:Er+3:Tm+3 in all solar light spectrum. The synthesized samples possess low band gap energy and a hollow structure suitable for the better photocatalytic activity. The observed NIR photoactivity supports that the upconversion mechanism is involved in the overall photocatalytic process. Therefore, this approach provides a better alternative upconversion material for integral solar light absorption.

A novel contrast agent with rare earth-doped up-conversion luminescence and Gd-DTPA magnetic resonance properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu Qing; Wei Daixu; Cheng Jiejun

2012-08-15

The magnetic-luminescent multifunctional nanoparticles based on Gd-DTPA and NaYF{sub 4}:Yb, Er were successfully synthesized by the conjugation of activated DTPA and silica-coated/surface-aminolated NaYF{sub 4}:Yb, Er nanoparticles through EDC/NHS coupling chemistry. The as-prepared products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The room-temperature upconversion luminescent spectra and T{sub 1}-weighted maps of the obtained nanoparticles were carried out by 980 nm NIR light excitation and a 3T MR imaging scanner, respectively. The results indicated that the as-synthesized multifunctional nanoparticles with small size, highly solubility in water, and bothmore » high MR relaxivities and upconversion luminescence may have potential usage for MR imaging in future. - Graphical abstract: We have synthesized magnetic-luminescent multifunctional nanoparticles based on Gd-DTPA and NaYF4:Yb, Er by the conjugation of activated DTPA and silica-coated/surface-aminolated NaYF4:Yb, Er nanoparticles through EDC/NHS coupling chemistry. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A novel magnetic-luminescent multifunctional nanoparticles are synthesized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The nanoparticles are highly efficient for luminescence and T{sub 1}-weighted MR imaging. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The nanoparticles are small in size and highly solubility in water. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The nanoparticles hold great potential usage for future biomedical engineering.« less

Synthesis and Characterization of Monodisperse Core-shell Lanthanide Upconversion Nanoparticles NaYF4: Yb,Tm/SiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manurung, R. V.; Wiranto, G.; Hermida, I. D. P.

2018-05-01

Lanthanide up-converting luminescent nanoparticles (UCNPs) are exciting and promising materials for optical bioimaging, biosensor and theranostic due to their unique and advantageous optical and chemical properties. The UCNPs absorb low energy near-infrared (NIR) light and emit high-energy shorter wavelength photons (visible light). Their unique features allow them to overcome various problems associated with conventional imaging probes such as photostability, lack of toxicity, and to provide versatility for creating nanoplatforms with both imaging and therapeutic modalities. This paper reports synthesis and characterization of core-shell structured of NaYF4:Yb,Tm/SiO2 microspheres. The synthesis of lanthanide upconversion nanoparticles NaYF4:Yb,Tm was prepared by thermal decomposition process which involves dissolving organic precursors in high-boiling-point solvents oleic acid (OA) and octadecene (ODE). After that, the NaYF4:Yb,Tm phosphors was coated by silica via reverse microemulsion process to obtain core-shell structured NaYF4:Yb,Tm/SiO2. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, specific area electron diffraction, and photoluminescence were applied to characterize these samples. The obtained core-shell structured NaYF4:Yb,Tm/SiO2 phosphors exhibit a perfect cubic morphology with narrow size distribution and smooth surface. Upon IR excitation at 980 nm, the NaYF4:Yb,Tm/SiO2 samples exhibit whitish blue upconversion (UC) luminescence, respectively. These phosphors show potential applications in the displaying on biological fields and biosensing.

Synthesis of Core-shell Lanthanide-doped Upconversion Nanocrystals for Cellular Applications.

PubMed

Ai, Xiangzhao; Lyu, Linna; Mu, Jing; Hu, Ming; Wang, Zhimin; Xing, Bengang

2017-11-10

Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanocrystals (UCNs) have attracted much attention in recent years based on their promising and controllable optical properties, which allow for the absorption of near-infrared (NIR) light and can subsequently convert it into multiplexed emissions that span over a broad range of regions from the UV to the visible to the NIR. This article presents detailed experimental procedures for high-temperature co-precipitation synthesis of core-shell UCNs that incorporate different lanthanide ions into nanocrystals for efficiently converting deep-tissue penetrable NIR excitation (808 nm) into a strong blue emission at 480 nm. By controlling the surface modification with biocompatible polymer (polyacrylic acid, PAA), the as-prepared UCNs acquires great solubility in buffer solutions. The hydrophilic nanocrystals are further functionalized with specific ligands (dibenzyl cyclooctyne, DBCO) for localization on the cell membrane. Upon NIR light (808 nm) irradiation, the upconverted blue emission can effectively activate the light-gated channel protein on the cell membrane and specifically regulate the cation (e.g., Ca 2+ ) influx in the cytoplasm. This protocol provides a feasible methodology for the synthesis of core-shell lanthanide-doped UCNs and subsequent biocompatible surface modification for further cellular applications.

White phosphor using Yb3+-sensitized Er3+-and Tm3+-doped sol-gel derived lead-fluorosilicate transparent glass ceramic excited at 980 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavares, M. C. P.; da Costa, E. B.; Bueno, L. A.; Gouveia-Neto, A. S.

2018-01-01

Generation of primary colors and white light through frequency upconversion using sol-gel derived 80SiO2:20PbF2 vitroceramic phosphors doped with Er3+, Er3+/Yb3+, Tm3+/Yb3+, and Er3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ excited at 980 nm is demonstrated. For Er3+ and Er3+/Yb3+ doped samples emissions were obtained in the blue (410 nm), green (530, and 550 nm) and red (670 nm) regions, corresponding to the 2H9/2 → 4I15/2,2H11/2 → 4I15/2, 4S3/2 → 4I152 and 4F9/2 → 4I15/2 transitions of Er3+, respectively. The codoping with Yb3+ ions altered the spectral profile of most of the emissions compared to the single doped samples, resulting in changes in the emitted color, in addition to a significant increase in the emission intensity. In Tm3+/Yb3+ co-doped samples visible emissions in the blue (480 nm), and red (650 nm), corresponding to transitions 1G4 → 3H6 and 1G4 → 3F4 of Tm3+, respectively, were obtained. The emission intensity around 480 nm overcome the red emission, and luminescence showed a predominantly blue tone. White light with CIE-1931 coordinates (0.36; 0.34) was produced by homogeneously mixing up powders of heat treated at 400 °C co-doped samples 5.0Er3+/5.0Yb3+ and 0.5Tm3+/2.5Yb3+ in the mass ratio of 13%, and 87%, respectively. The measured emission spectrum for a sample resulting from the mixture showed a profile with very good agreement with the spectrum found from the superimposition of the spectra of the co-doped samples.

Photon Upconversion Using Baird-Type (Anti)Aromatic Quinoidal Naphthalene Derivative as a Sensitizer

DOE PAGES

Shokri, Siamak; Wiederrecht, Gary P.; Gosztola, David J.; ...

2017-10-02

In this study, a naphtho-p-quinodimethane (QDM) exhibiting Baird’s 4n - π antiaromaticity was used as green photonsharvesting chromophore to sensitize perylene (Per) leading to upconverted blue photoluminescence. The solution phase QDM → Per triplet energy transfer (TET) could not be unraveled via the Stern-Volmer method, but transient absorption measurements revealed that the kinetics of T 1 → T n for QDM (τ = 1.4 μs) was 1 order of magnitude reduced (τ= 0.17 μs) as a result of 3(Per)* formation. Lastly, we demonstrated that incident light with power densities in the microwatt regime is sufficient to perform photon upconversion usingmore » the present set of molecular systems.« less

Low-power upconversion in dye-doped polymer nanoparticles.

PubMed

Simon, Yoan C; Bai, Shuo; Sing, Michelle K; Dietsch, Hervé; Achermann, Marc; Weder, Christoph

2012-04-13

Examples of nanoscale low-power upconverting systems are rapidly increasing because of their potential application in numerous areas such as bioimaging or drug delivery. The fabrication of dye-doped cross-linked rubbery nanoparticles that exhibit upconversion even at relatively low power densities is reported here. The nanoparticles were prepared by surfactant-free emulsion polymerization of n-butylacrylate with divinylbenzene as a cross-linker, followed by dyeing of the resulting particles with a two-chromophore system composed of a palladium porphyrin sensitizer, and diphenylanthracene. Blue emission (≈440 nm) of these systems was observed upon excitation at 532 nm. In addition to their optical properties, the particles were characterized by electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Up-conversion multiwave (White) luminescence in the visible spectral range under excitation by IR laser diodes in the active BaY2F8:Yb3+,Pr3+ medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pushkar', A. A.; Uvarova, T. V.; Kiiko, V. V.

2011-08-01

The possibilities of occupying high-lying 4 f states of Pr3+ ions in the active BaY2F8:Yb3+,Pr3+ medium according to the photon avalanche and step-by-step sensitization mechanisms are compared. It is shown that the photon avalanche is unlikely to occur in the BaY2F8:Yb3+,Pr3+ crystal. The multiband luminescence spectra in the visible spectral range (white emission) under single- and multiwave pumping of BaY2F8:Yb3+,Pr3+ crystal by IR laser diodes are reported.

Triplet-Triplet Annihilation Photon Upconversion in Polymer Thin Film: Sensitizer Design.

PubMed

Jiang, Xinpeng; Guo, Xinyan; Peng, Jiang; Zhao, Dahui; Ma, Yuguo

2016-05-11

Efficient visible-to-UV photon upconversion via triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) is accomplished in polyurethane (PU) films by developing new, powerful photosensitizers fully functional in the solid-state matrix. These rationally designed triplet sensitizers feature a bichromophoric scaffold comprising a tris-cyclometalated iridium(III) complex covalently tethered to a suitable organic small molecule. The very rapid intramolecular triplet energy transfer from the former to the latter is pivotal for achieving the potent sensitizing ability, because this process out-competes the radiative and nonradiative decays inherent to the metal complex and produces long-lived triplet excitons localized with the acceptor moiety readily available for intermolecular transfer and TTA. Nonetheless, compared to the solution state, the molecular diffusion is greatly limited in solid matrices, which even creates difficulty for the Dexter-type intramolecular energy transfer. This is proven by the experimental results showing that the sensitizing performance of the bichromophoric molecules strongly depends on the spatial distance separating the donor (D) and acceptor (A) units and that incorporating a longer linker between the D and A evidently curbs the TTA upconversion efficiency in PU films. Using a rationally optimized sensitizer structure in combination with 2,7-di-tert-butylpyrene as the annihilator/emitter, the doped polyurethane (PU) films demonstrate effective visible-to-UV upconverted emission signal under noncoherent-light irradiation, attaining an upconversion quantum yield of 2.6%. Such quantum efficiency is the highest value so far reported for the visible-to-UV TTA systems in solid matrices.

Energy Pooling Upconversion in Free Space and Optical Cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaCount, Michael D.

The ability to efficiently convert the wavelength of light has value in a wide range of disciplines that include the fields of photovoltaics, plant growth, optics and medicine. The processes by which such transformations are carried out are known as upconversions and downconversions. There are several ways to up/down convert light, each with its own attributes, issues, and competing mechanisms. Most are associated with one-body or two-body processes. Three-body dynamics are also possible though, going by the names of quantum cutting (downconversion) and energy pooling (upconversion). These use virtual excited electronic states to mediate conversions as has been experimentally realized using lanthanide ions embedded in wide bandgap materials. The use of lanthanides to convert light is not ideal due to their relative scarcity, toxicity, and the limited range of light frequencies that can be absorbed and emitted. Organic molecules, on the other hand, are typically non-toxic, are made up of abundant elements, and can be designed with tailored spectral properties. At issue is whether or not they can be used to carry out efficient energy pooling, the central question to be answered in this thesis. The research presented here draws on a perturbative quantum electrodynamics framework previously established for generic energy pooling. It was used to develop a computational methodology for determining the rate of energy pooling and its competing processes. This, in turn, draws on a combination of time-dependent density functional theory, quantum electrodynamics, and perturbation theory to generate the requisite material property data. This computational model was applied to two test systems consisting of stilbene-fluorescein and hexabenzocoronene-oligothiophene. The stilbene-fluorescein system was found to have a maximum energy pooling rate efficiency (as compared to competing processes) of 17% and the hexabenzocoronene-oligothiophene system was found to have a maximum energy pooling rate efficiency of 99%. This demonstrates that the energy pooling rate can be made faster than its competing processes. Based on the results of this study, a set of design rules was developed to optimize the rate efficiency of energy pooling. Prior to this research, no attempt had been made to determine if energy pooling could be made to out-pace competing processes--i.e. whether or not a molecular system could be designed to utilize energy pooling as an efficient means of upconversion. This initial investigation was part of a larger effort involving a team of researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder and at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. After establishing our computational proof-of-concept, we collectively used the new design rules to select an improved system for energy pooling. This consisted of rhodamine 6G and stilbene-420. These molecules were fabricated into a thin film, and the maximum internal quantum yield was measured to be 36% under sufficiently high intensity light. To further increase the efficiency of energy pooling, encapsulation within optical cavities was considered as a way of changing the rate of processes characterized by electric dipole-dipole coupling. This was carried out using a combination of classical electromagnetism, quantum electrodynamics, and perturbation theory. It was found that, in the near field, if the distance of the energy transfer is smaller than the distance from the energy transfer site and the cavity wall, then the electric dipole-dipole coupling tensor is not influenced by the cavity environment and the rates of energy transfer processes are the same as those in free space. Any increase in energy transfer efficiencies that are experimentally measured must therefore be caused by changing the rate of light absorption and emission. This is an important finding because earlier, less rigorous studies had concluded otherwise. It has been previously demonstrated that an optical cavity can be used to inhibit the spontaneous emission of atoms or molecules placed within it. This too was examined as a possible means of increasing energy pooling efficiency. Using first-principles methods, quantum electrodynamics, perturbation theory, and a kinetic model, the efficiency of energy pooling upconversion within a tuned rectangular cavity was found to be significantly larger than in free space. A model system with a free-space energy pooling upconversion efficiency of 23% was found to increase to 47% when placed in a tuned rectangular cavity.

Mechanisms and concentrations dependence of up-conversion luminescence in Tm^3^+/Yb^3^+ codoped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics [rapid communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Junjie; He, Dongbing; Duan, Zhongchao; Zhang, Liyan; Dai, Shixun; Hu, Lili

2005-04-01

The up-conversion properties of Tm3+/Yb3+ codoped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics under 980 nm excitation were investigated. Intense blue up-conversion luminescence due to the Tm3+: 1G4 → 3H6 transition was observed in the glass-ceramics. The intensity of the blue up-conversion luminescence in a 1 mol% YbF3-containing glass-ceramic was found to be about 40 times stronger than that in the precursor oxyfluoride glass. The up-conversion mechanism is proposed. The reason for the intense Tm3+ up-conversion luminescence in the oxyfluoride glass-ceramics and the concentrations dependence of upconversion luminescence are also discussed.

Cysteine optical sensing with an up-conversion host and two chemosensors derived from rhodamine: Construction, characterization and performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chen; Zhigang, Fang

2017-03-01

This paper focused on two rhodamine chemosensors for cysteine optical sensing. To minimize their photobleaching caused by excitation light, up-conversion NaYF4:Yb3 +/Er3 + nanocrystals were prepared and used as excitation host. Photophysical measurement on this host and the two chemosensors suggested that chemosensor absorption matched well with host emission. An efficient energy transfer between them was discussed and confirmed by their spectral analysis and emission lifetime comparison. Job's plot suggested that our chemosensors followed a simple recognition mechanism towards cysteine with binding stoichiometry of 1:1. Both chemosensors showed emission "off-on" effect triggered by cysteine and good photostability. Linear working curves with maximum sensitivity of 2.61 were obtained. S substituent was positive to improve selectivity.

Excited-state lifetime measurement of silicon vacancy centers in diamond by single-photon frequency upconversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rong, Youying; Ma, Jianhui; Chen, Lingxiao; Liu, Yan; Siyushev, Petr; Wu, Botao; Pan, Haifeng; Jelezko, Fedor; Wu, E.; Zeng, Heping

2018-05-01

We report a method with high time resolution to measure the excited-state lifetime of silicon vacancy centers in bulk diamond avoiding timing jitter from the single-photon detectors. Frequency upconversion of the fluorescence emitted from silicon vacancy centers was achieved from 738 nm to 436 nm via sum frequency generation with a short pump pulse. The excited-state lifetime can be obtained by measuring the intensity of upconverted light while the pump delay changes. As a probe, a pump laser with pulse duration of 11 ps provided a high temporal resolution of the measurement. The lifetime extracted from the pump–probe curve was 0.755 ns, which was comparable to the timing jitter of the single-photon detectors.

UV-visible-NIR light generation through frequency upconversion in Tm3+-doped low silica calcium aluminosilicate glasses using multiple excitation around 1.2 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trindade, C. M.; Rego-Filho, F. G.; Astrath, N. G. C.; Jacinto, C.; Gouveia-Neto, A. S.

2018-04-01

Intense ultraviolet upconversion emission was produced in single Tm3+-doped OH--free low silica calcium aluminosilicate glasses. A new excitation route based upon multi-Stokes Raman emissions generated in an optical fiber pumped at 1.064 μm, and exploiting the absorption band around 1.2 μm by means of the 3H5 thulium excited state, was used. Furthermore, the other bands of the stimulated Raman scattering spectrum resonantly enhances all the upconversion processes, resulting in efficient ultraviolet (295 nm, 360 nm), blue (456 nm, 480 nm), red (650 nm, 667 nm), and near-infrared (800 nm) emissions. The population of the 1P0, 1D2, 1G4, 3F2 and 3H4 excited-state emitting levels was accomplished through stepwise multi-photon absorption. Results indicate competing cross-relaxation processes involving Tm3+ ion-pairs producing UV emission population quenching Simplified energy-level diagram of Tm3+- doped sample excited using multi-stokes emissions. The λp indication describes all excitation wavelengths, represented by a single arrow for the sake of simplicity.

Tuning upconversion luminescence of LiYF4:Yb3+,Er3+/Tm3+/Ho3+ microcrystals synthesized through a molten salt process.

PubMed

Niu, Na; He, Fei; Wang, Liuzhen; Wang, Lin; Wang, Yan; Gai, Shili; Yang, Piaoping

2014-05-01

In this paper, well-defined tetragonal-phase LiYF4:Yb3+,Er3+/Tm3+/Ho3+ micro-crystals with octahedral morphology were successfully prepared through a surfactant-free molten salt process for the first time. By gradually increasing the LiF content in the NaNO3-KNO3 reaction medium, the crystal phase transforms from a mixture of YF3 and LiYF4 to pure tetragonal-phase LiYF4. The possible formation process for the phase and morphology evolution is also presented. Moreover, upon 980 nm laser diode (LD) excitation, the lanthanide ions (Yb3+, Er3+/Tm3+/Ho3+) doped LiYF4 crystals exhibit intense upconversion emission lights. By tuning the sensitizer concentrations of Yb3+ ions in LiYF4:Yb3+,Er3+, the relative intensities of green and red emissions can be precisely adjusted under single wavelength excitation. Consequently, multicolor upconversion emissions can be obtained. On the other hand, UC mechanisms were also given based on the emission spectra and the plot of luminescence intensity to pump power.

Near-infrared (NIR) optogenetics using up-conversion system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hososhima, Shoko; Yuasa, Hideya; Ishizuka, Toru; Yawo, Hiromu

2015-03-01

Non-invasive remote control technologies designed to manipulate neural functions for a comprehensive and quantitative understanding of the neuronal network in the brain as well as for the therapy of neurological disorders have long been awaited. Recently, it has become possible to optically manipulate the neuronal activity using biological photo-reactive molecules such as channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2). However, ChR2 and its relatives are mostly reactive to visible light which does not effectively penetrate through biological tissues. In contrast, near-infrared (NIR) light penetrates deep into the tissues because biological systems are almost transparent to light within this so-called `imaging window'. Here we used lanthanide nanoparticles (LNPs), which are composed of rare-earth elements, as luminous bodies to activate channelrhodopsins (ChRs) since they absorb low-energy NIR light to emit high-energy visible light (up-conversion). Neuron-glioma-hybrid ND-7/23 cells were cultured with LNP(NaYF4:Sc/Yb/Er) particles (peak emission, 543 nm) and transfected to express C1V1 (peak absorbance, 539 nm), a chimera of ChR1 and VChR1. The photocurrents were generated in response to NIR laser light (976 nm) to a level comparable to that evoked by a filtered Hg lamp (530-550 nm). NIR light pulses also evoked action potentials in the cultured neurons that expressed C1V1. It is suggested that the green luminescent light emitted from LNPs effectively activated C1V1 to generate the photocurrent. With the optimization of LNPs, acceptor photo-reactive biomolecules and optics, this system could be applied to non-invasively actuate neurons deep in the brain.

Multiphoton microscopy and image guided light activated therapy using nanomaterials (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, Paras N.

2017-02-01

This talk will focus on design and applications of nanomaterials exhibiting strong multiphoton upconversion for multiphoton microscopy as well as for image-guided and light activated therapy .1-3 Such processes can occur by truly nonlinear optical interactions proceeding through virtual intermediate states or by stepwise coupled linear excitations through real intermediate states. Multiphoton processes in biocompatible multifunctional nanoparticles allow for 3D deep tissue imaging. In addition, they can produce in-situ photon conversion of deep tissue penetrating near IR light into a needed shorter wavelength light for photo-activated therapy at a targeted site, thus overcoming the limited penetration of UV or visible light into biological media. We are using near IR emitters such as silicon quantum dots which also exhibit strong multiphoton excitation for multiphoton microscopy. Another approach involves nonlinear nanocrystals such as ZnO which can produce four wave mixing, sum frequency generation as well as second harmonic generation to convert a deep tissue penetrating Near IR light at the targeted biological site to a desired shorter wavelength light suitable for bio imaging or activation of a therapy. We have utilized this approach to activate a photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy. Yet another type of upconversion materials is rare-earth ion doped optical nanotransformers which transform a Near IR (NIR) light from an external source by sequential single photon absorption, in situ and on demand, to a needed wavelength. Applications of these nanotransformers in multiphoton photoacoustic imaging will also be presented. An exciting direction pursued by us using these multiphoton nanoparticles, is functional imaging of brain. Simultaneously, they can effect optogenetics for regioselective stimulation of neurons for providing an effective intervention/augmentation strategy to enhance the cognitive state and lead to a foundation for futuristic vision of super human capabilities. Challenges and opportunities will be discussed.

Interference-enhanced infrared-to-visible upconversion in solid-state thin films sensitized by colloidal nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Mengfei; Jean, Joel; Bulović, Vladimir; Baldo, Marc A.

2017-05-01

Infrared-to-visible photon upconversion has potential applications in photovoltaics, sensing, and bioimaging. We demonstrate a solid-state thin-film device that utilizes sensitized triplet-triplet exciton annihilation, converting infrared photons absorbed by colloidal lead sulfide nanocrystals (NCs) into visible photons emitted from a luminescent dopant in rubrene at low incident light intensities. A typical bilayer device consisting of a monolayer of NCs and a doped film of rubrene is limited by low infrared absorption in the thin NC film. Here, we augment the bilayer with an optical spacer layer and a silver-film back reflector, resulting in interference effects that enhance the optical field and thus the absorption in the NC film. The interference-enhanced device shows an order-of-magnitude increase in the upconverted emission at the wavelength of λ = 610 nm when excited at λ = 980 nm. At incident light intensities above 1.1 W/cm2, the device attains maximum efficiency, converting (1.6 ± 0.2)% of absorbed infrared photons into higher-energy singlet excitons in rubrene.

Structural and luminescent properties of a NaYF4-aerogel composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alattar, Ashraf M.; Drexler, Matthew; Twej, Wesam A. A.; Alamgir, Faisal M.

2018-07-01

Upconversion materials, capable of energy-shifting light, have direct application in devices where the tunability of the optical spectrum can result in higher performance. Due to the low transparency of upconversion nanomaterials, it is beneficial to disperse them in a medium with a low optical attenuation coefficient in order to allow light to reach and increase the contributions from each individual particle. Silica aerogels, with their high transparency and open porosity, are ideal media for the dispersion of the nanomaterials throughout a volume. NaYF4-based nanocrystals with differing dopants were incorporated into silica xerogels and aerogels to observe the effect of the composites on the properties of each. It was observed that, while the average surface area of the aerogel decreased in the composite, the shape and phase of the nanocrystals were preserved during xerogel processing. The luminescence of the nanoparticles increased upon incorporation into the xerogel composites. By accounting for effects emerging from collection geometry and the composite morphology, it is argued that the increase in the composite luminescent intensity is due to the nanoparticles being shielded from quenching effects by the silica matrix.

NIR-induced highly sensitive detection of latent finger-marks by NaYF4:Yb,Er upconversion nanoparticles in a dry powder state

PubMed Central

Wang, Meng; Li, Ming; Yang, Mingying; Zhang, Xiaomei; Yu, Aoyang; Zhu, Ye; Qiu, Penghe; Mao, Chuanbin

2016-01-01

The most commonly found fingermarks at crime scenes are latent and, thus, an efficient method for detecting latent fingermarks is very important. However, traditional developing techniques have drawbacks such as low detection sensitivity, high background interference, complicated operation, and high toxicity. To tackle this challenge, we employed fluorescent NaYF4:Yb,Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), which can fluoresce visible light when excited by 980 nm human-safe near-infrared light, to stain the latent fingermarks on various substrate surfaces. The UCNPs were successfully used as a novel fluorescent label for the detection of latent fingermarks with high sensitivity, low background, high efficiency, and low toxicity on various substrates including non-infiltrating materials (glass, marble, aluminum alloy sheets, stainless steel sheets, aluminum foils, and plastic cards), semi-infiltrating materials (floor leathers, ceramic tiles, wood floor, and painted wood), and infiltrating materials such as various types of papers. This work shows that UCNPs are a versatile fluorescent label for the facile detection of fingermarks on virtually any material, enabling their practical applications in forensic sciences. PMID:27818741

Enhanced performance of dye-sensitized solar cells based on TiO{sub 2} with NIR-absorption and visible upconversion luminescence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liang, Li; Yulin, Yang, E-mail: ylyang@hit.edu.cn; Mi, Zhou

2013-02-15

TiO{sub 2} with NIR-absorption and visible upconversion luminescence (UC-TiO{sub 2}) is prepared by a sol-gel method and calcined at 700 Degree-Sign C for 6 h. The material broadens the response region of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) from an ultraviolet-visible region to the whole region of the solar spectrum. It shifts NIR sunlight to visible light which matches the strong absorbing region of the dye (N719). DSSCs based on UC-TiO{sub 2} achieved higher conversion efficiency than that on raw TiO{sub 2}. UC-TiO{sub 2} was mixed with commercial raw TiO{sub 2} as additive, and the short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage andmore » conversion efficiency of the DSSC reached to the optimum values 13.38 mA/cm{sup 2}, 0.78 V and 6.63% (AM1.5 global), comparing with the blank values: 7.99 mA/cm{sup 2}, 0.75 V and 4.07%, respectively. Also the mechanisms of upconversion by multiphoton absorption and energy transfer processes are interpreted in this paper. - Graphical abstract: By introducing TiO{sub 2} with NIR-absorption and visible up-conversion luminescence into DSSC, a signal reflection was explored from ultra-violet region to visible region, and to near-IR region. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer TiO{sub 2} with NIR-absorption and visible up-conversion luminescence (UC-TiO{sub 2}) was prepared by a sol-gel method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A systematic characterization and analysis was carried out to discuss the mechanism. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A significantly enhanced performance of DSSC was explored by using UC-TiO{sub 2} as an additive.« less

Lanthanide‐Doped Upconversion Nanoparticles: Emerging Intelligent Light‐Activated Drug Delivery Systems

PubMed Central

Bagheri, Ali; Arandiyan, Hamidreza

2016-01-01

The development of drug delivery systems (DDSs) using near infrared (NIR) light and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) has generated intensive interest over the past five years. These NIR‐initiated DDSs not only offer a high degree of spatial and temporal determination of therapeutic release but also provide precise control over the released dosage. Furthermore, these nanoplatforms confer several advantages over conventional light‐based DDSs—NIR offers better tissue penetration depth and a reduced risk of cellular photo‐damage caused by exposure to light at high‐energy wavelengths (e.g., ultraviolet light, <400 nm). The development of DDSs that can be activated by low intensity NIR illumination is highly desirable to avoid exposing living tissues to excessive heat that can limit the in vivo application of these DDSs. This encompasses research in three directions: (i) enhancing the quantum yield of the UCNPs; (ii) incorporation of photo‐responsive materials with red‐shifted absorptions into the UCNPs; and (iii) tuning the UCNPs excitation wavelength. This review focuses on recent advances in the development of NIR‐initiated DDS, with emphasis on the use of photo‐responsive compounds and polymeric materials conjugated onto UCNPs. The challenges that limit UCNPs clinical applications, alongside with the aforementioned techniques that have emerged to overcome these limitations, are highlighted. PMID:27818904

Infrared upconversion for astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyd, R. W.

1977-01-01

The basic theory of upconversion is presented, along with a brief historical summary of upconversion techniques. Upconverters were used in astronomical studies, but have met with only modest success. Upconversion will become a useful detection method for astronomy only if substantial but perhaps forseeable, improvements can be realized.

Luminescence upconversion under hydrostatic pressure in the 3d-metal systems Ti2+:NaCl and Ni2+:CsCdCl3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wenger, Oliver S.; Salley, G. Mackay; Valiente, Rafael; Güdel, Hans U.

2002-06-01

We present a study of upconversion materials and processes under external hydrostatic pressure. The near-infrared to visible photon upconversion properties of Ti2+-doped NaCl and Ni2+-doped CsCdCl3 at 15 K are studied as a function of external hydrostatic pressure. It is found that in Ti2+:NaCl pressure can be used to switch on an efficient upconversion mechanism, which is inactive at ambient pressure, leading to an order-of-magnitude enhancement of the overall upconversion efficiency of this material. For Ni2+:CsCdCl3 it is demonstrated that upconversion luminescence excitation spectroscopy can be used to study the pressure dependence of excited state absorption transitions. The results demonstrate the ability to tune upconversion properties by altering the local crystal field of active ions, in addition to probing the pressure dependence of excited state absorption transitions via upconversion spectroscopy.

Current Advances in Lanthanide‐Doped Upconversion Nanostructures for Detection and Bioapplication

PubMed Central

Chen, Cailing

2016-01-01

Along with the development of science and technology, lanthanide‐doped upconversion nanostructures as a new type of materials have taken their place in the field of nanomaterials. Upconversion luminescence is a nonlinear optical phenomenon, which absorbs two or more photons and emits one photon. Compared with traditional luminescence materials, upconversion nanostructures have many advantages, such as weak background interference, long lifetime, low excitation energy, and strong tissue penetration. These interesting nanostructures can be applied in anticounterfeit, solar cell, detection, bioimaging, therapy, and so on. This review is focused on the current advances in lanthanide‐doped upconversion nanostructures, covering not only basic luminescence mechanism, synthesis, and modification methods but also the design and fabrication of upconversion nanostructures, like core–shell nanoparticles or nanocomposites. At last, this review emphasizes the application of upconversion nanostructure in detection and bioimaging and therapy. Learning more about the advances of upconversion nanostructures can help us better exploit their excellent performance and use them in practice. PMID:27840794

Enhancement of a-Si:H solar cell efficiency by Y2O3 : Yb3+, Er3+ near infrared spectral upconverter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markose, Kurias K.; Anjana, R.; Subha, P. P.; Antony, Aldrin; Jayaraj, M. K.

2016-09-01

The optical properties of Yb3+/Er3+ doped Y2O3 upconversion phosphor and the enhancement of efficiency of a-Si:H solar cell on incorporation of upconverter are investigated. The Y2O3 host material has high corrosion resistance, thermal stability, chemical stability, low toxicity and relatively low phonon energy (≈ 500 cm-1). Y2O3:Yb3+ (x %): Er3+ (y %) upconversion nanophosphors with different dopant concentrations were synthesized via simple hydrothermal method followed by a heat treatment at 1200°C for 12 hrs. Highly crystalline, quasi-spherical, body centered cubic Y2O3 structure was obtained. The structure, phase and morphology of the nanocrystals were determined using x-ray diffraction and SEM. Following pumping at 980 nm two dominant emission bands were observed at about 550 nm(green) and 660 nm(red), corresponding to 2H11/2, 4S3/2 -> 4I15/2 and 4F9/2 -> 4I15/2 transitions respectively. The dependence of emission intensity on pump power shows that the mechanism involved is two photon absorption. The upconversion phosphor along with a binder is coupled behind the a-Si:H solar cell which absorbs transmitted sub-band-gap photons and emits back the upconverted visible light which can be absorbed by the solar cell. Under suitable intensity of illumination the solar cell short circuit current is found to be increased on adding the upconversion layer.

Mechanisms of low-power noncoherent photon upconversion in metalloporphyrin-organic blue emitter systems in solution.

PubMed

Sugunan, Sunish K; Tripathy, Umakanta; Brunet, Sophie M K; Paige, Matthew F; Steer, Ronald P

2009-07-30

The mechanisms of noncoherent photon upconversion that involve triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) in solution have been investigated for two model systems. ZnTPP (meso-tetraphenylporphine zinc) is used as the model visible light-absorbing metalloporphyrin because its S(1) fluorescence intensity can be used to monitor the initial rate of porphyrin triplet state production and because its S(2) fluorescence intensity can be used as a direct measure of the rate of porphyrin TTA. When perylene, which has a triplet energy lower than that of ZnTPP, is added as a signaling blue emitter (BE), the mechanism of photon upconversion involves triplet energy transfer from the porphyrin to the BE followed by TTA in the BE to form the fluorescent perylene S(1) state. The kinetics of this process have been characterized and are unremarkable. When coumarin 343 (C343), which has photophysical properties similar to those of perylene except that it has a much higher triplet energy than ZnTPP, is added as the signaling BE, emission from the ZnTPP S(2) state is quenched and fluorescence from the C343 grows in. Contrary to previous suggestions, the mechanism of photon upconversion in this system does not involve singlet energy transfer from the porphyrin S(2) state to the BE. Instead, ground-state C343 complexes with the ZnTPP triplet to form a triplet exciplex, which then undergoes TTA with a second ZnTPP triplet to give the fluorescent state of the BE in a three-center process.

Optical parametric amplification and oscillation assisted by low-frequency stimulated emission.

PubMed

Longhi, Stefano

2016-04-15

Optical parametric amplification and oscillation provide powerful tools for coherent light generation in spectral regions inaccessible to lasers. Parametric gain is based on a frequency down-conversion process and, thus, it cannot be realized for signal waves at a frequency ω3 higher than the frequency of the pump wave ω1. In this Letter, we suggest a route toward the realization of upconversion optical parametric amplification and oscillation, i.e., amplification of the signal wave by a coherent pump wave of lower frequency, assisted by stimulated emission of the auxiliary idler wave. When the signal field is resonated in an optical cavity, parametric oscillation is obtained. Design parameters for the observation of upconversion optical parametric oscillation at λ3=465 nm are given for a periodically poled lithium-niobate (PPLN) crystal doped with Nd(3+) ions.

Fabrication and characterization of biological tissue phantoms with embedded nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skaptsov, A. A.; Ustalkov, S. O.; Mohammed, A. H. M.; Savenko, O. A.; Novikova, A. S.; Kozlova, E. A.; Kochubey, V. I.

2017-11-01

Phantoms are imitations of biological tissue, which are used for modelling of the light propagation in biological tissues. Carrying out any biophysical experiments requires an indispensable constancy of the initial experiment conditions. The use of solid undegradable phantoms is the basis to obtain reliable reproducible experimental results. The fabrication of biological tissues phantoms containing high absorbance or fluorescence nanoparticles and corresponding to specific mechanical, optical properties is an actual task. This work describes development, fabrication and characterization of such solid tissue phantoms with embedded CdSe/ZnS quantum dots, gold and upconversion nanoparticles. Luminescence of samples with CdSe/ZnS quantum dots and upconversion nanoparticles were recorded. A sample of gold nanorods was analyzed using thermal gravimetric analysis. It can be concluded that the samples are well suited for experiments on laser thermolysis.

Light up-conversion from near-infrared to blue using a photoresponsive organic light-emitting device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chikamatsu, Masayuki; Ichino, Yoshiro; Takada, Noriyuki; Yoshida, Manabu; Kamata, Toshihide; Yase, Kiyoshi

2002-07-01

A photoresponsive organic light-emitting device combining blue-emitting organic electroluminescent (EL) diode with titanyl phthalocyanine as a near-infrared (IR) sensitive layer was fabricated. By irradiating near-IR light to the device, blue emission occurred in the lower drive voltage (between 5 and 12 V). The result indicates that the device acts as a light switch and/or an up-converter from near-IR light (1.6 eV) to blue (2.6 eV). The EL response times of rise and decay using a near-IR light trigger were 260 and 330 mus, respectively. At a higher voltage (above 12 V), enhancement of blue emission was observed with near-IR light irradiation. The ON/OFF ratio reached a maximum of 103.

Dye-Sensitized Core/Active Shell Upconversion Nanoparticles for Optogenetics and Bioimaging Applications

DOE PAGES

Wu, Xiang; Zhang, Yuanwei; Takle, Kendra; ...

2016-01-06

A near-infrared (NIR) dye-sensitized upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) can broaden the absorption range and boost upconversion efficiency of UCNPs. We achieved significantly enhanced upconversion luminescence in dye-sensitized core/active shell UCNPs via the doping of ytterbium ions (Yb 3+ ) in the UCNP shell, which bridged the energy transfer from the dye to the UCNP core. As a result, we synergized the two most practical upconversion booster effectors (dye-sensitizing and core/shell enhancement) to amplify upconversion efficiency. We also demonstrated two biomedical applications using these UCNPs. By using dye-sensitized core/active shell UCNP embedded poly(methyl methacrylate) polymer implantable systems, we successfully shifted the optogeneticmore » neuron excitation window to a biocompatible and deep tissue penetrable 800 nm wavelength. Furthermore, UCNPs were water-solubilized with Pluronic F127 with high upconversion efficiency and can be imaged in a mouse model.« less

Experimental demonstration of plasmon enhanced energy transfer rate in NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ upconversion nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Lu, Dawei; Mao, Chenchen; Cho, Suehyun K.; Ahn, Sungmo; Park, Wounjhang

2016-01-01

Energy transfer upconversion (ETU) is known to be the most efficient frequency upconversion mechanism. Surface plasmon can further enhance the upconversion process, opening doors to many applications. However, ETU is a complex process involving competing transitions between multiple energy levels and it has been difficult to precisely determine the enhancement mechanisms. In this paper, we report a systematic study on the dynamics of the ETU process in NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ nanoparticles deposited on plasmonic nanograting structure. From the transient near-infrared photoluminescence under various excitation power densities, we observed faster energy transfer rates under stronger excitation conditions until it reached saturation where the highest internal upconversion efficiency was achieved. The experimental data were analyzed using the complete set of rate equations. The internal upconversion efficiency was found to be 56% and 36%, respectively, with and without the plasmonic nanograting. We also analyzed the transient green emission and found that it is determined by the infrared transition rate. To our knowledge, this is the first report of experimentally measured internal upconversion efficiency in plasmon enhanced upconversion material. Our work decouples the internal upconversion efficiency from the overall upconverted luminescence efficiency, allowing more targeted engineering for efficiency improvement. PMID:26739230

Cubic sub-20 nm NaLuF(4)-based upconversion nanophosphors for high-contrast bioimaging in different animal species.

PubMed

Yang, Tianshe; Sun, Yun; Liu, Qian; Feng, Wei; Yang, Pengyuan; Li, Fuyou

2012-05-01

A new upconversion luminescence (UCL) nanophosphors based on host matrix of cubic NaLuF(4) with bright luminescence have been synthesized by a solvothermal method, facilitate the nanocrystals potential candidates for imaging in vivo, especially large-animals. The sub-20 nm NaLuF(4) co-doped Yb(3+) and Er(3+) (Tm(3+)) showed about 10-fold stronger UCL emission than that of corresponding hexagonal NaYF(4)-based nanocrystals with a 20 nm diameter. Near-infrared to near-infrared (NIR-to-NIR) UCL emission of PAA-coated NaLuF(4):20%Yb,1%Tm (PAA-Lu(Tm)) can penetrate >1.5 cm tissue of pork with high contrast. Based on super-strong UCL emission and deep penetration, PAA-Lu(Tm) as optical bioprobe has been demonstrated by in vivo UCL imaging of a normal black mouse, even rabbit with excellent signal-to-noise ratio. Furthermore, such cubic NaLuF(4)-based nanophosphor was applied in lymph node imaging of live Kunming mouse with rich white fur. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Up-conversion fluorescence: noncoherent excitation by sunlight.

PubMed

Baluschev, S; Miteva, T; Yakutkin, V; Nelles, G; Yasuda, A; Wegner, G

2006-10-06

We demonstrate up-conversion of noncoherent sunlight realized by ultralow excitation intensity. The bimolecular up-conversion process in our systems relies on the presence of a metastable triplet excited state, and thus has dramatically different photophysical characteristics relative to the other known methods for photon up-conversion (two-photon absorption, parametric processes, second harmonic generation, sequential multiphoton absorption, etc.).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumari, Astha, E-mail: asthaguru90@gmail.com; Rai, Vineet Kumar, E-mail: vineetkrrai@yahoo.co.in

Upconversion is an interesting optical property, generally shown by rare-earth doped materials. This unusual optical behavior shown by these rare-earths doped materials are due to their peculiar atomic configuration and electronic transitions. Here, the Tm{sup 3+}-Yb{sup 3+} codoped BaTiO{sub 3} glass with TeO{sub 2} as former has been prepared by conventional melt and quench technique and the upconversion property has been investigated with the help of near infrared (NIR) to Visible UC study. The generation of the visible UC bands around ∼ 476 nm, ∼ 653 nm, ∼ 702 nm and one NIR UC band at ∼795 nm are assignedmore » due to the {sup 1}G{sub 4}→ {sup 3}H{sub 6}, {sup 1}G{sub 4}→ {sup 3}F{sub 4}, {sup 3}F{sub 2}→ {sup 3}H{sub 6} and {sup 3}H{sub 4}→ {sup 3}H{sub 6} transitions respectively. The generations of these upconversion bands have been discussed in detail with the help of energy level diagram. The colour coordinates corresponding to the prepared material have been shown with the help of CIE chromaticity diagram. These glasses can be very appropriately used in the fabrication of solid state laser and as NIR to blue light upconverter.« less

Structural and optical properties of thermal decomposition assisted Gd2O3:Ho(3+)/Yb(3+) upconversion phosphor annealed at different temperatures.

PubMed

Kumar, A; Tiwari, S P; Kumar, K; Rai, V K

2016-10-05

The infrared to visible upconversion fluorescent nanoparticles of Ho(3+)/Yb(3+) codoped Gd2O3 phosphor is synthesized via thermal decomposition route. The as-synthesized sample was annealed at 800, 1000 and 1200°C for 3h and then structural and optical properties were studied. The Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction (XRD) data was analyzed to probe the effect of Ho(3+)/Yb(3+) dopant on the structural parameters of Gd2O3 host. The upconversion emission spectra of as-synthesized and annealed samples are compared using 980nm diode laser excitation and five emission bands noticed at 490, 539, 550, 667 and 757nm corresponding to the (5)F3→(5)I8, (5)F4→(5)I8, (5)S2→(5)I8,(5)F5→(5)I8 and (5)I4→(5)I8 manifolds, respectively. The local temperature induced by laser light is also calculated. The fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) of two thermally coupled transitions (5)F4→(5)I8 and (5)S2→(5)I8 is plotted against the sample temperature and sensor sensitivity of sample is calculated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monodisperse Dual-Functional Upconversion Nanoparticles Enabled Near-Infrared Organolead Halide Perovskite Solar Cells.

PubMed

He, Ming; Pang, Xinchang; Liu, Xueqin; Jiang, Beibei; He, Yanjie; Snaith, Henry; Lin, Zhiqun

2016-03-18

Extending the spectral absorption of organolead halide perovskite solar cells from visible into near-infrared (NIR) range renders the minimization of non-absorption loss of solar photons with improved energy alignment. Herein, we report on, for the first time, a viable strategy of capitalizing on judiciously synthesized monodisperse NaYF4 :Yb/Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) as the mesoporous electrode for CH3 NH3 PbI3 perovskite solar cells and more importantly confer perovskite solar cells to be operative under NIR light. Uniform NaYF4 :Yb/Er UCNPs are first crafted by employing rationally designed double hydrophilic star-like poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PAA-b-PEO) diblock copolymer as nanoreactor, imparting the solubility of UCNPs and the tunability of film porosity during the manufacturing process. The subsequent incorporation of NaYF4 :Yb/Er UCNPs as the mesoporous electrode led to a high efficiency of 17.8 %, which was further increased to 18.1 % upon NIR irradiation. The in situ integration of upconversion materials as functional components of perovskite solar cells offers the expanded flexibility for engineering the device architecture and broadening the solar spectral use. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Spectral evidence for multi-pathway contribution to the upconversion pathway in NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ phosphors.

PubMed

Cho, Youngho; Song, Si Won; Lim, Soo Yeong; Kim, Jae Hun; Park, Chan Ryang; Kim, Hyung Min

2017-03-08

Although upconversion phosphors have been widely used in nanomedicine, laser engineering, bioimaging, and solar cell technology, the upconversion luminescence mechanism of the phosphors has been fiercely debated. A comprehensive understanding of upconversion photophysics has been significantly impeded because the number of photons incorporated in the process in different competitive pathways could not be resolved. Few convincing results to estimate the contribution of each of the two-, three-, and four-photon channels of near-infrared (NIR) energy have been reported in yielding upconverted visible luminescence. In this study, we present the energy upconversion process occurring in NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ ,Er 3+ phosphors as a function of excitation frequency and power density. We investigated the upconversion mechanism of lanthanide phosphors by comparing UV/VIS one-photon excitation spectra and NIR multi-photon spectra. A detailed analysis of minor transitions in one-photon spectra and luminescence decay enables us to assign electronic origins of individual bands in multi-photon upconversion luminescence and provides characteristic transitions representing the corresponding upconversion channel. Furthermore, we estimated the quantitative contribution of multiple channels with respect to irradiation power and excitation energy.

Ln(3+)-doped nanoparticles for upconversion and magnetic resonance imaging: some critical notes on recent progress and some aspects to be considered.

PubMed

van Veggel, Frank C J M; Dong, Cunhai; Johnson, Noah J J; Pichaandi, Jothirmayanantham

2012-12-07

In this feature article we will critically discuss the synthesis and characterisation aspects of Ln(3+)-doped nanoparticles (NPs) that show upconversion, upon 980 nm excitation. Upconversion is a non-linear process that converts two or more low-energy photons, often near-infrared photons, into one of higher energy, e.g. blue and 800 nm from Tm(3+) and green and red from Er(3+) or Ho(3+). Nearly all researchers use the absorption of 980 nm light by Yb(3+) as the sensitiser for the co-doped emissive Ln(3+) ions. The focus will be on LnF(3) and MLnF(4) (M = alkali metal) as the host matrix, because most progress has been made with these. In particular we will argue that a detailed understanding of how the dopant ions and the host Ln(3+) ions are distributed (in the core) and how (doped) shell growth occurs is not well understood. Moreover, their use as optical and magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents will be discussed. We will argue that deep-tissue imaging beyond 600 μm with retention of optical resolution, i.e. to see fine structure such as blood capillaries in brain tissues, has not yet been achieved. Three key parameters have been identified as impediments: (i) the low absorption efficiency of the Yb(3+) sensitiser, (ii) the low quantum yield of upconversion, and (iii) the long-lived excited states. On the other hand, there are very encouraging results that suggest that these nanoparticles could be developed into very potent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents.

Ln3+-doped nanoparticles for upconversion and magnetic resonance imaging: some critical notes on recent progress and some aspects to be considered

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Veggel, Frank C. J. M.; Dong, Cunhai; Johnson, Noah J. J.; Pichaandi, Jothirmayanantham

2012-11-01

In this feature article we will critically discuss the synthesis and characterisation aspects of Ln3+-doped nanoparticles (NPs) that show upconversion, upon 980 nm excitation. Upconversion is a non-linear process that converts two or more low-energy photons, often near-infrared photons, into one of higher energy, e.g. blue and 800 nm from Tm3+ and green and red from Er3+ or Ho3+. Nearly all researchers use the absorption of 980 nm light by Yb3+ as the sensitiser for the co-doped emissive Ln3+ ions. The focus will be on LnF3 and MLnF4 (M = alkali metal) as the host matrix, because most progress has been made with these. In particular we will argue that a detailed understanding of how the dopant ions and the host Ln3+ ions are distributed (in the core) and how (doped) shell growth occurs is not well understood. Moreover, their use as optical and magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents will be discussed. We will argue that deep-tissue imaging beyond 600 μm with retention of optical resolution, i.e. to see fine structure such as blood capillaries in brain tissues, has not yet been achieved. Three key parameters have been identified as impediments: (i) the low absorption efficiency of the Yb3+ sensitiser, (ii) the low quantum yield of upconversion, and (iii) the long-lived excited states. On the other hand, there are very encouraging results that suggest that these nanoparticles could be developed into very potent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents.

Photoluminescence upconversion at GaAs /InGa P2 interfaces driven by a sequential two-photon absorption mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hylton, N. P.; Hinrichsen, T. F.; Vaquero-Stainer, A. R.; Yoshida, M.; Pusch, A.; Hopkinson, M.; Hess, O.; Phillips, C. C.; Ekins-Daukes, N. J.

2016-06-01

This paper reports on the results of an investigation into the nature of photoluminescence upconversion at GaAs /InGa P2 interfaces. Using a dual-beam excitation experiment, we demonstrate that the upconversion in our sample proceeds via a sequential two-photon optical absorption mechanism. Measurements of photoluminescence and upconversion photoluminescence revealed evidence of the spatial localization of carriers in the InGa P2 material, arising from partial ordering of the InGa P2 . We also observed the excitation of a two-dimensional electron gas at the GaAs /InGa P2 heterojunction that manifests as a high-energy shoulder in the GaAs photoluminescence spectrum. Furthermore, the results of upconversion photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy demonstrate that the photon energy onset of upconversion luminescence coincides with the energy of the two-dimensional electron gas at the GaAs /InGa P2 interface, suggesting that charge accumulation at the interface can play a crucial role in the upconversion process.

Nonlinear optical and multiphoton processes for in situ manipulation and conversion of photons: applications to energy and healthcare (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, Paras N.

2017-02-01

Chiral control of nonlinear optical functions holds a great promise for a wide range of applications including optical signal processing, bio-sensing and chiral bio-imaging. In chiral polyfluorene thin films, we demonstrated extremely large chiral nonlinearity. The physics of manipulating excitation dynamics for photon transformation will be discussed, along with nanochemistry control of upconversion in hierarchically built organic chromophore coupled-core-multiple shell nanostructures which enable introduce new, organic-inorganic energy transfer routes for broadband light harvesting and increased upconversion efficiency via multistep cascaded energy transfer. We are pursuing the applications of photon conversion technology in IR harvesting for photovoltaics, high contrast bioimaging, photoacoustic imaging, photodynamic therapy, and optogenetics. An important application is in Brain research and Neurophotonics for functional mapping and modulation of brain activities. Another new direction pursued is magnetic field control of light in in a chiral polymer nanocomposite to achieve large magneto-optic coefficient which can enable sensing of extremely weak magnetic field due to brain waves. Finally, we will consider the thought provoking concept of utilizing photons to quantify, through magneto-optics, and augment - through nanoptogenetics, the cognitive states, thus paving the path way to a quantified human paradigm.

Intense blue up-conversion luminescence in Tm 3+/Yb 3+ codoped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics containing β-PbF 2 nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Junjie; Duan, Zhongchao; He, Dongbing; Dai, Shixun; Zhang, Liyan; Hu, Lili

2005-12-01

Up-conversion luminescence properties of a Tm 3+/Yb 3+ codoped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics under 980 nm excitation are investigated. Intense blue emission centered at 476 nm, corresponding to 1G 4 → 3H 6 transitions of Tm 3+ was simultaneously observed in the transparent oxyfluoride glass ceramics at room temperature. The intensity of the blue up-conversion luminescence in a 1 mol% YbF 3-containing glass-ceramic was found to be about 40 times stronger than that in the precursor oxyfluoride glass. The reason for the intense Tm 3+ up-conversion luminescence in the oxyfluoride glass-ceramics is discussed. The dependence of up-conversion intensities on excitation power and possible up-conversion mechanism are also evaluated.

Intense blue up-conversion luminescence in Tm3+/Yb3+ codoped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics containing beta-PbF2 nanocrystals.

PubMed

Zhang, Junjie; Duan, Zhongchao; He, Dongbing; Dai, Shixun; Zhang, Liyan; Hu, Lili

2005-12-01

Up-conversion luminescence properties of a Tm3+/Yb3+ codoped oxyfluoride glass-ceramics under 980 nm excitation are investigated. Intense blue emission centered at 476 nm, corresponding to 1G4-->3H6 transitions of Tm3+ was simultaneously observed in the transparent oxyfluoride glass ceramics at room temperature. The intensity of the blue up-conversion luminescence in a 1 mol% YbF3-containing glass-ceramic was found to be about 40 times stronger than that in the precursor oxyfluoride glass. The reason for the intense Tm3+ up-conversion luminescence in the oxyfluoride glass-ceramics is discussed. The dependence of up-conversion intensities on excitation power and possible up-conversion mechanism are also evaluated.

Synthesis and application of nanohybrids based on upconverting nanoparticles and polymers.

PubMed

Cheng, Ziyong; Lin, Jun

2015-05-01

Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have been an emerging and exciting research field in recent years due to their unique luminescent properties of converting near-infrared light to shorter wavelength radiation. UCNPs offer excellent prospects in luminescent labeling, displays, bioimaging, bioassays, drug delivery, sensors, and anticounterfeiting applications. Along with the abundant studies and rapid progress in this area, UCNPs are promising to be a new class of luminescent probe owing to their special advantages over the conventional organic dyes and quantum dots. Among them, polymers play an important role to improve properties or endow new function of UCNPs such as for matrix materials, water solubility, linking active targeting molecules, biocompatibility, and stimuli-responsive behavior. This article briefly reviews the compositions, optical mechanisms, architectures of upconversion nanocrystals and highlights the works on various functional UCNPs/polymer nanohybrids as well as many new interesting fruits in applications. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Phosphorus and Cu2+ removal by periphytic biofilm stimulated by upconversion phosphors doped with Pr3+-Li.

PubMed

Zhu, Yan; Zhang, Jianhong; Zhu, Ningyuan; Tang, Jun; Liu, Junzhuo; Sun, Pengfei; Wu, Yonghong; Wong, Po Keung

2018-01-01

Upconversion phosphors (UCPs) can convert visible light into luminescence, such as UV, which can regulate the growth of microbes. Based on these fundamentals, the community composition of periphytic biofilms stimulated by UCPs doped with Pr 3+ -Li + was proposed to augment the removal of phosphorus (P) and copper (Cu). Results showed that the biofilms with community composition optimized by UCPs doped with Pr 3+ -Li + had high P and Cu 2+ removal rates. This was partly due to overall bacterial and algal abundance and biomass increases. The synergistic actions of algal, bacterial biomass and carbon metabolic capacity in the Pr-Li stimulated biofilms facilitated the removal of P and Cu 2+ . The results show that the stimulation of periphytic biofilms by lanthanide-doped UCPs is a promising approach for augmenting P and Cu 2+ removal. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancement of 800 nm upconversion emission in a thulium doped tellurite microstructured fiber pumped by a 1560 nm femtosecond fiber laser

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jia, Zhixu; Zheng, Kezhi; State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, College of Electronic Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130012

We report enhanced upconversion (UC) fluorescence in Tm{sup 3+} doped tellurite microstructured fibers (TDTMFs) fabricated by using a rod-in-tube method. Under the pumping of a 1560 nm femtosecond fiber laser, ultrabroadband supercontinuum light expanding from ∼1050 to ∼2700 nm was generated in a 4 cm long TDTMF. Simultaneously, intense 800 nm UC emission from the {sup 3}H{sub 4} → {sup 3}H{sub 6} transition of Tm{sup 3+} was observed in the same TDTMF. Compared to that pumped by a 1560 nm continuous wave fiber laser, the UC emission intensity was enhanced by ∼4.1 times. The enhancement was due to the spectral broadening in the TDTMF under themore » pumping of the 1560 nm femtosecond fiber laser.« less

Quantum frequency up-conversion of continuous variable entangled states

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Wenyuan; Wang, Ning; Li, Zongyang

We demonstrate experimentally quantum frequency up-conversion of a continuous variable entangled optical field via sum-frequency-generation process. The two-color entangled state initially entangled at 806 and 1518 nm with an amplitude quadrature difference squeezing of 3.2 dB and phase quadrature sum squeezing of 3.1 dB is converted to a new entangled state at 530 and 1518 nm with the amplitude quadrature difference squeezing of 1.7 dB and phase quadrature sum squeezing of 1.8 dB. Our implementation enables the observation of entanglement between two light fields spanning approximately 1.5 octaves in optical frequency. The presented scheme is robust to the excess amplitude and phase noises of the pumpmore » field, making it a practical building block for quantum information processing and communication networks.« less

Hydrothermal synthesis infrared to visible upconversion luminescence of SrMoO4: Er3+/Yb3+ phosphor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Shriya; Kumar, Kaushal

2018-04-01

The upconversion emission properties in Er3+/Yb3+ doped SrMoO4 phosphor synthesized via hydrothermal method is investigated upon 980 nm laser light excitation. The crystal structure and morphology of the synthesized phosphor are characterized by X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The X-ray diffraction pattern suggests that SrMoO4 phosphor has tetragonal phase structure. The phosphor emits strong green (525 and 552 nm) and red (665 nm) UC emissions along with weak blue (410 and 488 nm) and near infrared (798 nm) emission bands. The color emitted from the phosphor is shifted from yellow to green region with increasing the power density from 15 to 65 W/cm2. The result indicates that the present material is suitable for making infrared to visible up-converts and display devices.

Multichannel spectral mode of the ALOHA up-conversion interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehmann, L.; Darré, P.; Boulogne, H.; Delage, L.; Grossard, L.; Reynaud, F.

2018-06-01

In this paper, we propose a multichannel spectral configuration of the Astronomical Light Optical Hybrid Analysis (ALOHA) instrument dedicated to high-resolution imaging. A frequency conversion process is implemented in each arm of an interferometer to transfer the astronomical light to a shorter wavelength domain. Exploiting the spectral selectivity of this non-linear optical process, we propose to use a set of independent pump lasers in order to simultaneously study multiple spectral channels. This principle is experimentally demonstrated with a dual-channel configuration as a proof-of-principle.

Long-lived room temperature deep-red/near-IR emissive intraligand triplet excited state (3IL) of naphthalimide in cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes and its application in upconversion.

PubMed

Wu, Wenting; Guo, Huimin; Wu, Wanhua; Ji, Shaomin; Zhao, Jianzhang

2011-11-21

[C(^)NPt(acac)] (C(^)N = cyclometalating ligand; acac = acetylacetonato) complexes in which the naphthalimide (NI) moiety is directly cyclometalated (NI as the C donor of the C-Pt bond) were synthesized. With 4-pyrazolylnaphthalimide, isomers with five-membered (Pt-2) and six-membered (Pt-3) chelate rings were obtained. With 4-pyridinylnaphthalimide, only the complex with a five-membered chelate ring (Pt-4) was isolated. A model complex with 1-phenylpyrazole as the C(^)N ligand was prepared (Pt-1). Strong absorption of visible light (ε = 21,900 M(-1) cm(-1) at 443 nm for Pt-3) and room temperature (RT) phosphorescence at 630 nm (Pt-2 and Pt-3) or 674 nm (Pt-4) were observed. Long-lived phosphorescences were observed for Pt-2 (τ(P) = 12.8 μs) and Pt-3 (τ(P) = 61.9 μs). Pt-1 is nonphosphorescent at RT in solution because of the acac-localized T(1) excited state [based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations and spin density analysis], but a structured emission band centered at 415 nm was observed at 77 K. Time-resolved transient absorption spectra and spin density analysis indicated a NI-localized intraligand triplet excited state ((3)IL) for complexes Pt-2, Pt-3, and Pt-4. DFT calculations on the transient absorption spectra (T(1) → T(n) transitions, n > 1) also support the (3)IL assignment of the T(1) excited states of Pt-2, Pt-3, and Pt-4. The complexes were used as triplet sensitizers for triplet-triplet-annihilation (TTA) based upconversion, and the results show that Pt-3 is an efficient sensitizer with an upconversion quantum yield of up to 14.1%, despite its low phosphorescence quantum yield of 5.2%. Thus, we propose that the sensitizer molecules at the triplet excited state that are otherwise nonphosphorescent were involved in the TTA upconversion process, indicating that weakly phosphorescent or nonphosphorescent transition-metal complexes can be used as triplet sensitizers for TTA upconversion.

Upconversion microparticles as time-resolved luminescent probes for multiphoton microscopy: desired signal extraction from the streaking effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pominova, Daria V.; Ryabova, Anastasia V.; Grachev, Pavel V.; Romanishkin, Igor D.; Kuznetsov, Sergei V.; Rozhnova, Julia A.; Yasyrkina, Daria S.; Fedorov, Pavel P.; Loschenov, Victor B.

2016-09-01

The great interest in upconversion nanoparticles exists due to their high efficiency under multiphoton excitation. However, when these particles are used in scanning microscopy, the upconversion luminescence causes a streaking effect due to the long lifetime. This article describes a method of upconversion microparticle luminescence lifetime determination with help of modified Lucy-Richardson deconvolution of laser scanning microscope (LSM) image obtained under near-IR excitation using nondescanned detectors. Determination of the upconversion luminescence intensity and the decay time of separate microparticles was done by intensity profile along the image fast scan axis approximation. We studied upconversion submicroparticles based on fluoride hosts doped with Yb3+-Er3+ and Yb3+-Tm3+ rare earth ion pairs, and the characteristic decay times were 0.1 to 1.5 ms. We also compared the results of LSM measurements with the photon counting method results; the spread of values was about 13% and was associated with the approximation error. Data obtained from live cells showed the possibility of distinguishing the position of upconversion submicroparticles inside and outside the cells by the difference of their lifetime. The proposed technique allows using the upconversion microparticles without shells as probes for the presence of OH- ions and CO2 molecules.

In-situ second harmonic generation by cancer cell targeting ZnO nanocrystals to effect photodynamic action in subcellular space.

PubMed

Gu, Bobo; Pliss, Artem; Kuzmin, Andrey N; Baev, Alexander; Ohulchanskyy, Tymish Y; Damasco, Jossana A; Yong, Ken-Tye; Wen, Shuangchun; Prasad, Paras N

2016-10-01

This paper introduces the concept of in-situ upconversion of deep penetrating near infrared light via second harmonic generation from ZnO nanocrystals delivered into cells to effect photo activated therapies, such as photodynamic therapy, which usually require activation by visible light with limited penetration through biological tissues. We demonstrated this concept by subcellular activation of a photodynamic therapy drug, Chlorin e6, excited within its strong absorption Soret band by the second harmonic (SH) light, generated at 409 nm by ZnO nanocrystals, which were targeted to cancer cells and internalized through the folate-receptor mediated endocytosis. By a combination of theoretical modeling and experimental measurements, we show that SH light, generated in-situ by ZnO nanocrystals significantly contributes to activation of photosensitizer, leading to cell death through both apoptotic and necrotic pathways initiated in the cytoplasm. This targeted photodynamic action was studied using label-free Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering imaging of the treated cells to monitor changes in the distribution of native cellular proteins and lipids. We found that initiation of photodynamic therapy with upconverted light led to global reduction in the intracellular concentration of macromolecules, likely due to suppression of proteins and lipids synthesis, which could be considered as a real-time indicator of cellular damage from photodynamic treatment. In prospective applications this in-situ photon upconversion could be further extended using ZnO nanocrystals surface functionalized with a specific organelle targeting group, provided a powerful approach to identify and consequently maximize a cellular response to phototherapy, selectively initiated in a specific cellular organelle. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Broadband sensitized photon up-conversion at subsolar irradiance (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedrini, Jacopo; Monguzzi, Angelo; Meinardi, Francesco

2016-09-01

A crucial limit of solar devices is their inability to harvest the full solar spectrum. Currently, sensitized up-conversion based on triplet-tripled annihilation (STTA-UC) in bi-component organic systems is the most promising technique to recover sub-bandgap photons, showing good efficiencies also at excitation intensities comparable to the solar irradiance. In STTA-UC, high-energy light is generated through annihilation of metastable triplet states of molecules acting as emitters, which are populated via resonant energy transfer from a light-harvesting sensitizer. However, suitable sensitizers show narrow absorption bands, limiting the fraction of recoverable photons, therefore preventing the application of STTA-UC to real-world devices. Here we demonstrate how to overcome the described limit by using multiple sensitizers that work cooperatively to broaden the overall system absorption band. This is obtained using an additional sensitizer that transfers the extra harvested energy to the main one (sensitization of the sensitizer), or a set of properly designed complementary absorbing sensitizers all able to excite simultaneously the same emitter (multi-sensitizers). In both cases STTA-UC performances result strongly enhanced compared to the corresponding mono-sensitizer system, increasing the up-converted light intensity generated at AM 1.5 up to two times. Remarkably, by coupling our light converters to a DSSC we prove its operation by exploiting exclusively sub-bandgap photons. A detailed modeling of the photophysical processes involved in these complex systems allows us to draw the guidelines for the design of the next generation STTA-UC materials, encouraging their application to photovoltaic technologies.

An Nd3+-sensitized upconversion nanophosphor modified with a cyanine dye for the ratiometric upconversion luminescence bioimaging of hypochlorite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Xianmei; Liu, Yi; Zhu, Xingjun; Chen, Min; Yao, Liming; Feng, Wei; Li, Fuyou

2015-02-01

Excessive or misplaced production of ClO- in living systems is usually associated with many human diseases. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop an effective and sensitive method to detect ClO- in living systems. Herein, we designed an 808 nm excited upconversion luminescence nanosystem, composed of the Nd3+-sensitized core-shell upconversion nanophosphor NaYF4:30%Yb,1%Nd,0.5%Er@NaYF4:20%Nd, which serves as an energy donor, and the ClO--responsive cyanine dye hCy3, which acts as an energy acceptor, for ratiometric upconversion luminescence (UCL) monitoring of ClO-. The detection limit of ClO- for this nanoprobe in aqueous solution is 27 ppb and the nanoprobe was successfully used to detect the ClO- in the living cells by ratiometric upconversion luminescence. Importantly, the nanoprobe realized the detection of ClO- in a mouse model of arthritis, which produced an excess of ROS, under 808 nm irradiation in vivo. The excitation laser efficiently reduced the heating effect, compared to the commonly used 980 nm laser for upconversion systems.Excessive or misplaced production of ClO- in living systems is usually associated with many human diseases. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop an effective and sensitive method to detect ClO- in living systems. Herein, we designed an 808 nm excited upconversion luminescence nanosystem, composed of the Nd3+-sensitized core-shell upconversion nanophosphor NaYF4:30%Yb,1%Nd,0.5%Er@NaYF4:20%Nd, which serves as an energy donor, and the ClO--responsive cyanine dye hCy3, which acts as an energy acceptor, for ratiometric upconversion luminescence (UCL) monitoring of ClO-. The detection limit of ClO- for this nanoprobe in aqueous solution is 27 ppb and the nanoprobe was successfully used to detect the ClO- in the living cells by ratiometric upconversion luminescence. Importantly, the nanoprobe realized the detection of ClO- in a mouse model of arthritis, which produced an excess of ROS, under 808 nm irradiation in vivo. The excitation laser efficiently reduced the heating effect, compared to the commonly used 980 nm laser for upconversion systems. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr06407k

NIR-triggered high-efficient photodynamic and chemo-cascade therapy using caspase-3 responsive functionalized upconversion nanoparticles.

PubMed

Zhao, Na; Wu, Baoyan; Hu, Xianglong; Xing, Da

2017-10-01

Stimuli-responsive nanoparticles with multiple therapeutic/diagnostic functions are highly desirable for effective tumor treatment. Herein novel caspase-3 responsive functionalized upconversion nanoparticles (CFUNs) were fabricated with three-in-one functional integration: near-infrared (NIR) triggered photodynamic damage along with caspase-3 activation, subsequent caspase-3 responsive drug release, and cascade chemotherapeutic activation. CFUNs were formulated from the self-assembly of caspase-3 responsive doxorubicin (DOX) prodrug tethered with DEVD peptide (DEVD-DOX), upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP), a photosensitizer (pyropheophorbide-a methyl ester, MPPa), and tumor-targeting cRGD-PEG-DSPE to afford multifunctional CFUNs, MPPa/UCNP-DEVD-DOX/cRGD. Upon cellular uptake and NIR irradiation, the visible light emission of UCNP could excite MPPa to produce reactive oxygen species for photodynamic therapy (PDT) along with the activation of caspase-3, which further cleaved DEVD peptide to release DOX within tumor cells, thus accomplishing NIR-triggered PDT and cascade chemotherapy. CFUNs presented silent therapeutic potency and negligible cytotoxicity in the dark, whereas in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated the NIR-triggered cascade therapeutic activation and tumor inhibition due to consecutive PDT and chemotherapy. Current NIR-activated cascade tumor therapy with two distinct mechanisms is significantly favorable to overcome multidrug resistance and tumor heterogeneity for persistent tumor treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multifunctional Optical Sensors for Nanomanometry and Nanothermometry: High-Pressure and High-Temperature Upconversion Luminescence of Lanthanide-Doped Phosphates-LaPO4/YPO4:Yb3+-Tm3.

PubMed

Runowski, Marcin; Shyichuk, Andrii; Tymiński, Artur; Grzyb, Tomasz; Lavín, Víctor; Lis, Stefan

2018-05-23

Upconversion luminescence of nano-sized Yb 3+ and Tm 3+ codoped rare earth phosphates, that is, LaPO 4 and YPO 4 , has been investigated under high-pressure (HP, up to ∼25 GPa) and high-temperature (293-773 K) conditions. The pressure-dependent luminescence properties of the nanocrystals, that is, energy red shift of the band centroids, changes of the band ratios, shortening of upconversion lifetimes, and so forth, make the studied nanomaterials suitable for optical pressure sensing in nanomanometry. Furthermore, thanks to the large energy difference (∼1800 cm -1 ), the thermalized states of Tm 3+ ions are spectrally well-separated, providing high-temperature resolution, required in optical nanothermometry. The temperature of the system containing such active nanomaterials can be determined on the basis of the thermally induced changes of the Tm 3+ band ratio ( 3 F 2,3 → 3 H 6 / 3 H 4 → 3 H 6 ), observed in the emission spectra. The advantage of such upconverting optical sensors is the use of near-infrared light, which is highly penetrable for many materials. The investigated nanomanometers/nanothermometers have been successfully applied, as a proof-of-concept of a novel bimodal optical gauge, for the determination of the temperature of the heated system (473 K), which was simultaneously compressed under HP (1.5 and 5 GPa).

Formation Mechanism, Structural, and Upconversion Properties of Alkaline Rare-Earth Fluoride Nanocrystals Doped With Yb3+/Er3+ Ions.

PubMed

Grzyb, Tomasz; Przybylska, Dominika

2018-06-04

Ultrasmall (9-30 nm) Yb 3+ /Er 3+ -doped, upconverting alkaline rare-earth fluorides that are promising for future applications were synthesized by the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The formation mechanism was proposed, indicating the influence of the stability of metal ions complexes with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid on the composition of the product and tendency to form M 2 REF 7 (M 0.67 RE 0.33 F 2.33 ) cubic compounds in the M-RE-F systems. Their physicochemical properties (structure, morphology, and spectroscopic properties) are compared and discussed. The obtained nanoparticles exhibited emission of light in the visible spectra under excitation by 976 nm laser radiation. Excitation and emission spectra, luminescence decays, laser energy dependencies, and upconversion quantum yields were measured to determine the spectroscopic properties of prepared materials. The Yb 3+ /Er 3+ pair of ions used as dopants was responsible for an intense yellowish-green emission. The upconversion quantum yields determined for the first time for M 2 REF 7 -based materials were 0.0192 ± 0.001% and 0.0176 ± 0.001% for Sr 2 LuF 7 :Yb 3+ ,Er 3+ and Ba 2 LuF 7 :Yb 3+ ,Er 3+ respectively, the two best emitting samples. These results indicated the prepared materials are good and promising alternatives for the most studied NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ ,Er 3+ nanoparticles.

Defect-mediated photoluminescence up-conversion in cadmium sulfide nanobelts (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morozov, Yurii; Kuno, Masaru K.

2017-02-01

The concept of optical cooling of solids has existed for nearly 90 years ever since Pringsheim proposed a way to cool solids through the annihilation of phonons via phonon-assisted photoluminescence (PL) up-conversion. In this process, energy is removed from the solid by the emission of photons with energies larger than those of incident photons. However, actually realizing optical cooling requires exacting parameters from the condensed phase medium such as near unity external quantum efficiencies as well as existence of a low background absorption. Until recently, laser cooling has only been successfully realized in rare earth doped solids. In semiconductors, optical cooling has very recently been demonstrated in cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanobelts as well as in hybrid lead halide perovskites. For the former, large internal quantum efficiencies, sub-wavelength thicknesses, which decrease light trapping, and low background absorption, all make near unity external quantum yields possible. Net cooling by as much as 40 K has therefore been possible with CdS nanobelts. In this study, we describe a detailed investigation of the nature of efficient anti-Stokes photoluminescence (ASPL) in CdS nanobelts. Temperature-dependent PL up-conversion and optical absorption studies on individual NBs together with frequency-dependent up-converted PL intensity spectroscopies suggest that ASPL in CdS nanobelts is defect-mediated through involvement of defect levels below the band gap.

Ultrasensitive Detection of Ebola Virus Oligonucleotide Based on Upconversion Nanoprobe/Nanoporous Membrane System.

PubMed

Tsang, Ming-Kiu; Ye, WeiWei; Wang, Guojing; Li, Jingming; Yang, Mo; Hao, Jianhua

2016-01-26

Ebola outbreaks are currently of great concern, and therefore, development of effective diagnosis methods is urgently needed. The key for lethal virus detection is high sensitivity, since early-stage detection of virus may increase the probability of survival. Here, we propose a luminescence scheme of assay consisting of BaGdF5:Yb/Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) conjugated with oligonucleotide probe and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) linked with target Ebola virus oligonucleotide. As a proof of concept, a homogeneous assay was fabricated and tested, yielding a detection limit at picomolar level. The luminescence resonance energy transfer is ascribed to the spectral overlapping of upconversion luminescence and the absorption characteristics of AuNPs. Moreover, we anchored the UCNPs and AuNPs on a nanoporous alumina (NAAO) membrane to form a heterogeneous assay. Importantly, the detection limit was greatly improved, exhibiting a remarkable value at the femtomolar level. The enhancement is attributed to the increased light-matter interaction throughout the nanopore walls of the NAAO membrane. The specificity test suggested that the nanoprobes were specific to Ebola virus oligonucleotides. The strategy combining UCNPs, AuNPs, and NAAO membrane provides new insight into low-cost, rapid, and ultrasensitive detection of different diseases. Furthermore, we explored the feasibility of clinical application by using inactivated Ebola virus samples. The detection results showed great potential of our heterogeneous design for practical application.

Infrared Signal Detection by Upconversion Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Teh-Hwa; Yu, Jirong; Bai, Yingxin; Johnson, William E.

2014-01-01

We demonstrated up-conversion assisted detection of a 2.05-micron signal by using a bulk periodically poled Lithium niobate crystal. The 94% intrinsic up-conversion efficiency and 22.58% overall detection efficiency at pW level of 2.05-micron was achieved.

Understanding the infrared to visible upconversion luminescence properties of Er{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+} co-doped BaMoO{sub 4} nanocrystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adhikari, Rajesh; Choi, Jinhyuk; Narro-García, R.

2014-08-15

In this paper we report the infrared to visible upconversion luminescence properties of Er{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+} co-doped BaMoO{sub 4} nanocrystals synthesized via microwave assisted sol–gel processing route. Structural, morphological and upconversion luminescence properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS) and Upconversion Photoluminescence spectra analysis. Results revealed that the oval shaped BaMoO{sub 4} nanocrystals ranging in size from 40 to 60 nm having tetragonal scheelite crystal structure were obtained by sol–gel route. The infrared to visible upconversion luminescence has been investigated in Er{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+} co-doped in BaMoO{sub 4}with different Yb{supmore » 3+} concentrations. Intense green upconversion emissions around 528, 550 nm, and red emission at 657 nm corresponding to the {sup 2}H{sub 11/2}, {sup 4}S{sub 3/2}, and {sup 4}F{sub 9/2} transitions, respectively to the {sup 4}I{sub 15/2} ground state were observed when excited by CW laser radiation at 980 nm. The green emissions were greatly enhanced after the addition of sensitizer (Yb{sup 3+} ions). The effect of Yb{sup 3+} on the upconversion luminescence intensity was analyzed and explained in terms of the energy transfer process based. The reported work establishes the understanding of molybdates as an alternative host material for upconversion luminescence. - Graphical abstract: Infrared to visible upconversion luminescence of Er{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+} co-doped BaMoO{sub 4} nanocrystals. - Highlights: • Nanocrystals were synthesized by microwave assisted sol–gel processing route. • Strong green emissions were observed in Er{sup 3+}/Yb{sup 3+} co-doped BaMoO{sub 4} nanocrystals. • Provides an insight on Upconversion luminescence properties of oxides host materials.« less

Spatial height directed microfluidic synthesis of transparent inorganic upconversion nano film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaoxia; Zhu, Cheng; Liao, Wei; Jin, Junyang; Ni, Yaru; Lu, Chunhua; Xu, Zhongzi

2017-11-01

A microfluidic-based synthesis of an inorganic upconversion nano film has been developed with a large area of dense-distributed NaYF4 crystal grains in a silica glass micro-reactor and the film exhibits high transparence, strong upconversion luminescence and robust adhesion with the substrate. The spatial heights of micro-reactors are tuned between 31 and 227 mm, which can regulate flow regimes. The synergistic effect of spatial height and fluid regime is put forward, which influences diffusion paths and assembly ways of different precursor molecules and consequently directs final distributions and morphologies of crystal grains, as well as optical properties due to diversity of surface and thickness of films. The spatial height of 110 mm is advantageous for high transmittance of upconversion film due to the flat surface and appropriate film thickness of 67 nm. The height of 150 mm is in favor of uniform distribution of upconversion fluorescence and achieving the strongest fluorescence due to minimized optical loss. Such a transparent upconversion film with a large area of uniform distribution is promising to promote the application of upconversion materials and spatial height directed microfluidic regime have a certain significance on many microfluidic synthesis.

An upconverted photonic nonvolatile memory.

PubMed

Zhou, Ye; Han, Su-Ting; Chen, Xian; Wang, Feng; Tang, Yong-Bing; Roy, V A L

2014-08-21

Conventional flash memory devices are voltage driven and found to be unsafe for confidential data storage. To ensure the security of the stored data, there is a strong demand for developing novel nonvolatile memory technology for data encryption. Here we show a photonic flash memory device, based on upconversion nanocrystals, which is light driven with a particular narrow width of wavelength in addition to voltage bias. With the help of near-infrared light, we successfully manipulate the multilevel data storage of the flash memory device. These upconverted photonic flash memory devices exhibit high ON/OFF ratio, long retention time and excellent rewritable characteristics.

Up-conversion luminescence of Er3+ ions in lead-free germanate glasses under 800 nm and 980 nm cw diode laser excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janek, J.; Lisiecki, R.; Ryba-Romanowski, W.; Pisarska, J.; Pisarski, W. A.

2017-12-01

Up-conversion luminescence spectra of Er3+ ions in multicomponent oxyfluoride glasses GeO2 - BaO - BaF2 - Ga2O3 - Er2O3 were examined. It was found that the up-conversion luminescence spectra of Er3+ are dependent on pumping wavelengths. The spectra recorded upon the excitation at 800 nm contained an intense green up-conversion luminescence corresponding to the 2H11/2,4S3/2 → 4I15/2 transitions and a very weak red luminescence related to the 4F9/2 - 4I15/2 transition. In spectra recorded upon 980 nm excitation the contribution of the red luminescence was markedly higher. The interaction mechanisms involved in up-conversion processes are proposed and observed dependence of intensity of up-converted luminescence on excitation power is discussed. The experimental results suggest that Er3+ singly doped lead-free oxyfluoride germanate glass is useful for up-conversion luminescence applications.

In vivo Biocompatibility, Biodistribution and Therapeutic Efficiency of Titania Coated Upconversion Nanoparticles for Photodynamic Therapy of Solid Oral Cancers

PubMed Central

Lucky, Sasidharan Swarnalatha; Idris, Niagara Muhammad; Huang, Kai; Kim, Jaejung; Li, Zhengquan; Thong, Patricia Soo Ping; Xu, Rong; Soo, Khee Chee; Zhang, Yong

2016-01-01

Despite the advantages of using photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of head and neck tumors, it can only be used to treat early stage flat lesions due to the limited tissue penetration ability of the visible light. Here, we developed near-infrared (NIR) excitable upconversion nanoparticle (UCN) based PDT agent that can specifically target epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpressing oral cancer cells, in a bid to widen the application of PDT against thick and solid advanced or recurrent head and neck cancers. In vivo studies using the synthesized anti-EGFR-PEG-TiO2-UCNs following systemic administration displayed no major sub-acute or long term toxic effects in terms of blood biochemical, hematological or histopathological changes at a concentration of 50 mg/kg. NIR-PDT even in the presence of a 10 mm tissue phantom placed over the xenograft tumor, showed significant delay in tumor growth and improved survival rate compared to conventional chlorin-e6 (Ce6) PDT using 665 nm red light. Our work, one of the longest study till date in terms of safety (120 d), PDT efficacy (35 d) and survival (60 d), demonstrates the usefulness of UCN based PDT technology for targeted treatment of thick and bulky head and neck tumors. PMID:27570555

Structural and light up-conversion luminescence properties of Er3+-Yb3+-W6+ substituted Bi4Ti3O12

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bokolia, Renuka; Rai, Vineet K.; Chauhan, Lalita; Sreenivas, K.

2016-05-01

The structural and light up-conversion (UC) luminescence properties of W6+ substituted Bi3.79Er0.03Yb0.18Ti3-xWxO12 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.10) ceramics prepared by solid state reaction method have been investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirms the formation of single phase material with orthorhombic structure. A decrease in the lattice parameters and unit cell volume is observed with increasing W content. Strong UC luminescence at 527, 548 and 662 nm is seen under an excitation of 980 nm for an optimum W content (x = 0.06) and is attributed to the transitions 2H11/2 →4I15/2, 4S3/2 →4I15/2 and 4F9/2 →4I15/2 respectively. The improved UC luminescence is ascribed to the reduced defects such as oxygen vacancies and change in the crystal field around Er3+ ions due to B-site (Ti4+) substitution with W6+ ions. Enhanced UC emission is observed for an optimum content of w6+ in the prepared composition Bi3.79Er0.03Yb0.18Ti3-xWxO12 for x = 0.06.

Core - shell upconversion nanoparticle - semiconductor heterostructures for photodynamic therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dou, Qing Qing; Rengaramchandran, Adith; Selvan, Subramanian Tamil; Paulmurugan, Ramasamy; Zhang, Yong

2015-02-01

Core-shell nanoparticles (CSNPs) with diverse chemical compositions have been attracting greater attention in recent years. However, it has been a challenge to develop CSNPs with different crystal structures due to the lattice mismatch of the nanocrystals. Here we report a rational design of core-shell heterostructure consisting of NaYF4:Yb,Tm upconversion nanoparticle (UCN) as the core and ZnO semiconductor as the shell for potential application in photodynamic therapy (PDT). The core-shell architecture (confirmed by TEM and STEM) enables for improving the loading efficiency of photosensitizer (ZnO) as the semiconductor is directly coated on the UCN core. Importantly, UCN acts as a transducer to sensitize ZnO and trigger the generation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) to induce cancer cell death. We also present a firefly luciferase (FLuc) reporter gene based molecular biosensor (ARE-FLuc) to measure the antioxidant signaling response activated in cells during the release of ROS in response to the exposure of CSNPs under 980 nm NIR light. The breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and 4T1) exposed to CSNPs showed significant release of ROS as measured by aminophenyl fluorescein (APF) and ARE-FLuc luciferase assays, and ~45% cancer cell death as measured by MTT assay, when illuminated with 980 nm NIR light.

Interactions of DNA coated upconversion nanoparticles with 2D materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giust, Davide; Lucío, María. Isabel; Muskens, Otto L.; Kanaras, Antonios G.

2018-02-01

In this work we investigated the nature of quenching between different types of 2D materials (WS2, MoS2 and graphene oxide) and oligonucleotide coated-upconversion nanoparticles. This study contributes towards the efficient design of biosensors based on 2D materials and DNA-coated upconversion nanoparticles.

Controlling upconversion nanocrystals for emerging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Bo; Shi, Bingyang; Jin, Dayong; Liu, Xiaogang

2015-11-01

Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanocrystals enable anti-Stokes emission with pump intensities several orders of magnitude lower than required by conventional nonlinear optical techniques. Their exceptional properties, namely large anti-Stokes shifts, sharp emission spectra and long excited-state lifetimes, have led to a diversity of applications. Here, we review upconversion nanocrystals from the perspective of fundamental concepts and examine the technical challenges in relation to emission colour tuning and luminescence enhancement. In particular, we highlight the advances in functionalization strategies that enable the broad utility of upconversion nanocrystals for multimodal imaging, cancer therapy, volumetric displays and photonics.

High efficiency upconversion nanophosphors for high-contrast bioimaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alkahtani, Masfer H.; Alghannam, Fahad S.; Sanchez, Carlos; Gomes, Carmen L.; Liang, Hong; Hemmer, Philip R.

2016-12-01

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are of interest because they allow suppression of tissue autofluorescence and are therefore visible deep inside biological tissue. Compared to upconversion dyes, UCNPs have a lower pump intensity threshold, better photostability, and less toxicity. Recently, YVO4: Er+3, Yb+3 nanoparticles were shown to exhibit strong up-conversion luminescence with a relatively low 10 kW cm-2 excitation intensity even in water, which makes them excellent bio-imaging candidates. Herein, we investigate their use as internal probes in insects by injecting YVO4 : Er+3, Yb+3 nanoparticles into fire ants as a biological model, and obtain 2D optical images with 980 nm illumination. High-contrast images with high signal-to-noise ratio are observed by detecting the up-conversion fluorescence as the excitation laser is scanned.

Laser-diode-excited blue upconversion in Tm3+/Yb3+ -codoped TeO2-Ga2O3-R2O (R=Li, Na, K) glasses.

PubMed

Zhao, Chun; Zhang, Qinyuan; Yang, Gangfeng; Jiang, Zhonghong

2008-01-01

This paper reports on intense blue upconversion in Tm(3+)/Yb(3+) codoped TeO(2)-Ga(2)O(3)-R(2)O(R=Li, Na, K) glasses upon excitation with commercial available laser diode (LD). Effects of alkali ions on the Raman spectra, thermal stability and spectroscopic properties of the tellurite-gallium glasses have also been investigated. Energy transfer and the involved upconversion mechanisms have been discussed. Intense blue upconversion emission centered at 476 nm along with a weak red emission at 650 nm has been observed upon excitation of 977 nm LD, assigned to the transitions of 1G4-->3H6, and 1G4-->3H4 and/or 3F(2,3)-->3H6 of Tm(3+), respectively. The blue upconversion intensity has a cubelike dependence on incident pump laser power, indicating a three-photon process. However, a quadratic dependence of the 476 nm upconversion intensity on the incident pump laser power has been observed when samples under excitation of 808 nm LD due to a two-photon absorption process. Enhanced upconversion luminescence have been observed with replacing K(+) for Na(+) and Li(+).

Up-conversion nanoparticles sensitized inverse opal photonic crystals enable efficient water purification under NIR irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yuanyuan; Wang, Lili; Ma, Xiumei; Ren, Junfeng; Sun, Qinxing; Shi, Yongsheng; Li, Lin; Shi, Jinsheng

2018-03-01

A novel porous monolayer inverse opal (IO) structure was prepared by a simple sol-gel method combined with a self-assembly PS photonic crystal (PC) as template. By prolonging deposition time of PS spheres, three-dimensional multilayer TiO2 IOPC was also fabricated. Up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) were selected to sensitize TiO2 IOPCs. Photocatalytic activity of as-prepared materials was investigated by disinfection of bacteria and organic pollutant degradation. Under NIR light irradiation, a large improvement in bacterial inactivation and photodegradation efficiency could be seen for NYF/TiO2 composites in comparison with other samples. As for monolayer NYF/TiO2, water disinfection of 100% inactivation of bacteria is realized within 11 h and kinetic constant of RhB degradation is 0.133 h-1, which is about 10 times higher than that of pure TiO2 IOPCs. Reasons of enhanced photocatalytic activity were systematically investigated and a possible mechanism for NIR-driven photocatalysis was reasonably proposed.

A core/satellite multifunctional nanotheranostic for in vivo imaging and tumor eradication by radiation/photothermal synergistic therapy.

PubMed

Xiao, Qingfeng; Zheng, Xiangpeng; Bu, Wenbo; Ge, Weiqiang; Zhang, Shengjian; Chen, Feng; Xing, Huaiyong; Ren, Qingguo; Fan, Wenpei; Zhao, Kuaile; Hua, Yanqing; Shi, Jianlin

2013-09-04

To integrate photothermal ablation (PTA) with radiotherapy (RT) for improved cancer therapy, we constructed a novel multifunctional core/satellite nanotheranostic (CSNT) by decorating ultrasmall CuS nanoparticles onto the surface of a silica-coated rare earth upconversion nanoparticle. These CSNTs could not only convert near-infrared light into heat for effective thermal ablation but also induce a highly localized radiation dose boost to trigger substantially enhanced radiation damage both in vitro and in vivo. With the synergistic interaction between PTA and the enhanced RT, the tumor could be eradicated without visible recurrence in 120 days. Notably, hematological analysis and histological examination unambiguously revealed their negligible toxicity to the mice within a month. Moreover, the novel CSNTs facilitate excellent upconversion luminescence/magnetic resonance/computer tomography trimodal imagings. This multifunctional nanocomposite is believed to be capable of playing a vital role in future oncotherapy by the synergistic effects between enhanced RT and PTA under the potential trimodal imaging guidance.

Depth-Resolved Multispectral Sub-Surface Imaging Using Multifunctional Upconversion Phosphors with Paramagnetic Properties

PubMed Central

Ovanesyan, Zaven; Mimun, L. Christopher; Kumar, Gangadharan Ajith; Yust, Brian G.; Dannangoda, Chamath; Martirosyan, Karen S.; Sardar, Dhiraj K.

2015-01-01

Molecular imaging is very promising technique used for surgical guidance, which requires advancements related to properties of imaging agents and subsequent data retrieval methods from measured multispectral images. In this article, an upconversion material is introduced for subsurface near-infrared imaging and for the depth recovery of the material embedded below the biological tissue. The results confirm significant correlation between the analytical depth estimate of the material under the tissue and the measured ratio of emitted light from the material at two different wavelengths. Experiments with biological tissue samples demonstrate depth resolved imaging using the rare earth doped multifunctional phosphors. In vitro tests reveal no significant toxicity, whereas the magnetic measurements of the phosphors show that the particles are suitable as magnetic resonance imaging agents. The confocal imaging of fibroblast cells with these phosphors reveals their potential for in vivo imaging. The depth-resolved imaging technique with such phosphors has broad implications for real-time intraoperative surgical guidance. PMID:26322519

Cooperative upconversion luminescence in Tb{sup 3+}:Yb{sup 3+} co-doped Y{sub 2}SiO{sub 5} powders prepared by combustion synthesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rakov, Nikifor, E-mail: nikifor.gomez@univasf.edu.br; Vieira, Simone A.; Guimarães, Renato B.

2014-03-15

Frequency upconversion (UC) luminescence via cooperative energy transfer (CET) process between pairs of Yb{sup 3+} and Tb{sup 3+} ions was investigated in Tb{sup 3+}:Yb{sup 3+}:Y{sub 2}SiO{sub 5} crystalline ceramic powders prepared by combustion synthesis. Surface morphology and structure of the powders were investigated by scanning electronic microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. Photoluminescence experiments were performed in Tb{sup 3+}-singly doped samples using ultraviolet light (λ=255 nm) and in Tb{sup 3+}:Yb{sup 3+} co-doped samples using a near-infrared (NIR) diode laser (λ=975 nm). Upon excitation with the NIR diode laser, UC luminescence with an intense emission band centered at ∼549 nm, corresponding tomore » the 4f intraband {sup 5}D{sub 4}→{sup 7}F{sub 5} transition of Tb{sup 3+}, along with less intense emission bands at ∼490, ∼590 and ∼620 nm, corresponding to other {sup 5}D{sub 4}→{sup 7}F{sub J} transitions, was detected. The CET rate was estimated by analyzing the dynamics of UC luminescence with rate equations model of the electronic populations. -- Graphical Abstract: Left: Cooperative upconversion luminescence spectra of three powder samples prepared by combustion synthesis. Right: The SEM image of the powder showing that it consists of agglomerated flake-like shaped particles of various sizes. Full scale bar is 20 μm. Highlights: • Yttrium orthosilicate (Y{sub 2}SiO{sub 5}) powders were prepared by combustion synthesis. • Cooperative upconversion is observed for the first time in Tb{sup 3+}–Yb{sup 3+} doped Y{sub 2}SiO{sub 5}. • Energy transfer and back-transfer rates between Tb{sup 3+} and Yb{sup 3+} pairs were estimated.« less

Plasmon enhanced upconversion luminescence of NaYF4:Yb,Er@SiO2@Ag core-shell nanocomposites for cell imaging.

PubMed

Yuan, Peiyan; Lee, Yih Hong; Gnanasammandhan, Muthu Kumara; Guan, Zhenping; Zhang, Yong; Xu, Qing-Hua

2012-08-21

NaYF(4):Yb,Er@SiO(2)@Ag core-shell nanocomposites were prepared to investigate metal-enhanced upconversion luminescence. Two sizes (15 and 30 nm) of Ag nanoparticles were used. The emission intensity of the upconversion nanocrystals was found to be strongly modulated by the presence of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on the outer shell layer of the nanocomposites. The extent of modulation depended on the separation distance between Ag NPs and upconversion nanocrystals. The optimum upconversion luminescence enhancement was observed at a separation distance of 10 nm for Ag NPs with two different sizes (15 and 30 nm). A maximum upconversion luminescence enhancement of 14.4-fold was observed when 15 nm Ag nanoparticles were used and 10.8-fold was observed when 30 nm Ag NPs were used. The separation distance dependent emission intensity is ascribed to the competition between energy transfer and enhanced radiative decay rates. The biocompatibility of the nanocomposites was significantly improved by surface modification with DNA. The biological imaging capabilities of these nanocomposites were demonstrated using B16F0 cells.

Enhanced upconversion emission in colloidal (NaYF4:Er(3+))/NaYF4 core/shell nanoparticles excited at 1523 nm.

PubMed

Shao, Wei; Chen, Guanying; Damasco, Jossana; Wang, Xianliang; Kachynski, Aliaksandr; Ohulchanskyy, Tymish Y; Yang, Chunhui; Ågren, Hans; Prasad, Paras N

2014-03-15

In this work, we report on efficient visible and near-IR upconversion emissions in colloidal hexagonal-phase core/shell NaYF4:Er(3+)/NaYF4 nanoparticles (∼38  nm) under IR laser excitation at 1523 nm. Varying amounts of Er(3+) dopants were introduced into the core NaYF4:Er(3+) nanoparticles, revealing an optimized Er(3+) concentration of 10% for the highest luminescent efficiency. An inert epitaxial shell layer of NaYF4 grown onto the core of the NaYF4:Er(3+) 10% nanoparticle increased its upconversion emission intensity fivefold due to suppression of surface-related quenching mechanisms, yielding the absolute upconversion efficiency to be as high as ∼3.9±0.3% under an excitation density of 18  W/cm(2). The dependence of the intensity of upconversion emission peaks on laser excitation density in the core/shell nanoparticle displayed "saturation effects" at low excitation density in the range of 1.5-18  W/cm(2), which again demonstrates high upconversion efficiency.

Efficient upconversion emission in Ho3+/Nd3+ co-doped oxyfluorosilicate glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devarajulu, G.; Raju, B. Deva Prasad

2018-04-01

We report on an efficient Ho3+ and Ho3+/Nd3+ co-doped oxyfluorosilicate glasses upon excitation with an 808 nm laser diode. The detailed fluorescence have been studied under this excitation source and energy transfer mechanisms in Ho3+/Nd3+ co-doped oxyfluorosilicate glasses. The upconversion peaks at 486, 547 and 596 nm were observed in Nd3+/Ho3+ co-doped sample. The intensity of upconversion emission transitions in Ho3+ depends on the neodymium codopent concentration. These results indicate that Nd3+ ions can be potentially used as sensitizer for Ho3+ ions to stimulate the intense upconversion emission. The energy transfer mechanism between Nd3+ and Ho3+ was analyzed pursuant to the absorption spectra, upconversion spectra and the energy level structures of Nd3+ and Ho3+ ions have been briefly discussed.

Enhanced red emission of 808 nm excited upconversion nanoparticles by optimizing the composition of shell for efficient generation of singlet oxygen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jinxue; Zhang, Tingbin; Song, Xiaoyan; Xing, Jinfeng

2018-01-01

With the aim to enhance the upconversion luminescence (UCL) intensity, much attention was paid to reduce the energy-back transfer from Er3+ ions to Nd3+ ions by constructing various kinds of multilayer upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). However, the energy-back transfer was difficult to be completely eliminated. Also, the thick shell of multilayer UCNPs is not favourable for effective Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) system. Herein, an effective and facile method was applied to prepare UCNPs by optimizing the composition to largely enhance the red emission (at 660 nm) for efficient generation of singlet oxygen (1O2). In detail, the concentrations of Nd3+ ions and Yb3+ ions doped in the sensitizing shell were systematically researched to balance the energy back-transfer and the light harvest ability. The optimal emission and a relatively high Red/Green (R/G) ratio of NaYF4:Yb,Er,Nd@NaYF4:Yb0.1Nd0.2 UCNPs were obtained simultaneously. Furthermore, the emission under 980 nm excitation demonstrated the energy back-transfer from Er3+ to Yb3+ ions was also notable which was largely ignored previously. Then, UCNPs were encapsulated into mesoporous silica shell, and the photosensitizer Chlorin e6 (Ce6) was covalently conjugated to form a non-leaking nanoplatform. The efficiency of 1O2 generation obviously increased with the enhanced emission of UCNPs.

Multifunctional upconversion nanoparticles based on NaYGdF4 for laser induced heating, non-contact temperature sensing and controlled hyperthermia with use of pulsed periodic laser excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pominova, Daria V.; Ryabova, Anastasia V.; Romanishkin, Igor D.; Grachev, Pavel V.; Burmistrov, Ivan A.; Kuznetsov, Sergei V.

2018-04-01

For clinical application in photothermal therapy the nanoparticles should be efficient light-to-heat converters and luminescent markers. In this work, we investigate upconversion nanoparticles with NaYxGd1-xF4 (x=0-1) host lattice as self-monitored thermo-agents for bioimaging and local laser hyperthermia with real-time temperature control. The ability of non-contact temperature sensing using NaYxGd1-xF4 on one hand and laser induced heating on the other hand was shown. It was found, that the heat conversion luminescence efficiency is strongly affected by the concentration ratio of Gd3+ to Y3+ ions in host lattice. The optimal composition among the studied is NaY0.4Gd0.4Yb0.17Er0.03 with luminescence efficiency of 3.5% under 1 W/cm2 pumping power. Higher Gd3+ concentrations lead to higher heating temperature, but also to the decrease of the luminescence intensity and the accuracy of the ratiometric temperature determination. It was also shown that the optimization of Yb3+ doping concentration is one of the possible ways for optimization of the conditions of laser induced photothermal effects. Experimental in vitro study of hyperthermia with use of upconversion nanoparticles on HeLa and C6 cell lines was performed. The investigated nanoparticles are capable of in vitro photothermal heating, luminescent localization and thermal sensing.

Upconversion luminescent logic gates and turn-on sensing of glutathione based on two-photon excited quantum dots conjugated with dopamine.

PubMed

Gui, Rijun; Jin, Hui; Liu, Xifeng; Wang, Zonghua; Zhang, Feifei; Xia, Jianfei; Yang, Min; Bi, Sai

2014-12-07

Under the two-photon excitation, upconversion luminescent "INHIBIT" and "OR" logic gates of water-dispersed CdTe quantum dots (QDs) were constituted by conjugating the QDs with dopamine. This facilitated the development of a novel QDs-based upconversion luminescent probe for efficient turn-on sensing of glutathione.

Plasmon enhanced upconversion luminescence of NaYF4:Yb,Er@SiO2@Ag core-shell nanocomposites for cell imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Peiyan; Lee, Yih Hong; Gnanasammandhan, Muthu Kumara; Guan, Zhenping; Zhang, Yong; Xu, Qing-Hua

2012-07-01

NaYF4:Yb,Er@SiO2@Ag core-shell nanocomposites were prepared to investigate metal-enhanced upconversion luminescence. Two sizes (15 and 30 nm) of Ag nanoparticles were used. The emission intensity of the upconversion nanocrystals was found to be strongly modulated by the presence of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on the outer shell layer of the nanocomposites. The extent of modulation depended on the separation distance between Ag NPs and upconversion nanocrystals. The optimum upconversion luminescence enhancement was observed at a separation distance of 10 nm for Ag NPs with two different sizes (15 and 30 nm). A maximum upconversion luminescence enhancement of 14.4-fold was observed when 15 nm Ag nanoparticles were used and 10.8-fold was observed when 30 nm Ag NPs were used. The separation distance dependent emission intensity is ascribed to the competition between energy transfer and enhanced radiative decay rates. The biocompatibility of the nanocomposites was significantly improved by surface modification with DNA. The biological imaging capabilities of these nanocomposites were demonstrated using B16F0 cells.NaYF4:Yb,Er@SiO2@Ag core-shell nanocomposites were prepared to investigate metal-enhanced upconversion luminescence. Two sizes (15 and 30 nm) of Ag nanoparticles were used. The emission intensity of the upconversion nanocrystals was found to be strongly modulated by the presence of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on the outer shell layer of the nanocomposites. The extent of modulation depended on the separation distance between Ag NPs and upconversion nanocrystals. The optimum upconversion luminescence enhancement was observed at a separation distance of 10 nm for Ag NPs with two different sizes (15 and 30 nm). A maximum upconversion luminescence enhancement of 14.4-fold was observed when 15 nm Ag nanoparticles were used and 10.8-fold was observed when 30 nm Ag NPs were used. The separation distance dependent emission intensity is ascribed to the competition between energy transfer and enhanced radiative decay rates. The biocompatibility of the nanocomposites was significantly improved by surface modification with DNA. The biological imaging capabilities of these nanocomposites were demonstrated using B16F0 cells. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: More TEM images, distribution histograms, UV-Vis extinction spectra, and XRD analysis of the core-shell nanocomposites; the emission enhancement mechanisms, bright field images, the effect of DNA modification on the emission; luminescence stability and size changes of the DNA modified nanocomposites in the cell culture. See DOI: 10.1039/c2nr31241g

Crystal growth and upconversion luminescent properties of KLu2F7:Yb,Er nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Dekang; Yao, Lu; Lin, Hao; Yang, Shenghong; Zhang, Yueli

2018-05-01

Crystal growth of KLu2F7 nanocrystals is investigated by dosage- and time-dependent analysis. XRD patterns reveal the phase transition along with the dosage of fluorine source and reaction times, where the cubic-phase KLu3F10 turns into orthorhombic KLu2F7. TEM images show that the dimensions of as-prepared samples are below a hundred nanometers, with different shapes from hexagonal plate to hexagonal rod. The upconversion properties of the as-prepared samples are investigated. It is found that the upconversion emission is lowered as the shape of the samples varies. Moreover, the orthorhombic KLu2F7:Yb,Er nanocrystals present more enormous upconversion luminescence than the cubic counterparts. In a word, the orthorhombic nanocrystals are found to be good candidate for upconversion luminescence and of great importance for potential applications in solar cells, multicolor display and bioimaging.

MMW/THz imaging using upconversion to visible, based on glow discharge detector array and CCD camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aharon, Avihai; Rozban, Daniel; Abramovich, Amir; Yitzhaky, Yitzhak; Kopeika, Natan S.

2017-10-01

An inexpensive upconverting MMW/THz imaging method is suggested here. The method is based on glow discharge detector (GDD) and silicon photodiode or simple CCD/CMOS camera. The GDD was previously found to be an excellent room-temperature MMW radiation detector by measuring its electrical current. The GDD is very inexpensive and it is advantageous due to its wide dynamic range, broad spectral range, room temperature operation, immunity to high power radiation, and more. An upconversion method is demonstrated here, which is based on measuring the visual light emitting from the GDD rather than its electrical current. The experimental setup simulates a setup that composed of a GDD array, MMW source, and a basic CCD/CMOS camera. The visual light emitting from the GDD array is directed to the CCD/CMOS camera and the change in the GDD light is measured using image processing algorithms. The combination of CMOS camera and GDD focal plane arrays can yield a faster, more sensitive, and very inexpensive MMW/THz camera, eliminating the complexity of the electronic circuits and the internal electronic noise of the GDD. Furthermore, three dimensional imaging systems based on scanning prohibited real time operation of such imaging systems. This is easily solved and is economically feasible using a GDD array. This array will enable us to acquire information on distance and magnitude from all the GDD pixels in the array simultaneously. The 3D image can be obtained using methods like frequency modulation continuous wave (FMCW) direct chirp modulation, and measuring the time of flight (TOF).

Facile synthesis of hydrophilic multi-colour and upconversion photoluminescent mesoporous carbon nanoparticles for bioapplications.

PubMed

Kong, Qinglu; Zhang, Lingxia; Liu, Jianan; Wu, Meiying; Chen, Yu; Feng, Jingwei; Shi, Jianlin

2014-12-25

Hydrophilic mesoporous carbon nanoparticles (MCNs) have been synthesized via an extremely facile precursor carbonization-in-hot solvent route. The synthesized MCNs show well-defined particle and pore size distribution at around 100 nm and 2.7 nm, respectively, and multicolor and upconversion photoluminescence, which endow the MCNs with multicolor/upconversion bioimaging and drug delivery properties.

Infrared upconversion for astronomical applications. [laser applications to astronomical spectroscopy of infrared spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbas, M. M.; Kostiuk, T.; Ogilvie, K. W.

1975-01-01

The performance of an upconversion system is examined for observation of astronomical sources in the low to middle infrared spectral range. Theoretical values for the performance parameters of an upconversion system for astronomical observations are evaluated in view of the conversion efficiencies, spectral resolution, field of view, minimum detectable source brightness and source flux. Experimental results of blackbody measurements and molecular absorption spectrum measurements using a lithium niobate upconverter with an argon-ion laser as the pump are presented. Estimates of the expected optimum sensitivity of an upconversion device which may be built with the presently available components are given.

CdS/ZnS core-shell nanocrystal photosensitizers for visible to UV upconversion.

PubMed

Gray, Victor; Xia, Pan; Huang, Zhiyuan; Moses, Emily; Fast, Alexander; Fishman, Dmitry A; Vullev, Valentine I; Abrahamsson, Maria; Moth-Poulsen, Kasper; Lee Tang, Ming

2017-08-01

Herein we report the first example of nanocrystal (NC) sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation based photon upconversion from the visible to ultraviolet (vis-to-UV). Many photocatalyzed reactions, such as water splitting, require UV photons in order to function efficiently. Upconversion is one possible means of extending the usable range of photons into the visible. Vis-to-UV upconversion is achieved with CdS/ZnS core-shell NCs as the sensitizer and 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO) as annihilator and emitter. The ZnS shell was crucial in order to achieve any appreciable upconversion. From time resolved photoluminescence and transient absorption measurements we conclude that the ZnS shell affects the NC and triplet energy transfer (TET) from NC to PPO in two distinct ways. Upon ZnS growth the surface traps are passivated thus increasing the TET. The shell, however, also acts as a tunneling barrier for TET, reducing the efficiency. This leads to an optimal shell thickness where the upconversion quantum yield ( Φ ' UC ) is maximized. Here the maximum Φ ' UC was determined to be 5.2 ± 0.5% for 4 monolayers of ZnS shell on CdS NCs.

Laser Deposition of Polymer Nanocomposite Thin Films and Hard Materials and Their Optical Characterization

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-05

visible light on instruments such as microscope tips and micro- surgical tools. Hard carbon known as diamond-like carbon films produced by pulsed laser ...visible (610 nm) LED source and a supplemental infra-red 980-nm laser diode (for the studies of the upconversion fluorescence). The basic package...5/2013 Final Performance Report 15 Sep 2012- 14 Sep 2013 LASER DEPOSITION OF POLYMER NANOCOMPOSITE THIN FILMS AND HARD MATERIALS AND THEIR OPTICAL

High quantum-yield phosphors via quantum splitting and upconversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Joayoung

The Gd3+ ion has been used to induce quantum splitting in luminescent materials by using cross-relaxation energy transfer (CRET). In Nd:LiGdF4, quantum splitting results from a two-step CRET between Gd3+ and Nd3+, first involving a transition 6G→6I on Gd3+ and an excitation within the 4f3 configuration of Nd3+ followed by a second CRET that brings Gd3+ to 6P7/2. The excited Nd3+ ion rapidly relaxes nonradiatively to the emitting 4F3/2. The excited Gd3+ ion then transfers its energy back to Nd3+, which gives rise to the second photon. The result is a quantum yield of 1.05 +/- 0.35 with emission in the NIR following excitation at 175 nm. GdF3:Pr3+, Eu 3+ also exhibits quantum splitting, but only at very low concentration of Pr3+ (0.3%) and Eu3+ (0.2%), resulting in a quantum yield of approximately 20% under 160-nm excitation. Host intrinsic emission via a self-trapped exciton (STE) was also examined as a means to sensitize Gd3+ emission. The material ScPO4:Gd 3+ exhibits a high absolute quantum yield of 0.9 +/- 0.2 under 170-nm excitation, demonstrating a potentially new and efficient pathway for exciting quantum splitting phosphors. Single crystals of the material GdZrF7 were grown, and its structure was established via single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Doped samples of GdZrF7:Yb3+, Er3+ exhibit bright up-conversion luminescence with light output that is up to twice that of a commercial material based on the host Gd2O2S. When doped with Eu3+, the fluoride also emits a nearly white color under vacuum ultraviolet excitation with an absolute quantum yield near 0.9. The new compound Gd4.67(SiO4)3S was synthesized and studied. The structure was established via single-crystal X-ray methods, and the luminescence of Tb3+ samples was investigated.

IR Image upconversion using band-limited ASE illumination fiber sources.

PubMed

Maestre, H; Torregrosa, A J; Capmany, J

2016-04-18

We study the field-of-view (FOV) of an upconversion imaging system that employs an Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) fiber source to illuminate a transmission target. As an intermediate case between narrowband laser and thermal illumination, an ASE fiber source allows for higher spectral intensity than thermal illumination and still keeps a broad wavelength spectrum to take advantage of an increased non-collinear phase-matching angle acceptance that enlarges the FOV of the upconversion system when compared to using narrowband laser illumination. A model is presented to predict the angular acceptance of the upconverter in terms of focusing and ASE spectral width and allocation. The model is experimentally checked in case of 1550-630 nm upconversion.

Upconversion in solar cells

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The possibility to tune chemical and physical properties in nanosized materials has a strong impact on a variety of technologies, including photovoltaics. One of the prominent research areas of nanomaterials for photovoltaics involves spectral conversion. Modification of the spectrum requires down- and/or upconversion or downshifting of the spectrum, meaning that the energy of photons is modified to either lower (down) or higher (up) energy. Nanostructures such as quantum dots, luminescent dye molecules, and lanthanide-doped glasses are capable of absorbing photons at a certain wavelength and emitting photons at a different (shorter or longer) wavelength. We will discuss upconversion by lanthanide compounds in various host materials and will further demonstrate upconversion to work for thin-film silicon solar cells. PMID:23413889

Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanocrystals: Synthesis and optical properties study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qiang

Upconversion phosphor materials have attracted considerable attention in recent years for their potential applications in a wide range of fields, including three-dimensional displays technologies, bio-imaging and photovoltaics. This dissertation aims to develop novel lanthanide-doped upconversion luminescent nanomaterials by using wet chemistry methods. Considerable efforts have been devoted to manipulating the optical properties of the synthesized lanthanide-doped nanoparticles under excitation of different wavelengths, for example, 808, 980 and 1532 nm. In the first research work, a novel core-shell-shell design has been developed for finely tuning of energy migration upconversion of activators without long-lived mediated states, such as Eu3+ and Tb3+ upon excitation at 808 nm by using Nd3+ as sensitizer. Exquisite control the composition of each layer gives rise to maximized upconversion emissions of the activators. For example, with the use of core layer for energy harvesting (NaGdF4:Yb/Nd, active core), the optimal doping concentrations of Eu3+ and Tb3+ is fixed to 15 and 15 mol%, respectively. In contrast, active shell can also provide access to strong upconversion of Eu3+ and Tb3+ by doping Nd (40 mol%) into the outmost layer. Note that the effect of active shell is much stronger than active core in generating upconversion emissions of Eu3+ and Tb3+. Next, upconversion emission tuning of Er/Tm/Yb-doped NaYF4 upconversion nanoparticles has been conducted under excitation at 1532 nm. The output color of the nanoparticles is tunable by changing the doping levels of the lanthanides. With the use of core-shell design, the optical properties of the doped nanoparticles can be further optimized, for example, strongest upconversion emission was observed for NaYF4:Er(10 mol%) NaYF4:Er(0.5 mol%) with a relative emission of green-to-red of 1.2. This work provides a new dimension to control the color output of upconversion nanoparticles. It should be noted that the emission profiles of upconversion nanoparticles will be further enriched by using a combination of different excitation wavelengths. Finally, the orthorhombic-phase K2YF5 nanobelts doped with upconverting lanthanide ions (Er3+ and Tm3+) were synthesized by using a coprecipitation method. The growth kinetics of the nanobelts can be regulated by either control of the volume ratio of oleic acid in the synthetic system or period of reaction time. It was found that desirable lanthanide-doped K2YF5 nanobelts were yielded through the use of long time high-temperature annealing treatment (270 °C, 6 h) in the presence of low content of oleic acid. The assynthesized lanthanide-doped K2YF5 nanobelts show intense upconversion emissions upon excitation at 980 nm. For example, bright yellow emission was observed from K2YF5:Yb/Er(18/2 mol%), resulting from weak optical transitions of 2H11/2 → 4I15/2 (520 nm) and 4S3/2 → 4I15/2 (540 nm) and a dominant transition of 4F9/2 → 4I15/2 (centered at 650 nm) of the doped Er3+. In the case of K2YF5:Yb/Tm(30/0.5 mol%) nanobelts, three main emission bands centered at 479 (blue), 650 (red) and 800 nm (NIR) corresponding to 1D2 → 3H6, 1D2 → 3H4, and 3H4 ¨ 3H6 transition of Tm3+ were observed.

Solid-state infrared-to-visible upconversion sensitized by colloidal nanocrystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Mengfei; Congreve, Daniel N.; Wilson, Mark W. B.

2015-11-23

Optical upconversion via sensitized triplet–triplet exciton annihilation converts incoherent low-energy photons to shorter wavelengths under modest excitation intensities1,2,3. Here, we report a solid-state thin film for infrared-to-visible upconversion that employs lead sulphide colloidal nanocrystals as a sensitizer. Upconversion is achieved from pump wavelengths beyond λ = 1 μm to emission at λ = 612 nm. When excited at λ = 808 nm, two excitons in the sensitizer are converted to one higher-energy state in the emitter at a yield of 1.2 ± 0.2%. Peak efficiency is attained at an absorbed intensity equivalent to less than one sun. We demonstrate thatmore » colloidal nanocrystals are an attractive alternative to existing molecular sensitizers, given their small exchange splitting, wide wavelength tunability, broadband infrared absorption, and our transient observations of efficient energy transfer. This solid-state architecture for upconversion may prove useful for enhancing the capabilities of solar cells and photodetectors.« less

Solid-state infrared-to-visible upconversion sensitized by colloidal nanocrystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Mengfei; Congreve, Daniel N.; Wilson, Mark W. B.

2015-11-23

Optical upconversion via sensitized triplet–triplet exciton annihilation converts incoherent low-energy photons to shorter wavelengths under modest excitation intensities1, 2, 3. Here, we report a solid-state thin film for infrared-to-visible upconversion that employs lead sulphide colloidal nanocrystals as a sensitizer. Upconversion is achieved from pump wavelengths beyond λ = 1 μm to emission at λ = 612 nm. When excited at λ = 808 nm, two excitons in the sensitizer are converted to one higher-energy state in the emitter at a yield of 1.2 ± 0.2%. Peak efficiency is attained at an absorbed intensity equivalent to less than one sun. Wemore » demonstrate that colloidal nanocrystals are an attractive alternative to existing molecular sensitizers, given their small exchange splitting, wide wavelength tunability, broadband infrared absorption, and our transient observations of efficient energy transfer. This solid-state architecture for upconversion may prove useful for enhancing the capabilities of solar cells and photodetectors.« less

One-step hydrothermal synthesis of carboxyl-functionalized upconversion phosphors for bioapplications.

PubMed

Yang, Jianping; Shen, Dengke; Li, Xiaomin; Li, Wei; Fang, Yin; Wei, Yong; Yao, Chi; Tu, Bo; Zhang, Fan; Zhao, Dongyuan

2012-10-22

In this paper, we report a facile one-step hydrothermal method to synthesize phase-, size-, and shape-controlled carboxyl-functionalized rare-earth fluorescence upconversion phosphors by using a small-molecule binary acid, such as malonic acid, oxalic acid, succinic acid, or tartaric acid as capping agent. The crystals, from nano- to microstructures with diverse shapes that include nanospheres, microrods, hexagonal prisms, microtubes, microdisks, polygonal columns, and hexagonal tablets, can be obtained with different reaction times, reaction temperatures, molar ratios of capping agent to sodium hydroxide, and by varying the binary acids. Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, and upconversion luminescence spectra measurements indicate that the synthesized NaYF(4):Yb/Er products with hydrophilic carboxyl-functionalized surface offer efficient upconversion luminescent performance. Furthermore, the antibody/secondary antibody conjugation can be realized by the carboxyl-functionalized surfaces of the upconversion phosphors, thus indicating the potential bioapplications of these kinds of materials. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enhanced Upconversion Luminescence in Yb3+/Tm3+-Codoped Fluoride Active Core/Active Shell/Inert Shell Nanoparticles through Directed Energy Migration.

PubMed

Qiu, Hailong; Yang, Chunhui; Shao, Wei; Damasco, Jossana; Wang, Xianliang; Ågren, Hans; Prasad, Paras N; Chen, Guanying

2014-01-03

The luminescence efficiency of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles is of particular importance for their embodiment in biophotonic and photonic applications. Here, we show that the upconversion luminescence of typically used NaYF₄:Yb 3+ 30%/Tm 3+ 0.5% nanoparticles can be enhanced by ~240 times through a hierarchical active core/active shell/inert shell (NaYF₄:Yb 3+ 30%/Tm 3+ 0.5%)/NaYbF₄/NaYF₄ design, which involves the use of directed energy migration in the second active shell layer. The resulting active core/active shell/inert shell nanoparticles are determined to be about 11 times brighter than that of well-investigated (NaYF₄:Yb 3+ 30%/Tm 3+ 0.5%)/NaYF₄ active core/inert shell nanoparticles when excited at ~980 nm. The strategy for enhanced upconversion in Yb 3+ /Tm 3+ -codoped NaYF₄ nanoparticles through directed energy migration might have implications for other types of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles.

New anthracene derivatives as triplet acceptors for efficient green-to-blue low-power upconversion.

PubMed

Liang, Zuo-Qin; Sun, Bin; Ye, Chang-Qing; Wang, Xiao-Mei; Tao, Xu-Tang; Wang, Qin-Hua; Ding, Ping; Wang, Bao; Wang, Jing-Jing

2013-10-21

Three new anthracene derivatives [2-chloro-9,10-dip-tolylanthracene (DTACl), 9,10-dip-tolylanthracene-2-carbonitrile (DTACN), and 9,10-di(naphthalen-1-yl)anthracene-2-carbonitrile (DNACN)] were synthesized as triplet acceptors for low-power upconversion. Their linear absorption, single-photon-excited fluorescence, and upconversion fluorescence properties were studied. The acceptors exhibit high fluorescence yields in DMF. Selective excitation of the sensitizer Pd(II)octaethylporphyrin (PdOEP) in solution containing DTACl, DTACN, or DNA-CN at 532 nm with an ultralow excitation power density of 0.5 W cm(-2) results in anti-Stokes blue emission. The maximum upconversion quantum yield (Φ(UC) =17.4%) was obtained for the couple PdOEP/DTACl. In addition, the efficiency of the triplet-triplet energy transfer process was quantitatively studied by quenching experiments. Experimental results revealed that a highly effective acceptor for upconversion should combine high fluorescence quantum yields with efficient quenching of the sensitizer triplet. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Solid-state infrared-to-visible upconversion sensitized by colloidal nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Mengfei; Congreve, Daniel N.; Wilson, Mark W. B.; Jean, Joel; Geva, Nadav; Welborn, Matthew; van Voorhis, Troy; Bulović, Vladimir; Bawendi, Moungi G.; Baldo, Marc A.

2016-01-01

Optical upconversion via sensitized triplet-triplet exciton annihilation converts incoherent low-energy photons to shorter wavelengths under modest excitation intensities. Here, we report a solid-state thin film for infrared-to-visible upconversion that employs lead sulphide colloidal nanocrystals as a sensitizer. Upconversion is achieved from pump wavelengths beyond λ = 1 μm to emission at λ = 612 nm. When excited at λ = 808 nm, two excitons in the sensitizer are converted to one higher-energy state in the emitter at a yield of 1.2 ± 0.2%. Peak efficiency is attained at an absorbed intensity equivalent to less than one sun. We demonstrate that colloidal nanocrystals are an attractive alternative to existing molecular sensitizers, given their small exchange splitting, wide wavelength tunability, broadband infrared absorption, and our transient observations of efficient energy transfer. This solid-state architecture for upconversion may prove useful for enhancing the capabilities of solar cells and photodetectors.

Concept of white light in stage lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinaldi, Mauricio R.

2002-06-01

In perceiving objects, generally we see them in a white light situation. But, actually, there is not an absolute white, in such a manner that the different light sources have a determined kind of white, what it is known as color temperature. Even the white light may be of different kinds (different color temperature), the individual mind tends to perceive it as the same kind of white, that is to say, there is in our mind a psychological function by which we operate an integration in the perception in order to do the object perceptually invariable. On the other hand, it is a common practice in stage lighting to use color light sources. It is a well known phenomenon that a color of light produces a change in the object color perception. However, when we go to theater, we see the objects as having their real color, even if the lighting is not white. In this paper the concept of white light in stage lighting is presented, showing its possibilities of aesthetical expression.

Enhancement of red upconversion emission of cubic phase NaLuF{sub 4}: Yb{sup 3+}/Ho{sup 3+}/Ce{sup 3+} nanocrystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gao, Wei, E-mail: gaowei@xupt.edu.com; Dong, Jun, E-mail: dongjun@xupt.edu.cn; Liu, Jihong

Highlights: • The upconversion emission of Ho{sup 3+} ions was tuned from green to red. • The upconversion mechanism of Ho{sup 3+} ions was discussed based on emission spectrum. • The conversion efficiency between Ho{sup 3+} and Ce{sup 3+} were studied and calculated. - Abstract: The red upconversion emission of lanthanide-doped fluoride nanocrystals have great potential applications in color display and anticounterfeiting applications, especially for biological imaging and biomedical. In this work, a significant enhancement of red upconversion emission of Ho{sup 3+} ions was successfully obtained in the cubic phase NaLuF{sub 4} nanocrystals through codoping Ce{sup 3+} ions under NIRmore » 980 nm excitation. The ratio of red-to-green emission of Ho{sup 3+} ions was enhanced about 10-fold, which is due to two efficient cross relaxation processes derived from Ho{sup 3+} and Ce{sup 3+} ions promoted the red emission and quenched the green emission. The upconversion emission and luminescent colors of NaLuF{sub 4}: Yb{sup 3+}/Ho{sup 3+} nanocrystals were carefully investigated by a confocal microscopy setup. The possible upconversion emission mechanism and conversion efficiency of cross relaxation between Ho{sup 3+} and Ce{sup 3+} ions were discussed in detail. The current study suggests that strong red emission of NaLuF{sub 4}: Yb{sup 3+}/Ho{sup 3+}/Ce{sup 3+} nanomaterials can be used for color display and anticounterfeiting techniques.« less

A temperature sensor based on the enhanced upconversion luminescence of Li+ doped NaLuF4:Yb3+,Tm3+/Er3+ nano/microcrystals.

PubMed

Qiang, Qinping; Du, Shanshan; Ma, Xinlong; Chen, Wenbo; Zhang, Gangyi; Wang, Yuhua

2018-05-09

In this paper, fluorescent and optical temperature sensing bi-functional Li+-doping NaLuF4:Ln (Ln = Yb3+, Tm3+/Er3+) nanocrystals were synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method using oleic acid as a capping ligand. The crystal phase, size, upconversion (UC) properties, and optical temperature sensing characteristics of the crystals can be easily modified by Li+ doping. The results reveal that additional Li+ can promote the transformation from the hexagonal phase to the cubic phase and reduce the size of the nanocrystals. In addition, NaLuF4:Ln (Ln = Yb3+, Tm3+, Li+) nanocrystals present efficient near infrared (NIR) emission, which is beneficial for in vivo biomedical applications due to the increased penetration depth and low radiation damage of NIR light in bio-tissues. More importantly, under 980 nm excitation, the temperature dependent UCL from the 2H11/2 and 4S3/2 levels of Er3+ ions in NaLuF4:Yb3+,Er3+,Li+ microcrystals was investigated systematically. The fluorescence intensity ratios (FIR) of the pairs of thermally coupled levels were studied as a function of temperature in the range of 298-523 K. The maximum sensor sensitivities were found to be about 0.0039 K-1 (523 K) by exploiting the UC emissions from the 2H11/2 and 4S3/2 levels. This suggests that the Li+-doped upconversion luminescence (UCL) materials are promising prototypes for application as multi-mode probes for use in bio-separation and optical thermometers.

Intranuclear biophotonics by smart design of nuclear-targeting photo-/radio-sensitizers co-loaded upconversion nanoparticles.

PubMed

Fan, Wenpei; Shen, Bo; Bu, Wenbo; Zheng, Xiangpeng; He, Qianjun; Cui, Zhaowen; Ni, Dalong; Zhao, Kuaile; Zhang, Shengjian; Shi, Jianlin

2015-11-01

Biophotonic technology that uses light and ionizing radiation for positioned cancer therapy is a holy grail in the field of biomedicine because it can overcome the systemic toxicity and adverse side effects of conventional chemotherapy. However, the existing biophotonic techniques fail to achieve the satisfactory treatment efficacy, which remains a big challenge for clinical implementation. Herein, we develop a novel theranostic technique of "intranuclear biophotonics" by the smart design of a nuclear-targeting biophotonic system based on photo-/radio-sensitizers covalently co-loaded upconversion nanoparticles. These nuclear-targeting biophotonic agents can not only generate a great deal of multiple cytotoxic reactive oxygen species in the nucleus by making full use of NIR/X-ray irradiation, but also produce greatly enhanced intranuclear synergetic radio-/photodynamic therapeutic effects under the magnetic/luminescent bimodal imaging guidance, which may achieve the optimal efficacy in treating radio-resistant tumors. We anticipate that the highly effective intranuclear biophotonics will contribute significantly to the development of biophotonic techniques and open new perspectives for a variety of cancer theranostic applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Titanium Dioxide/Upconversion Nanoparticles/Cadmium Sulfide Nanofibers Enable Enhanced Full-Spectrum Absorption for Superior Solar Light Driven Photocatalysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Fu; Zhang, Chuan-Ling; Wang, Wan-Ni; Cong, Huai-Ping; Qian, Hai-Sheng

2016-06-22

In this work, we demonstrate an electrospinning technique to fabricate TiO2 /upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs)/CdS nanofibers on large scale. In addition, the as-prepared TiO2 nanofibers are incorporated with a high population of UCNPs and CdS nanospheres; this results in Förster resonance energy-transfer configurations of the UCNPs, TiO2 , and CdS nanospheres that are in close proximity. Hence, strong fluorescent emissions for the Tm(3+) ions including the (1) G4 →(3) H6 transition are efficiently transferred to TiO2 and the CdS nanoparticles through an energy-transfer process. The as-prepared TiO2 /UCNPs/CdS nanofibers exhibit full-spectrum solar-energy absorption and enable the efficient degradation of organic dyes by fluorescence resonance energy transfer between the UCNPs and TiO2 (or CdS). The UCNPs/TiO2 /CdS nanofibers may also have enhanced energy-transfer efficiency for wide applications in solar cells, bioimaging, photodynamics, and chemotherapy. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fast and long-range triplet exciton diffusion in metal-organic frameworks for photon upconversion at ultralow excitation power.

PubMed

Mahato, Prasenjit; Monguzzi, Angelo; Yanai, Nobuhiro; Yamada, Teppei; Kimizuka, Nobuo

2015-09-01

The conversion of low-energy light into photons of higher energy based on sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) has emerged as a promising wavelength-shifting methodology because it permits UC at excitation powers as low as the solar irradiance. However, its application has been significantly hampered by the slow diffusion of excited molecules in solid matrices. Here, we introduce metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that promote TTA-UC by taking advantage of triplet exciton migration among fluorophores that are regularly aligned with spatially controlled chromophore orientations. We synthesized anthracene-containing MOFs with different molecular orientations, and the analysis of TTA-UC emission kinetics unveiled a high triplet diffusion rate with a micrometre-scale diffusion length. Surface modification of MOF nanocrystals with donor molecules and their encapsulation in glassy poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) allowed the construction of molecular-diffusion-free solid-state upconverters, which lead to an unprecedented maximization of overall UC quantum yield at excitation powers comparable to or well below the solar irradiance.

Single Upconversion Nanoparticle-Bacterium Cotrapping for Single-Bacterium Labeling and Analysis.

PubMed

Xin, Hongbao; Li, Yuchao; Xu, Dekang; Zhang, Yueli; Chen, Chia-Hung; Li, Baojun

2017-04-01

Detecting and analyzing pathogenic bacteria in an effective and reliable manner is crucial for the diagnosis of acute bacterial infection and initial antibiotic therapy. However, the precise labeling and analysis of bacteria at the single-bacterium level are a technical challenge but very important to reveal important details about the heterogeneity of cells and responds to environment. This study demonstrates an optical strategy for single-bacterium labeling and analysis by the cotrapping of single upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and bacteria together. A single UCNP with an average size of ≈120 nm is first optically trapped. Both ends of a single bacterium are then trapped and labeled with single UCNPs emitting green light. The labeled bacterium can be flexibly moved to designated locations for further analysis. Signals from bacteria of different sizes are detected in real time for single-bacterium analysis. This cotrapping method provides a new approach for single-pathogenic-bacterium labeling, detection, and real-time analysis at the single-particle and single-bacterium level. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Investigation of laser dynamics, modulation and control by means of intra-cavity time varying perturbation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, S. E.

1974-01-01

Projects aimed at the generation of tunable visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light, and on the control of this light by means of novel mode-locking and modulation techniques are discussed. During this period the following projects have been active: (1) studies of transient mode-locking of the Nd:YAG laser and the application of short optical pulses; (2) experimental investigations of the Na-Xe excimer laser system; (3) further development of techniques for vacuum ultraviolet holography; and (4) theoretical and initial experimental studies of a new device which should prove very useful for both infrared up-conversion and generation of tunable UV radiation - a two-photon resonantly pumped frequency converter.

Preparation of ZnO nanoparticles showing upconversion luminescence through simple chemical method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anjana, R.; Subha, P. P.; Markose, Kurias K.

2016-05-23

Upconversion luminescence is an interesting area while considering its applications in a vast variety of fields. Rare earth ions like erbium is the most studied and efficient candidate for achieving upconversion. Erbium and ytterbium co-doped ZnO nanoparticles were prepared through co-precipitation method. A strong red emission has been obtained while exciting with 980 nm laser. Dependence of luminescence emission colour on ytterbium concentration has been studied.

Study of upconversion fluorescence property of novel Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped tellurite glasses.

PubMed

Xu, Tie-Feng; Li, Guang-Po; Nie, Qiu-Hua; Shen, Xiang

2006-06-01

Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped TeO2-B2O3-Nb2O5-ZnO (TBN) glasses were prepared. The absorption spectra and upconversion luminescence spectra of TBN glasses were measured and analyzed. The upconversion emission bands centered at 530, 546 and 658 nm were observed under the excitation at 975 nm, corresponding to the transitions of 2H11/2-->4I15/2, 4S3/2-->4I15/2 and 4F9/2-->4I15/2 respectively. The ratio of red emission to green emission increases with an increasing of Yb3+ ions concentration. According to the quadratic dependence on excitation power, the possible upconversion mechanisms and processes were discussed.

Active media for up-conversion diode-pumped lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tkachuk, Alexandra M.

1996-03-01

In this work, we consider the different methods of populating the initial and final working levels of laser transitions in TR-doped crystals under the selective 'up-conversion' and 'avalanche' diode laser pumping. On the basis of estimates of the probabilities of competing non-radiative energy-transfer processes rates obtained from the experimental data and theoretical calculations, we estimated the efficiency of the up-conversion pumping and selfquenching of the upper TR3+ states excited by laser-diode emission. The effect of the host composition, dopant concentration, and temperature on the output characteristics and up-conversion processes in YLF:Er; BaY2F8:Er; BaY2F8:Er,Yb and BaY2F8:Yb,Ho are determined.

A thermo-degradable hydrogel with light-tunable degradation and drug release.

PubMed

Hu, Jingjing; Chen, Yihua; Li, Yunqi; Zhou, Zhengjie; Cheng, Yiyun

2017-01-01

The development of thermo-degradable hydrogels is of great importance in drug delivery. However, it still remains a huge challenge to prepare thermo-degradable hydrogels with inherent degradation, reproducible, repeated and tunable dosing. Here, we reported a thermo-degradable hydrogel that is rapidly degraded above 44 °C by a facile chemistry. Besides thermo-degradability, the hydrogel also undergoes rapid photolysis with ultraviolet light. By embedding photothermal nanoparticles or upconversion nanoparticles into the gel, it can release the entrapped cargoes such as dyes, enzymes and anticancer drugs in an on-demand and dose-tunable fashion upon near-infrared light exposure. The smart hydrogel works well both in vitro and in vivo without involving sophisticated syntheses, and is well suited for clinical cancer therapy due to the high transparency and non-invasiveness features of near-infrared light. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrafast fluorescence spectroscopy via upconversion applications to biophysics.

PubMed

Xu, Jianhua; Knutson, Jay R

2008-01-01

This chapter reviews basic concepts of nonlinear fluorescence upconversion, a technique whose temporal resolution is essentially limited only by the pulse width of the ultrafast laser. Design aspects for upconversion spectrophotofluorometers are discussed, and a recently developed system is described. We discuss applications in biophysics, particularly the measurement of time-resolved fluorescence spectra of proteins (with subpicosecond time resolution). Application of this technique to biophysical problems such as dynamics of tryptophan, peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids is reviewed.

Enhanced Upconversion Luminescence in Yb3+/Tm3+-Codoped Fluoride Active Core/Active Shell/Inert Shell Nanoparticles through Directed Energy Migration

PubMed Central

Qiu, Hailong; Yang, Chunhui; Shao, Wei; Damasco, Jossana; Wang, Xianliang; Ågren, Hans; Prasad, Paras N.; Chen, Guanying

2014-01-01

The luminescence efficiency of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles is of particular importance for their embodiment in biophotonic and photonic applications. Here, we show that the upconversion luminescence of typically used NaYF4:Yb3+30%/Tm3+0.5% nanoparticles can be enhanced by ~240 times through a hierarchical active core/active shell/inert shell (NaYF4:Yb3+30%/Tm3+0.5%)/NaYbF4/NaYF4 design, which involves the use of directed energy migration in the second active shell layer. The resulting active core/active shell/inert shell nanoparticles are determined to be about 11 times brighter than that of well-investigated (NaYF4:Yb3+30%/Tm3+0.5%)/NaYF4 active core/inert shell nanoparticles when excited at ~980 nm. The strategy for enhanced upconversion in Yb3+/Tm3+-codoped NaYF4 nanoparticles through directed energy migration might have implications for other types of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles. PMID:28348285

The role of Nb in intensity increase of Er ion upconversion luminescence in zirconia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smits, K., E-mail: smits@cfi.lu.lv; Sarakovskis, A.; Grigorjeva, L.

2014-06-07

It is found that Nb co-doping increases the luminescence and upconversion luminescence intensity in rare earth doped zirconia. Er and Yb-doped nanocrystalline samples with or without Nb co-doping were prepared by sol-gel method and thermally annealed to check for the impact of phase transition on luminescence properties. Phase composition and grain sizes were examined by X-ray diffraction; the morphology was checked by scanning- and high-resolution transmission electron microscopes. Both steady-state and time-resolved luminescence were studied. Comparison of samples with different oxygen vacancy concentrations and different Nb concentrations confirmed the known assumption that oxygen vacancies are the main agents for tetragonalmore » or cubic phase stabilization. The oxygen vacancies quench the upconversion luminescence; however, they also prevent agglomeration of rare-earth ions and/or displacement of rare-earth ions to grain surfaces. It is found that co-doping with Nb ions significantly (>20 times) increases upconversion luminescence intensity. Hence, ZrO{sub 2}:Er:Yb:Nb nanocrystals may show promise for upconversion applications.« less

Two-step photon up-conversion solar cells

PubMed Central

Asahi, Shigeo; Teranishi, Haruyuki; Kusaki, Kazuki; Kaizu, Toshiyuki; Kita, Takashi

2017-01-01

Reducing the transmission loss for below-gap photons is a straightforward way to break the limit of the energy-conversion efficiency of solar cells (SCs). The up-conversion of below-gap photons is very promising for generating additional photocurrent. Here we propose a two-step photon up-conversion SC with a hetero-interface comprising different bandgaps of Al0.3Ga0.7As and GaAs. The below-gap photons for Al0.3Ga0.7As excite GaAs and generate electrons at the hetero-interface. The accumulated electrons at the hetero-interface are pumped upwards into the Al0.3Ga0.7As barrier by below-gap photons for GaAs. Efficient two-step photon up-conversion is achieved by introducing InAs quantum dots at the hetero-interface. We observe not only a dramatic increase in the additional photocurrent, which exceeds the reported values by approximately two orders of magnitude, but also an increase in the photovoltage. These results suggest that the two-step photon up-conversion SC has a high potential for implementation in the next-generation high-efficiency SCs. PMID:28382945

Thermoresponsive scattering coating for smart white LEDs.

PubMed

Bauer, Jurica; Verbunt, Paul P C; Lin, Wan-Yu; Han, Yang; Van, My-Phung; Cornelissen, Hugo J; Yu, Joan J H; Bastiaansen, Cees W M; Broer, Dirk J

2014-12-15

White light emitting diode (LED) systems, capable of lowering the color temperature of emitted light on dimming, have been reported in the literature. These systems all use multiple color LEDs and complex control circuitry. Here we present a novel responsive lighting system based on a single white light emitting LED and a thermoresponsive scattering coating. The coated LED automatically emits light of lower correlated color temperature (CCT) when the power is reduced. We also present results on the use of multiple phosphors in the white light LED allowing for the emission of warm white light in the range between 2900 K and 4150 K, and with a chromaticity complying with the ANSI standards (C78.377). This responsive warm white light LED-system with close-to-ideal emission characteristics is highly interesting for the lighting industry.

New nanoplatforms based on UCNPs linking with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) for multimodal bioimaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Xiaoqian; Dong, Liang; Sun, Lining; Song, Zhengmei; Wei, Ruoyan; Shi, Liyi; Chen, Haige

2015-04-01

A new and facile method was used to transfer upconversion luminescent nanoparticles from hydrophobic to hydrophilic using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) linking on the surface of upconversion nanoparticles. In comparison with the unmodified upconversion nanoparticles, the POSS modified upconversion nanoplatforms [POSS-UCNPs(Er), POSS-UCNPs(Tm)] displayed good monodispersion in water and exhibited good water-solubility, while their particle size did not change substantially. Due to the low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility as determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and histology and hematology analysis, the POSS modified upconversion nanoplatforms were successfully applied to upconversion luminescence imaging of living cells in vitro and nude mouse in vivo (upon excitation at 980 nm). In addition, the doped Gd3+ ion endows the POSS-UCNPs with effective T1 signal enhancement and the POSS-UCNPs were successfully applied to in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for a Kunming mouse, which makes them potential MRI positive-contrast agents. More importantly, the corner organic groups of POSS can be easily modified, resulting in kinds of POSS-UCNPs with many potential applications. Therefore, the method and results may provide more exciting opportunities for multimodal bioimaging and multifunctional applications.A new and facile method was used to transfer upconversion luminescent nanoparticles from hydrophobic to hydrophilic using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) linking on the surface of upconversion nanoparticles. In comparison with the unmodified upconversion nanoparticles, the POSS modified upconversion nanoplatforms [POSS-UCNPs(Er), POSS-UCNPs(Tm)] displayed good monodispersion in water and exhibited good water-solubility, while their particle size did not change substantially. Due to the low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility as determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and histology and hematology analysis, the POSS modified upconversion nanoplatforms were successfully applied to upconversion luminescence imaging of living cells in vitro and nude mouse in vivo (upon excitation at 980 nm). In addition, the doped Gd3+ ion endows the POSS-UCNPs with effective T1 signal enhancement and the POSS-UCNPs were successfully applied to in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for a Kunming mouse, which makes them potential MRI positive-contrast agents. More importantly, the corner organic groups of POSS can be easily modified, resulting in kinds of POSS-UCNPs with many potential applications. Therefore, the method and results may provide more exciting opportunities for multimodal bioimaging and multifunctional applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Schematic illustration of the formation of POSS-UCNPs. TEM images of NaYF4:Yb,Tm and NaYF4:Yb,Tm@NaGdF4 nanoparticles in cyclohexane; the TEM image of POSS-UCNPs(Tm) in water. DLS of POSS-UCNPs(Tm) in water. The energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrum of POSS-UCNPs(Er). XPS of POSS-UCNPs(Er); XPS of Si element. UCL spectra of POSS-UCNPs(Er) in physiology saline as a function of time. UCL spectra of NaYF4:Yb,Tm@NaGdF4 [UCNPs(Tm)] and POSS-UCNPs(Tm), excited with a 980 nm laser (100 mW cm-2). In vivo UCL imaging of Kunming mice after intravenous injection with POSS-UCNPs(Tm) at different time points. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr00950b

IR-stimulated visible fluorescence in pink and brown diamond.

PubMed

Byrne, K S; Chapman, J G; Luiten, A N

2014-03-19

Irradiation of natural pink and brown diamond by middle-ultraviolet light (photon energy ϵ ≥ 4.1 eV ) is seen to induce anomalous fluorescence phenomena at N3 defect centres (structure N3-V). When diamonds primed in this fashion are subsequently exposed to infrared light (even with a delay of many hours), a transient burst of blue N3 fluorescence is observed. The dependence of this IR-triggered fluorescence on pump wavelength and intensity suggest that this fluorescence phenomena is intrinsically related to pink diamond photochromism. An energy transfer process between N3 defects and other defect species can account for both the UV-induced fluorescence intensity changes, and the apparent optical upconversion of IR light. From this standpoint, we consider the implications of this N3 fluorescence behaviour for the current understanding of pink diamond photochromism kinetics.

Lighting theory and luminous characteristics of white light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, Yuji; Taguchi, Tsunemasa

2005-12-01

A near-ultraviolet (UV)-based white light-emitting diode (LED) lighting system linked with a semiconductor InGaN LED and compound phosphors for general lighting applications is proposed. We have developed for the first time a novel type of high-color rendering index (Ra) white LED light source, which is composed of near-UV LED and multiphosphor materials showing orange (O), yellow (Y), green (G), and blue (B) emissions. The white LED shows the superior characteristics of luminous efficacy and high Ra to be about 40 lm/W and 93, respectively. Luminous and chromaticity characteristics, and their spectral distribution of the present white LED can be evaluated using the multipoint LED light source theory. It is revealed that the OYGB white LED can provide better irradiance properties than that of conventional white LEDs. Near-UV white LED technologies, in conjunction with phosphor blends, can offer superior color uniformity, high Ra, and excellent light quality. Consequently we are carrying out a "white LEDs for medical applications" program in the second phase of this national project from 2004 to 2009.

Ultrafast Fluorescence Spectroscopy via Upconversion: Applications to Biophysics

PubMed Central

Xu, Jianhua; Knutson, Jay R.

2012-01-01

This chapter reviews basic concepts of nonlinear fluorescence upconversion, a technique whose temporal resolution is essentially limited only by the pulse width of the ultrafast laser. Design aspects for upconversion spectrophotofluorometers are discussed, and a recently developed system is described. We discuss applications in biophysics, particularly the measurement of time-resolved fluorescence spectra of proteins (with subpicosecond time resolution). Application of this technique to biophysical problems such as dynamics of tryptophan, peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids is reviewed. PMID:19152860

Paradigms and challenges for bioapplication of rare earth upconversion luminescent nanoparticles: small size and tunable emission/excitation spectra.

PubMed

Sun, Ling-Dong; Wang, Ye-Fu; Yan, Chun-Hua

2014-04-15

Rare earth (RE) materials, which are excited in the ultraviolet and emit in the visible light spectrum, are widely used as phosphors for lamps and displays. In the 1960's, researchers reported an abnormal emission phenomenon where photons emitted from a RE element carried more energy than those absorbed, owing to the sequential energy transfer between two RE ions--Yb(3+)-sensitized Er(3+) or Tm(3+)--in the solid state. After further study, researchers named this abnormal emission phenomenon upconversion (UC) emission. More recent approaches take advantage of solution-based synthesis, which allows creation of homogenous RE nanoparticles (NPs) with controlled size and structure that are capable of UC emission. Such nanoparticles are useful for many applications, especially in biology. For these applications, researchers seek small NPs with high upconversion emission intensity. These UCNPs have the potential to have multicolor and tunable emissions via various activators. A vast potential for future development remains by developing molecular antennas and energy transfer within RE ions. We expect UCNPs with optimized spectra behavior to meet the increasing demand of potential applications in bioimaging, biological detection, and light conversion. This Account focuses on efforts to control the size and modulate the spectra of UCNPs. We first review efforts in size control. One method is careful control of the synthesis conditions to manipulate particle nucleation and growth, but more recently researchers have learned that the doping conditions can affect the size of UCNPs. In addition, constructing homogeneous core/shell structures can control nanoparticle size by adjusting the shell thickness. After reviewing size control, we consider how diverse applications impose different requirements on excitation and/or emission photons and review recent developments on tuning of UC spectral profiles, especially the extension of excitation/emission wavelengths and the adjustment and purification of emission colors. We describe strategies that employ various dopants and others that build rationally designed nanostructures and nanocomposites to meet these goals. As the understanding of the energy transfer in the UC process has improved, core/shell structures have been proved useful for simultaneous tuning of excitation and emission wavelengths. Finally, we present a number of typical examples to highlight the upconverted emission in various applications, including imaging, detection, and sensing. We believe that with deeper understanding of emission phenomena and the ability to tune spectral profiles, UCNPs could play an important role in light conversion studies and applications.

Nd3+, Yb3+ and Ho3+ Codoped Oxyfluoride Glass Ceramics with High Efficient Green Upconversion Luminescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jun-Jie; Kawamoto, Yoji; Dai, Shi-Xun; Zhang, Li-Yan; Hu, Li-Li

2004-06-01

New oxyfluoride glasses and glass ceramic codoped with Nd3+, Yb3+ and Ho3+ were prepared. The x-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the heat treatments of the oxyfluoride glasses could cause the precipitation of (Nd3+, Yb3+, Ho3+)-doped fluorite-type crystals. Very strong green up-conversion luminescence due to the Ho3+: (5F4, 5S2)rightarrow5I8 transition under 800-nm excitation was observed in these transparent glass ceramics. The intensity of the green up-conversion luminescence in a 1-mol% YbF3-containing glass ceramic was found to be about 120 times stronger than that in the precursor oxyfluoride glass. The reason for the highly efficient Ho3+ up-conversion luminescence in the oxyfluoride glass ceramics is discussed.

Upconversion properties of Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped TeO2-TiO2-K2O glasses.

PubMed

Su, Fangning; Deng, Zaide

2006-01-01

The Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped TeO2-TiO2-K2O glasses were prepared by conventional melting procedures, and their upconversion spectra were performed. The dependence of luminescence intensity on the ratio of Yb3+/Er3+ was studied, and the relationship between green upconversion luminescence intensity and Er3+ concentration is discussed in detail. The 546 nm green upconversion luminescence intensity is optimised in the studied glasses either when the Yb3+/Er3+ ratio is 25/1 and Er3+ concentration is 0.1 mol%, or when the Yb3+/Er3+ ratio is 10/1 and Er3+ concentration is 0.15 mol%. These glasses could be one of the potential candidates for LD pumping microchip solid-state lasers.

Cavity-Enhanced Spectroscopy of Molecular Ions in the Mid-Infrared with Up-Conversion Detection and Brewster-Plate Spoilers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markus, Charles R.; McCollum, Jefferson E.; Hodges, James Neil; Perry, Adam J.; McCall, Benjamin J.

2017-06-01

Molecular ions are challenging to study with conventional spectroscopic methods. Laboratory discharges produce ions in trace quantities which can be obscured by the abundant neutral molecules present. The technique Noise Immune Cavity Enhanced Optical Heterodyne Velocity Modulation Spectroscopy (NICE-OHVMS) overcomes these challenges by combining the ion-neutral discrimination of velocity modulation spectroscopy with the sensitivity of Noise-Immune Cavity-Enhanced Optical Heterodyne Molecular Spectroscopy (NICE-OHMS), and has been able to determine transition frequencies of molecular ions in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) with sub-MHz uncertainties when calibrated with an optical frequency comb. However, the extent of these studies was limited by the presence of fringes due to parasitic etalons and the speed and noise characteristics of mid-IR detectors. Recently, we have overcome these limitations by implementing up-conversion detection and dithered optics. We performed up-conversion using periodically poled lithium niobate to convert light from the mid-IR to the visible to be within the coverage of sensitive and fast silicon detectors while maintaining our heterodyne and velocity modulation signals. The parasitic etalons were removed by rapidly rotating CaF_2 windows with galvanometers, which is known as a Brewster-plate spoiler, which averaged out the fringes in detection. Together, these improved the sensitivity by more than an order of magnitude and have enabled extended spectroscopic surveys of molecular ions in the mid-IR. J. N. Hodges, A. J. Perry, P. A. Jenkins II, B. M. Siller, and B. J. McCall, J. Chem. Phys. (2013), 139, 164201. C. R. Webster, J. Opt. Soc. Am. B (1985), 2, 1464. C. R. Markus, A. J. Perry, J. N. Hodges, and B. J. McCall, Opt. Express (2017), 25, 3709-3721.

Efficient and Stable CsPb(Br/I)3@Anthracene Composites for White Light-Emitting Devices.

PubMed

Shen, Xinyu; Sun, Chun; Bai, Xue; Zhang, Xiaoyu; Wang, Yu; Wang, Yiding; Song, Hongwei; Yu, William W

2018-05-16

Inorganic perovskite quantum dots bear many unique properties that make them potential candidates for optoelectronic applications, including color display and lighting. However, the white emission with inorganic perovskite quantum dots has rarely been realized due to the anion-exchange reaction. Here, we proposed a one-pot preparation to fabricate inorganic perovskite quantum dot-based white light-emitting composites by introducing anthracene as a blue emission component. The as-prepared white light-emitting composite exhibited a photoluminescence quantum yield of 41.9%. By combining CsPb(Br/I) 3 @anthracene composites with UV light-emitting device (LED) chips, white light-emitting devices with a color rendering index of 90 were realized with tunable color temperature from warm white to cool white. These results can promote the application of inorganic perovskite quantum dots in the field of white LEDs.

Measuring upconversion nanoparticles photoluminescence lifetime with FastFLIM and phasor plots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yuansheng; Lee, Hsien-Ming; Qiu, Hailin; Liao, Shih-Chu Jeff; Coskun, Ulas; Barbieri, Beniamino

2018-02-01

Photon upconversion is a nonlinear process in which the sequential of absorption of two or more photons leads to the anti-stoke emission. Different than the conventional multiphoton excitation process, upconversion can be efficiently performed at low excitation densities. Recent developments in lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have led to a diversity of applications, including detecting and sensing of biomolecules, imaging of live cells, tissues and animals, cancer diagnostic and therapy, etc. Measuring the upconversion lifetime provides a new dimension of its imaging and opens a new window for its applications. Due to the long metastable intermediate excited state, UCNP typically has a long excited state lifetime ranging from sub-microseconds to milliseconds. Here, we present a novel development using the FastFLIM technique to measure UCNP lifetime by laser scanning confocal microscopy. FastFLIM is capable of measuring lifetime from 100 ps to 100 ms and features the high data collection efficiency (up to 140-million counts per second). Other than the traditional nonlinear least-square fitting analysis, the raw data acquired by FastFLIM can be directly processed by the model-free phasor plots approach for instant and unbiased lifetime results, providing the ideal routine for the UCNP photoluminescence lifetime microscopy imaging.

Frequency upconversion in Er3+ doped tungsten tellurite glass containing Ag nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahajan, S. K.; Parashar, J.

2018-05-01

The frequency upconversion emission in Er3+ doped TeO2-WO3-Li2O containing Ag nanoparticle (TWLEOAG) glasses at 980nm excitation is reported. The absorption spectra reveal not only the peaks due to Er3+ ions, but also the surface plasmon resonance band of silver NPs located around 525nm and 650 nm. The spherical AgNPs with average size ˜38 nm in the glassy matrix is evidenced from the TEM measurement. Under 980nm laser excitation upconversion emission spectra show two major emission at 550nm and 638nm originating from 4S3/2 and 4F9/2 energy levels of the Er3+ ions, respectively was observed. Upconversion emission enhancement factor 7 fold has been measured for sample heat treated during 40h. However for 18h heat treated TWLEOAG sample under 980 nm flash lamp excitation produced Intense green compare to red emission. Since the 980nm frequency is far from the AgNPs surface plasmon resonance frequency, visible emission ehancement is attributed to local field increase in proximity of the Ag NPs and not energy tranfer from NPs to emitters. Possible energy transfer upconversion mechanism has been also discussed.

Inorganic photosensitizer coupled Gd-based upconversion luminescent nanocomposites for in vivo magnetic resonance imaging and near-infrared-responsive photodynamic therapy in cancers.

PubMed

Zhang, Ling'e; Zeng, Leyong; Pan, Yuanwei; Luo, Song; Ren, Wenzhi; Gong, An; Ma, Xuehua; Liang, Hongze; Lu, Guangming; Wu, Aiguo

2015-03-01

Inorganic photosensitizer coupled Gd-based upconversion luminescent (UCL) nanocomposites have potential application for both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancers using the light stability and biocompatibility of TiO2 inorganic photosensitizer. However, TiO2 inorganic photosensitizer could only be excited by ultraviolet (UV) light, which was harmful and weakly penetrable in tissues. In this work, folic acid (FA)-targeted NaGdF4:Yb/Tm@SiO2@TiO2 nanocomposites (FA-Gd-Si-Ti NPs) were constructed and synthesized for both in vivo MRI and near infrared (NIR)-responsive inorganic PDT, in which TiO2 component could be excited by NIR light due to the UCL performance of NaGdF4:Yb/Tm component converting NIR to UV light. The results showed the as-prepared FA-Gd-Si-Ti NPs had good biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, MR study indicated that FA-Gd-Si-Ti NPs were good T1-weighted MRI contrast agents with high longitudinal relaxivity (r1) of 4.53 mm(-1) s(-1), also in vivo MRI of nude mice showed "bright" signal in MCF-7 tumor. Under the irradiation of 980 nm laser at the power density of 0.6 W/cm(2) for 20 min, the viability of HeLa and MCF-7 cells incubated with FA-Gd-Si-Ti NPs could decrease from about 90 % to 35 % and 31%, respectively. Furthermore, in vivo PDT of MCF-7 tumor-bearing nude mice model showed that the inhibition ratio of tumors injected with FA-Gd-Si-Ti NPs reached up to 88.6% after 2-week treatment, compared with that of nude mice in control group. Based on the deep penetration of NIR light and the good biocompatibility of TiO2 inorganic photosensitizer, the as-prepared FA-Gd-Si-Ti NPs could have potential applications in both MRI and NIR-responsive PDT of cancers in deep tissues. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Limitations on the upconversion of ion sound to Langmuir turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vlahos, L.; Papadopoulos, K.

1982-01-01

The weak turbulence theory of Tsytovich, Stenflo and Wilhelmsson (1981) for evaluation of the nonlinear transfer of ion acoustic waves to Langmuir waves is shown to be limited in its region of validity to the level of ion acoustic waves. It is also demonstrated that, in applying the upconversion of ion sound to Langmuir waves for electron acceleration, nonlinear scattering should be self-consistently included, with a suppression of the upconversion process resulting. The impossibility of accelerating electrons by such a process for any reasonable physical system is thereby reaffirmed.

Increasing conversion efficiency of two-step photon up-conversion solar cell with a voltage booster hetero-interface.

PubMed

Asahi, Shigeo; Kusaki, Kazuki; Harada, Yukihiro; Kita, Takashi

2018-01-17

Development of high-efficiency solar cells is one of the attractive challenges in renewable energy technologies. Photon up-conversion can reduce the transmission loss and is one of the promising concepts which improve conversion efficiency. Here we present an analysis of the conversion efficiency, which can be increased by up-conversion in a single-junction solar cell with a hetero-interface that boosts the output voltage. We confirm that an increase in the quasi-Fermi gap and substantial photocurrent generation result in a high conversion efficiency.

Ultralow noise up-conversion detector and spectrometer for the telecom band.

PubMed

Shentu, Guo-Liang; Pelc, Jason S; Wang, Xiao-Dong; Sun, Qi-Chao; Zheng, Ming-Yang; Fejer, M M; Zhang, Qiang; Pan, Jian-Wei

2013-06-17

We demonstrate up-conversion single-photon detection for the 1550-nm telecommunications band using a PPLN waveguide, long-wavelength pump, and narrowband filtering using a volume Bragg grating. We achieve total-system detection efficiency of around 30% with noise at the dark-count level of a Silicon APD. Based on the new detector, a single-pixel up-conversion infrared spectrometer with a noise equivalent power of -142 dBm Hz(-1/2) was demonstrated, which was as good as a liquid nitrogen cooled CCD camera.

Green light may improve diagnostic accuracy of nailfold capillaroscopy with a simple digital videomicroscope.

PubMed

Weekenstroo, Harm H A; Cornelissen, Bart M W; Bernelot Moens, Hein J

2015-06-01

Nailfold capillaroscopy is a non-invasive and safe technique for the analysis of microangiopathologies. Imaging quality of widely used simple videomicroscopes is poor. The use of green illumination instead of the commonly used white light may improve contrast. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of green illumination with white illumination, regarding capillary density, the number of microangiopathologies, and sensitivity and specificity for systemic sclerosis. Five rheumatologists have evaluated 80 images; 40 images acquired with green light, and 40 images acquired with white light. A larger number of microangiopathologies were found in images acquired with green light than in images acquired with white light. This results in slightly higher sensitivity with green light in comparison with white light, without reducing the specificity. These findings suggest that green instead of white illumination may facilitate evaluation of capillaroscopic images obtained with a low-cost digital videomicroscope.

Structure and up-conversion luminescence in sol-gel derived Er 3+-Yb 3+ co-doped SiO 2:PbF 2 nano-glass-ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

del-Castillo, J.; Yanes, A. C.; Méndez-Ramos, J.; Tikhomirov, V. K.; Rodríguez, V. D.

2009-11-01

Transparent oxyfluoride nano-glass-ceramics 90(SiO 2)10(PbF 2) co-doped with 0.3 Yb 3+ and 0.1 Er 3+ (mol%) have been prepared by thermal treatment of precursor sol-gel glasses. X-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis pointed out a precipitation of cubic β-PbF 2 nanocrystals of certain diameter in nano-glass-ceramics varying from 10 to 20 nm depending on heat treatment conditions. The incorporation of Yb 3+ and Er 3+ dopants in these nanocrystals has been confirmed by signatures of luminescence spectroscopy. Up-conversion luminescence pumped at 980 nm has been detected. Colour tuneability of up-conversion luminescence varying pump power has been analyzed in terms of standard chromaticity diagram. This tuneability opens applications for up-conversion phosphors and three-dimensional optical recording.

Realizing up-conversion fluorescence tuning in lanthanide-doped nanocrystals by femtosecond pulse shaping method

PubMed Central

Zhang, Shian; Yao, Yunhua; Shuwu, Xu; Liu, Pei; Ding, Jingxin; Jia, Tianqing; Qiu, Jianrong; Sun, Zhenrong

2015-01-01

The ability to tune color output of nanomaterials is very important for their applications in laser, optoelectronic device, color display and multiplexed biolabeling. Here we first propose a femtosecond pulse shaping technique to realize the up-conversion fluorescence tuning in lanthanide-doped nanocrystals dispersed in the glass. The multiple subpulse formation by a square phase modulation can create different excitation pathways for various up-conversion fluorescence generations. By properly controlling these excitation pathways, the multicolor up-conversion fluorescence can be finely tuned. This color tuning by the femtosecond pulse shaping technique is realized in single material by single-color laser field, which is highly desirable for further applications of the lanthanide-doped nanocrystals. This femtosecond pulse shaping technique opens an opportunity to tune the color output in the lanthanide-doped nanocrystals, which may bring a new revolution in the control of luminescence properties of nanomaterials. PMID:26290391

Microwave hydrothermal synthesis and upconversion properties of Yb3+/Er3+ doped YVO4 nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kshetri, Yuwaraj K.; Regmi, Chhabilal; Kim, Hak-Soo; Wohn Lee, Soo; Kim, Tae-Ho

2018-05-01

Yb3+ and Er3+ doped YVO4 (Yb3+/Er3+:YVO4) nanoparticles with highly efficient near-infrared to visible upconversion properties have been synthesized by microwave hydrothermal process. Uniform-sized Yb3+/Er3+:YVO4 nanoparticles were synthesized within 1 h at 140 °C which is relatively faster than the conventional hydrothermal process. Under 980 nm laser excitation, strong green and less strong red emissions are observed which are attributed to 2H11/2, 4S3/2 to 4I15/2 and 4F9/2 to 4I15/2 transitions of Er3+ respectively. The emission intensity is found to depend strongly on the concentration of Yb3+. The quadratic dependence of upconversion intensity on the excitation power indicates that the upconversion process is governed by two-photon absorption process.

[Up-conversion luminescent materials of Y2O3: RE(RE=Er or Er/Yb) prepared by sol-gel combustion synthesis].

PubMed

Han, Peng-de; Zhang, Le; Huang, Xiao-gu; Wang, Li-xi; Zhang, Qi-tu

2010-11-01

Y2O3 powders doped with rare-earth ions were synthesized by sol-gel combustion synthesis. Effects of different calcinating temperatures, Er+ doping concentration and Yb3+ doping concentration were investigated. It was shown that the single well crystallized Y2O3 powders could be obtained at 800 degrees C; as the calcinating temperature increased, the crystallinity and upconversion luminescence intensity were higher; the particle size was uniform around 1 microm at 900 degrees C; when Er3+ doping concentration was 1 mol%, the green upconversion luminescence intensity reached the maximum, but for red upconversion luminescence, when Er3+ doping concentration was 4 mol%, its luminescence intensity reached the maximum; as the ratio of Yb3+ to Er3+ was 4:1, the green emission intensity reached the maximum, while the red emission intensity was always increasing as Yb3+ doping concentration increased.

Microwave hydrothermal synthesis and upconversion properties of Yb3+/Er3+ doped YVO4 nanoparticles.

PubMed

Kshetri, Yuwaraj K; Regmi, Chhabilal; Kim, Hak-Soo; Lee, Soo Wohn; Kim, Tae-Ho

2018-05-18

Yb 3+ and Er 3+ doped YVO 4 (Yb 3+ /Er 3+ :YVO 4 ) nanoparticles with highly efficient near-infrared to visible upconversion properties have been synthesized by microwave hydrothermal process. Uniform-sized Yb 3+ /Er 3+ :YVO 4 nanoparticles were synthesized within 1 h at 140 °C which is relatively faster than the conventional hydrothermal process. Under 980 nm laser excitation, strong green and less strong red emissions are observed which are attributed to 2 H 11/2 , 4 S 3/2 to 4 I 15/2 and 4 F 9/2 to 4 I 15/2 transitions of Er 3+ respectively. The emission intensity is found to depend strongly on the concentration of Yb 3+ . The quadratic dependence of upconversion intensity on the excitation power indicates that the upconversion process is governed by two-photon absorption process.

Single-band upconversion nanoprobes for multiplexed simultaneous in situ molecular mapping of cancer biomarkers.

PubMed

Zhou, Lei; Wang, Rui; Yao, Chi; Li, Xiaomin; Wang, Chengli; Zhang, Xiaoyan; Xu, Congjian; Zeng, Aijun; Zhao, Dongyuan; Zhang, Fan

2015-04-24

The identification of potential diagnostic markers and target molecules among the plethora of tumour oncoproteins for cancer diagnosis requires facile technology that is capable of quantitatively analysing multiple biomarkers in tumour cells and tissues. Diagnostic and prognostic classifications of human tumours are currently based on the western blotting and single-colour immunohistochemical methods that are not suitable for multiplexed detection. Herein, we report a general and novel method to prepare single-band upconversion nanoparticles with different colours. The expression levels of three biomarkers in breast cancer cells were determined using single-band upconversion nanoparticles, western blotting and immunohistochemical technologies with excellent correlation. Significantly, the application of antibody-conjugated single-band upconversion nanoparticle molecular profiling technology can achieve the multiplexed simultaneous in situ biodetection of biomarkers in breast cancer cells and tissue specimens and produce more accurate results for the simultaneous quantification of proteins present at low levels compared with classical immunohistochemical technology.

Optical Temperature Sensor Based on Infrared Excited Green Upconversion Emission in Hexagonal Phase NaLuF4:Yb3+/Er3+ Nanorods.

PubMed

Li, Dongyu; Tian, Linlin; Huang, Zhen; Shao, Lexi; Quan, Jun; Wang, Yuxiao

2016-04-01

Hexagonal phase NaLuF4:Yb3+/Er3+ nanorods were synthesized hydrothermally. An analysis of the intense green upconversion emissions at 525 nm and 550 nm in hexagonal phase NaLuF4:Yb3/+Er3+ nanorods under excitation power density of 4.2 W/cm2 available from a diode laser emitting at 976 nm, have been undertaken. Fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) variation of temperature-sensitive green upconversion emissions at 525 nm and 550 nm in this material was recorded in the physiological range from 295 to 343 K. The maximum sensitivity derived from the FIR technique of the green upconversion emissions is approximately 0.0044 K-1. Experimental results implied that hexagonal phase NaLuF4:Yb3/+Er3+ nanorods was a potential candidate for optical temperature sensor.

Triplet-triplet annihilation photon-upconversion: towards solar energy applications.

PubMed

Gray, Victor; Dzebo, Damir; Abrahamsson, Maria; Albinsson, Bo; Moth-Poulsen, Kasper

2014-06-14

Solar power production and solar energy storage are important research areas for development of technologies that can facilitate a transition to a future society independent of fossil fuel based energy sources. Devices for direct conversion of solar photons suffer from poor efficiencies due to spectrum losses, which are caused by energy mismatch between the optical absorption of the devices and the broadband irradiation provided by the sun. In this context, photon-upconversion technologies are becoming increasingly interesting since they might offer an efficient way of converting low energy solar energy photons into higher energy photons, ideal for solar power production and solar energy storage. This perspective discusses recent progress in triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) photon-upconversion systems and devices for solar energy applications. Furthermore, challenges with evaluation of the efficiency of TTA-photon-upconversion systems are discussed and a general approach for evaluation and comparison of existing systems is suggested.

Intense upconversion luminescence and effect of local environment for Tm3+/Yb3+ co-doped novel TeO2-BiCl3 glass system.

PubMed

Wang, Guonian; Dai, Shixun; Zhang, Junjie; Wen, Lei; Yang, Jianhu; Jiang, Zhonghong

2006-05-15

We present the results of a study that uses theoretical and experimental methods to investigate the characteristics of the upconversion luminescence of Tm3+/Yb3+ codoped TeO2-BiCl3 glass system as a function of the BiCl3 fraction. These glasses are potentially important in the design of upconversion fiber lasers. Effect of local environment around Tm3+ on upconversion fluorescence intensity was analyzed by theoretical calculations. The structure and spectroscopic properties were investigated in the experiments by measuring the Raman spectra, IR transmission spectra, and absorption and fluorescence intensities at room temperature. The results indicate that blue luminescence quantum efficiency increases with increasing BiCl3 content from 10 to 60 mol%, which were interpreted by the increase of asymmetry of glass structure, decrease of phonon energy and removing of OH- groups.

Preparation of silica coated and 90Y-radiolabeled β-NaYF4 upconverting nanophosphors for multimodal tracing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najmr, Stan; Lu, Tianfeng; Keller, Austin W.; Zhang, Mingyue; Lee, Jennifer D.; Makvandi, Mehran; Pryma, Daniel A.; Kagan, Cherie R.; Murray, Christopher B.

2018-06-01

Rare-earth (RE) compounds have been actively pursued for therapeutic and diagnostic applications due to their ability to upconvert near infrared light into the UV–vis range. Through nanoengineering and bottom-up synthesis, additional functionality can be added to these upconverting systems. Herein, we report the synthesis of 90Y-doped β-NaYF4:Er, Yb upconverting nanophosphors (UCNPs) to enable β-particle emission and upconversion by the same UCNP. To homogenously incorporate the radionuclides, we employ a hydroxide metathesis method to produce the RE precursor required for the solvothermal synthesis of monodisperse UCNPs. Once incorporated, we find that the β-emitting 90Y dopants do not influence the energy pathways required for upconversion, enabling simultaneous radio- and optical-tracing. The resulting large (>100 nm in height and width), anisotropic, 90Y-radiolabeled β-NaYF4 UCNPs are then coated with silica using a modified, micelle-driven Stöber process to enable their dispersion in polar solvents. Doing so highlights the importance of surfactant (Igepal CO-520) and silica source (tetraethyl orthosilicate) interactions to the continuity of the silica shell and makes the vast library of silica surface chemistry and functionality accessible to upconverting radiotracers.

Dual enhancement of electroluminescence efficiency and operational stability by rapid upconversion of triplet excitons in OLEDs

PubMed Central

Furukawa, Taro; Nakanotani, Hajime; Inoue, Munetomo; Adachi, Chihaya

2015-01-01

Recently, triplet harvesting via a thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) process has been established as a realistic route for obtaining ultimate internal electroluminescence (EL) quantum efficiency in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, the possibility that the rather long transient lifetime of the triplet excited states would reduce operational stability due to an increased chance for unwarranted chemical reactions has been a concern. Herein, we demonstrate dual enhancement of EL efficiency and operational stability in OLEDs by employing a TADF molecule as an assistant dopant and a fluorescent molecule as an end emitter. The proper combination of assistant dopant and emitter molecules realized a “one-way” rapid Förster energy transfer of singlet excitons from TADF molecules to fluorescent emitters, reducing the number of cycles of intersystem crossing (ISC) and reverse ISC in the TADF molecules and resulting in a significant enhancement of operational stability compared to OLEDs with a TADF molecule as the end emitter. In addition, we found that the presence of this rapid energy transfer significantly suppresses singlet-triplet annihilation. Using this finely-tuned rapid triplet-exciton upconversion scheme, OLED performance and lifetime was greatly improved. PMID:25673259

Sensing Using Rare-Earth-Doped Upconversion Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Hao, Shuwei; Chen, Guanying; Yang, Chunhui

2013-01-01

Optical sensing plays an important role in theranostics due to its capability to detect hint biochemical entities or molecular targets as well as to precisely monitor specific fundamental psychological processes. Rare-earth (RE) doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are promising for these endeavors due to their unique frequency converting capability; they emit efficient and sharp visible or ultraviolet (UV) luminescence via use of ladder-like energy levels of RE ions when excited at near infrared (NIR) light that are silent to tissues. These features allow not only a high penetration depth in biological tissues but also a high detection sensitivity. Indeed, the energy transfer between UCNPs and biomolecular or chemical indicators provide opportunities for high-sensitive bio- and chemical-sensing. A temperature-sensitive change of the intensity ratio between two close UC bands promises them for use in temperature mapping of a single living cell. In this work, we review recent investigations on using UCNPs for the detection of biomolecules (avidin, ATP, etc.), ions (cyanide, mecury, etc.), small gas molecules (oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia, etc.), as well as for in vitro temperature sensing. We also briefly summarize chemical methods in synthesizing UCNPs of high efficiency that are important for the detection limit. PMID:23650480

Methods and compositions for the upconversion of light

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baldo, Marc A.; Congreve, Daniel N.; Thompson, Nicholas John

The present invention generally relates to composition and methods for upconverting light. In some embodiments, the composition and methods comprise an organic material, a nanocrystal, and a ligand capable of facilitating energy transfer between the nanocrystal and the organic material. In certain embodiments, the nanocrystal has a first excited energy state with an energy greater than a triplet state of the organic material. The organic material, in some embodiments, may be aromatic and/or include one or more pi-conjugated carbon-carbon double bonds. In some cases, incident light may be absorbed by the nanocrystal to produce triplet excitons. The triplet excitons maymore » then transfer from the nanocrystal to the organic material and undergo triplet-triplet annihilation, creating a singlet state of approximately twice the energy of the triplet exciton. In certain embodiments, the singlet state fluoresces, resulting in the formation of a high energy photon.« less

Size-tunable and monodisperse Tm³⁺/Gd³⁺-doped hexagonal NaYbF₄ nanoparticles with engineered efficient near infrared-to-near infrared upconversion for in vivo imaging.

PubMed

Damasco, Jossana A; Chen, Guanying; Shao, Wei; Ågren, Hans; Huang, Haoyuan; Song, Wentao; Lovell, Jonathan F; Prasad, Paras N

2014-08-27

Hexagonal NaYbF4:Tm(3+) upconversion nanoparticles hold promise for use in high contrast near-infrared-to-near-infrared (NIR-to-NIR) in vitro and in vivo bioimaging. However, significant hurdles remain in their preparation and control of their morphology and size, as well as in enhancement of their upconversion efficiency. Here, we describe a systematic approach to produce highly controlled hexagonal NaYbF4:Tm(3+) nanoparticles with superior upconversion. We found that doping appropriate concentrations of trivalent gadolinium (Gd(3+)) can convert NaYbF4:Tm(3+) 0.5% nanoparticles with cubic phase and irregular shape into highly monodisperse NaYbF4:Tm(3+) 0.5% nanoplates or nanospheres in a pure hexagonal-phase and of tunable size. The intensity and the lifetime of the upconverted NIR luminescence at 800 nm exhibit a direct dependence on the size distribution of the resulting nanoparticles, being ascribed to the varied surface-to-volume ratios determined by the different nanoparticle size. Epitaxial growth of a thin NaYF4 shell layer of ∼2 nm on the ∼22 nm core of hexagonal NaYbF4:Gd(3+) 30%/Tm(3+) 0.5% nanoparticles resulted in a dramatic 350 fold NIR upconversion efficiency enhancement, because of effective suppression of surface-related quenching mechanisms. In vivo NIR-to-NIR upconversion imaging was demonstrated using a dispersion of phospholipid-polyethylene glycol (DSPE-PEG)-coated core/shell nanoparticles in phosphate buffered saline.

Size-Tunable and Monodisperse Tm3+/Gd3+-Doped Hexagonal NaYbF4 Nanoparticles with Engineered Efficient Near Infrared-to-Near Infrared Upconversion for In Vivo Imaging

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Hexagonal NaYbF4:Tm3+ upconversion nanoparticles hold promise for use in high contrast near-infrared-to-near-infrared (NIR-to-NIR) in vitro and in vivo bioimaging. However, significant hurdles remain in their preparation and control of their morphology and size, as well as in enhancement of their upconversion efficiency. Here, we describe a systematic approach to produce highly controlled hexagonal NaYbF4:Tm3+ nanoparticles with superior upconversion. We found that doping appropriate concentrations of trivalent gadolinium (Gd3+) can convert NaYbF4:Tm3+ 0.5% nanoparticles with cubic phase and irregular shape into highly monodisperse NaYbF4:Tm3+ 0.5% nanoplates or nanospheres in a pure hexagonal-phase and of tunable size. The intensity and the lifetime of the upconverted NIR luminescence at 800 nm exhibit a direct dependence on the size distribution of the resulting nanoparticles, being ascribed to the varied surface-to-volume ratios determined by the different nanoparticle size. Epitaxial growth of a thin NaYF4 shell layer of ∼2 nm on the ∼22 nm core of hexagonal NaYbF4:Gd3+ 30%/Tm3+ 0.5% nanoparticles resulted in a dramatic 350 fold NIR upconversion efficiency enhancement, because of effective suppression of surface-related quenching mechanisms. In vivo NIR-to-NIR upconversion imaging was demonstrated using a dispersion of phospholipid-polyethylene glycol (DSPE-PEG)-coated core/shell nanoparticles in phosphate buffered saline. PMID:25027118

High-efficiency electroluminescence and amplified spontaneous emission from a thermally activated delayed fluorescent near-infrared emitter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Dae-Hyeon; D'Aléo, Anthony; Chen, Xian-Kai; Sandanayaka, Atula D. S.; Yao, Dandan; Zhao, Li; Komino, Takeshi; Zaborova, Elena; Canard, Gabriel; Tsuchiya, Youichi; Choi, Eunyoung; Wu, Jeong Weon; Fages, Frédéric; Brédas, Jean-Luc; Ribierre, Jean-Charles; Adachi, Chihaya

2018-02-01

Near-infrared organic light-emitting diodes and semiconductor lasers could benefit a variety of applications including night-vision displays, sensors and information-secured displays. Organic dyes can generate electroluminescence efficiently at visible wavelengths, but organic light-emitting diodes are still underperforming in the near-infrared region. Here, we report thermally activated delayed fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes that operate at near-infrared wavelengths with a maximum external quantum efficiency of nearly 10% using a boron difluoride curcuminoid derivative. As well as an effective upconversion from triplet to singlet excited states due to the non-adiabatic coupling effect, this donor-acceptor-donor compound also exhibits efficient amplified spontaneous emission. By controlling the polarity of the active medium, the maximum emission wavelength of the electroluminescence spectrum can be tuned from 700 to 780 nm. This study represents an important advance in near-infrared organic light-emitting diodes and the design of alternative molecular architectures for photonic applications based on thermally activated delayed fluorescence.

Strong upconversion from Er3Al5O12 ceramic powders prepared by low temperature direct combustion synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maciel, Glauco S.; Rakov, Nikifor; Fokine, Michael; Carvalho, Isabel C. S.; Pinheiro, Carlos B.

2006-08-01

Crystalline ceramic powders of Er3Al5O12 were obtained by low temperature direct combustion synthesis. Irradiating the sample with a low-power continuous-wave infrared (1.48μm) diode laser led to ultraviolet, violet, blue, green, and red (380, 410, 456, 495, 525, 550, and 660nm) emissions. The strong upconversion luminescence appeared to the eyes as an intense green color. The presence of efficient four- and three-photon frequency upconversion processes makes this material an excellent candidate for use in photonic devices based on upconverter phosphors.

Upconversion-based receivers for quantum hacking-resistant quantum key distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Nitin; Kanter, Gregory S.

2016-07-01

We propose a novel upconversion (sum frequency generation)-based quantum-optical system design that can be employed as a receiver (Bob) in practical quantum key distribution systems. The pump governing the upconversion process is produced and utilized inside the physical receiver, making its access or control unrealistic for an external adversary (Eve). This pump facilitates several properties which permit Bob to define and control the modes that can participate in the quantum measurement. Furthermore, by manipulating and monitoring the characteristics of the pump pulses, Bob can detect a wide range of quantum hacking attacks launched by Eve.

Yb3+ sensitized Tm3+ upconversion in tellurite lead oxide glass.

PubMed

Mohanty, Deepak Kumar; Rai, Vineet Kumar; Dwivedi, Y

2012-04-01

Triply ionized thulium/thulium--ytterbium doped/codoped TeO2-Pb3O4 (TPO) glasses have been fabricated by classical quenching method. The upconversion emission spectra in the Tm3+/Tm3+-Yb3+ doped/codoped glasses upon excitation with a diode laser lasing at ∼980 nm has been studied. Effect of the addition of the Yb3+ on the upconversion emission intensity in the visible and near infrared regions of the Tm3+ doped in TPO glass has been studied and the processes involved explored. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Blue upconversion with excitation into Tm ions at 780 nm in Yb- and Tm-codoped fluoride crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X. X.; Hong, P.; Bass, M.; Chai, B. H. T.

1995-04-01

Strong blue emissions have been observed in fluoride crystals, such as LiYF4, BaY2F8, and KYF4, codoped with Tm3+ and Yb3+ when excited into the Tm3+ 3F4 state at ~780 nm. Energy transfer from Tm3+ to Yb3+ ions followed by the transfer from Yb3+ to Tm3+ was demonstrated to be responsible for the upconversion process. A pumping scheme is proposed based on this upconversion mechanism for blue-laser applications using these materials.

Advances in highly doped upconversion nanoparticles.

PubMed

Wen, Shihui; Zhou, Jiajia; Zheng, Kezhi; Bednarkiewicz, Artur; Liu, Xiaogang; Jin, Dayong

2018-06-20

Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are capable of converting near-infra-red excitation into visible and ultraviolet emission. Their unique optical properties have advanced a broad range of applications, such as fluorescent microscopy, deep-tissue bioimaging, nanomedicine, optogenetics, security labelling and volumetric display. However, the constraint of concentration quenching on upconversion luminescence has hampered the nanoscience community to develop bright UCNPs with a large number of dopants. This review surveys recent advances in developing highly doped UCNPs, highlights the strategies that bypass the concentration quenching effect, and discusses new optical properties as well as emerging applications enabled by these nanoparticles.

The effect of micro-structure on upconversion luminescence of Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doped La2O3-TiO2-ZrO2 glass-ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Minghui; Wen, Haiqin; Pan, Xiuhong; Yu, Jianding; Jiang, Meng; Yu, Huimei; Tang, Meibo; Gai, Lijun; Ai, Fei

2018-03-01

Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doped La2O3-TiO2-ZrO2 glasses have been prepared by aerodynamic levitation method. The glasses show high refractive index of 2.28 and Abbe number of 18.3. Glass-ceramics heated at 880 °C for 50 min perform the strongest upconversion luminescence. X-ray diffraction patterns of glass-ceramics with different depths indicate that rare earth ions restrain crystallization. Body crystallization mechanism mixed with surface crystallization is confirmed in the heat treatment. Surface crystals achieve priority to grow, resulting in important effects on upconversion luminescence. The results of atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscope indicate that crystal particles with uniform size distribute densely and homogenously on the surface and large amount of glass matrix exists in the glass ceramics heated at 880 °C for 50 min. Crystals in the glass-ceramics present dense structure and strong boundaries, which can reduce the mutual nonradiative relaxation rate among rare earth ions and then improve upconversion luminescence effectively. Based on micro-structural study, the mechanism that upconversion luminescence can be improved by heat treatment has been revealed. The results of micro-structural analysis agree well with the spectra.

Spectroscopic Imaging of NIR to Visible Upconversion from NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ Nanoparticles on Au Nano-cavity Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Jon; Zhao, Bo; Lin, Cuikun; Berry, Mary; May, P. Stanley; Smith, Steve

2015-03-01

We use spectroscopic imaging to assess the spatial variations in upconversion luminescence from NaYF4:Er3+,Yb3+ nanoparticles embedded in PMMA on Au nano-cavity arrays. The nano-cavity arrays support a surface plasmon (SP) resonance at 980nm, coincident with the peak absorption of the Yb3+ sensitizer. Spatially-resolved upconversion spectra show a 30X to 3X luminescence intensity enhancement on the nano-cavity array compared to the nearby smooth Au surface, corresponding to excitation intensities from 1 W/cm2 to 300kW/cm2. Our analysis shows the power dependent enhancement in upconversion luminescence can be almost entirely accounted for by a constant shift in the effective excitation intensity, which is maintained over five orders of magnitude variation in excitation intensity. The variations in upconversion luminescence enhancement with power are modeled by a 3-level-system near the saturation limit, and by simultaneous solution of a system of coupled nonlinear differential equations, both analyses agree well with the experiments. Analysis of the statistical distribution of emission intensities in the spectroscopic images on and off the nano-cavity arrays provides an estimate of the average enhancement factor independent of fluctuations in nano-particle density. Funding provided by NSF Award # 0903685 (IGERT).

Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity toward Organic Pollutants Degradation and Mechanism Insight of Novel CQDs/Bi₂O₂CO₃ Composite.

PubMed

Zhang, Zisheng; Lin, Shuanglong; Li, Xingang; Li, Hong; Zhang, Tong; Cui, Wenquan

2018-05-15

Novel carbon quantum dots (CQDs) modified with Bi₂O₂CO₃ (CQDs/Bi₂O₂CO₃) were prepared using a simple dynamic-adsorption precipitation method. X-ray diffractometry (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to test the material composition, structure, and band structures of the as-prepared samples. Methylene blue (MB) and colorless phenol, as target organic pollutants, were used to evaluate the photocatalytic performance of the CQDs/Bi₂O₂CO₃ hybrid materials under visible light irradiation. Experimental investigation shows that 2⁻5 nm CQDs were uniformly decorated on the surface of Bi₂O₂CO₃; CQDs/Bi₂O₂CO₃ possess an efficient photocatalytic performance, and the organic matter removal rate of methylene blue and phenol can reach up to 94.45% and 61.46% respectively, within 2 h. In addition, the degradation analysis of phenol by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) proved that there are no other impurities in the degradation process. Photoelectrochemical testing proved that the introduction of CQDs (electron acceptor) effectively suppresses the recombination of e - -h⁺, and promotes charge transfer. Quenching experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) suggested that ·OH, h⁺, and ·O₂ - were involved in the photocatalytic degradation process. These results suggested that the up-conversion function of CQDs could improve the electron transfer and light absorption ability of photocatalysts and ·O₂ - formation. Furthermore, the up-conversion function of CQDs would help maintain photocatalytic stability. Finally, the photocatalytic degradation mechanism was proposed according to the above experimental result.

NIR-induced spatiotemporally controlled gene silencing by upconversion nanoparticle-based siRNA nanocarrier.

PubMed

Chen, Guojun; Ma, Ben; Xie, Ruosen; Wang, Yuyuan; Dou, Kefeng; Gong, Shaoqin

2017-12-27

Spatiotemporal control over the release or activation of biomacromolecules such as siRNA remains a significant challenge. Light-controlled release has gained popularity in recent years; however, a major limitation is that most photoactivable compounds/systems respond only to UV irradiation, but not near-infrared (NIR) light that offers a deeper tissue penetration depth and better biocompatibility. This paper reports a simple NIR-to-UV upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP)-based siRNA nanocarrier for NIR-controlled gene silencing. siRNA is complexed onto a NaYF 4 :Yb/Tm/Er UCNP through an azobenzene (Azo)-cyclodextrin (CD) host-guest interaction. The UV emission generated by the NIR-activated UCNP effectively triggers the trans-to-cis photoisomerization of azobenzene, thus leading to the release of siRNA due to unmatched host-guest pairs. The UCNP-siRNA complexes are also functionalized with PEG (i.e., UCNP-(CD/Azo)-siRNA/PEG NPs), targeting ligands (i.e., EGFR-specific GE11 peptide), acid-activatable cell-penetrating peptides (i.e., TH peptide), and imaging probes (i.e., Cy5 fluorophore). The UCNP-(CD/Azo)-siRNA/PEG NPs with both GE11 and TH peptides display a high level of cellular uptake and an excellent endosomal/lysosomal escape capability. More importantly, NIR-controlled spatiotemporal knockdown of GFP expression is successfully achieved in both a 2D monolayer cell model and a 3D multicellular tumor spheroid model. Thus, this simple and versatile nanoplatform has great potential for the selective activation or release of various biomacromolecules. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Early Birds by Light at Night: Effects of Light Color and Intensity on Daily Activity Patterns in Blue Tits.

PubMed

de Jong, Maaike; Caro, Samuel P; Gienapp, Phillip; Spoelstra, Kamiel; Visser, Marcel E

2017-08-01

Artificial light at night disturbs the daily rhythms of many organisms. To what extent this disturbance depends on the intensity and spectral composition of light remain obscure. Here, we measured daily activity patterns of captive blue tits ( Cyanistes caeruleus) exposed to similar intensities of green, red, or white light at night. Birds advanced their onset of activity in the morning under all light colors but more under red and white light than under green light. Offset of activity was slightly delayed in all light colors. The total activity over a 24-h period did not change but birds moved a part of their daily activity into the night. Since the effect of red and white lights are comparable, we tested the influence of light intensity in a follow-up experiment, where we compared the activity of the birds under different intensities of green and white light only. While in the higher range of intensities, the effects of white and green light were comparable; at lower intensities, green light had a less disturbing effect as compared with white light on daily rhythms in blue tits. Our results show that the extent of this disturbance can be mitigated by modulating the spectral characteristics and intensity of outdoor lighting, which is now feasible through the use of LED lighting.

White LEDs and modules in chip-on-board technology for general lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, Paul; Wenzl, Franz P.; Sommer, Christian; Pachler, Peter; Hoschopf, Hans; Schweighart, Marko; Hartmann, Martin; Kuna, Ladislav; Jakopic, Georg; Leising, Guenther; Tasch, Stefan

2006-08-01

At present, light-emitting diode (LED) modules in various shapes are developed and designed for the general lighting, advertisement, emergency lighting, design and architectural markets. To compete with and to surpass the performance of traditional lighting systems, enhancement of Lumen output and the white light quality as well as the thermal management and the luminary integration are key factors for success. Regarding these issues, white LEDs based on the chip-on-board (COB) technology show pronounced advantages. State-of-the-art LEDs exploiting this technology are now ready to enter the general lighting segments. We introduce and discuss the specific properties of the Tridonic COB technology dedicated for general lighting. This technology, in combination with a comprehensive set of tools to improve and to enhance the Lumen output and the white light quality, including optical simulation, is the scaffolding for the application of white LEDs in emerging areas, for which an outlook will be given.

Is White Light the Best Illumination for Palmprint Recognition?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Zhenhua; Zhang, David; Zhang, Lei

Palmprint as a new biometric has received great research attention in the past decades. It owns many merits, such as robustness, low cost, user friendliness, and high accuracy. Most of the current palmprint recognition systems use an active light to acquire clear palmprint images. Thus, light source is a key component in the system to capture enough of discriminant information for palmprint recognition. To the best of our knowledge, white light is the most widely used light source. However, little work has been done on investigating whether white light is the best illumination for palmprint recognition. In this study, we empirically compared palmprint recognition accuracy using white light and other six different color lights. The experiments on a large database show that white light is not the optimal illumination for palmprint recognition. This finding will be useful to future palmprint recognition system design.

Long-lived room-temperature deep-red-emissive intraligand triplet excited state of naphthalimide in cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes and its application in triplet-triplet annihilation-based upconversion.

PubMed

Sun, Jifu; Wu, Wanhua; Zhao, Jianzhang

2012-06-25

Cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes with acetylide ppy and bpy ligands were prepared (ppy = 2-phenylpyridine, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) in which naphthal (Ir-2) and naphthalimide (NI) were attached onto the ppy (Ir-3) and bpy ligands (Ir-4) through acetylide bonds. [Ir(ppy)(3)] (Ir-1) was also prepared as a model complex. Room-temperature phosphorescence was observed for the complexes; both neutral and cationic complexes Ir-3 and Ir-4 showed strong absorption in the visible range (ε=39,600  M(-1)  cm(-1) at 402 nm and ε=25,100  M(-1)  cm(-1) at 404 nm, respectively), long-lived triplet excited states (τ(T)=9.30 μs and 16.45 μs) and room-temperature red emission (λ(em)=640 nm, Φ(p)=1.4 % and λ(em)=627 nm, Φ(p)=0.3 %; cf. Ir-1: ε=16,600  M(-1)  cm(-1) at 382 nm, τ(em)=1.16 μs, Φ(p)=72.6 %). Ir-3 was strongly phosphorescent in non-polar solvent (i.e., toluene), but the emission was completely quenched in polar solvents (MeCN). Ir-4 gave an opposite response to the solvent polarity, that is, stronger phosphorescence in polar solvents than in non-polar solvents. Emission of Ir-1 and Ir-2 was not solvent-polarity-dependent. The T(1) excited states of Ir-2, Ir-3, and Ir-4 were identified as mainly intraligand triplet excited states ((3)IL) by their small thermally induced Stokes shifts (ΔE(s)), nanosecond time-resolved transient difference absorption spectroscopy, and spin-density analysis. The complexes were used as triplet photosensitizers for triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) upconversion and quantum yields of 7.1 % and 14.4 % were observed for Ir-2 and Ir-3, respectively, whereas the upconversion was negligible for Ir-1 and Ir-4. These results will be useful for designing visible-light-harvesting transition-metal complexes and for their applications as triplet photosensitizers for photocatalysis, photovoltaics, TTA upconversion, etc. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Efficient white light generation from 2,3-diphenyl-1,2-dihydro-quinoxaline complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwivedi, Y.; Kant, S.; Rai, R. N.; Rai, S. B.

2010-11-01

In this article, we report two organic materials dispersed in transparent poly (methyl methacrylate) matrix for efficient white light simulation under different optical excitations. A newly synthesized complex of benzoin and o-phenyldiamine is observed to be white on illumination with a blue LED. A new concept of white light emitting tube is also demonstrated. A mixture of 2,2″-([1,1'-biphenyl]-4,4'-diyldi-2,1-ethenediyl)-bis-benzenesulfonic acid disodium salt and complex is optimized to emit white light extended in the violet region on 355 nm laser excitation. The optical quality of the emitted white light is adjudged by the CIE coordinate, correlated color temperature and color rendition index in both the cases.

Upconversion luminescence and blackbody radiation in tetragonal YSZ co-doped with Tm(3+) and Yb(3+).

PubMed

Soares, M R N; Ferro, M; Costa, F M; Monteiro, T

2015-12-21

Lanthanide doped inorganic nanoparticles with upconversion luminescence are of utmost importance for biomedical applications, solid state lighting and photovoltaics. In this work we studied the downshifted luminescence, upconversion luminescence (UCL) and blackbody radiation of tetragonal yttrium stabilized zirconia co-doped with Tm(3+) and Yb(3+) single crystals and nanoparticles produced by laser floating zone and laser ablation in liquids, respectively. The photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation (PLE) were investigated at room temperature (RT). PL spectra exhibit the characteristic lines in UV, blue/green, red and NIR regions of the Tm(3+) (4f(12)) under resonant excitation into the high energy (2S+1)LJ multiplets. Under NIR excitation (980 nm), the samples placed in air display an intense NIR at ∼800 nm due to the (1)G4→(3)H5/(3)H4→(3)H6 transitions. Additionally, red, blue/green and ultraviolet UCL is observed arising from higher excited (1)G4 and (1)D2 multiplets. The power excitation dependence of the UCL intensity indicated that 2-3 low energy absorbed photons are involved in the UCL for low power levels, while for high powers, the identified saturation is dependent on the material size with a enhanced effect on the NPs. The temperature dependence of the UCL was investigated for single crystals and targets used in the ablation. An overall increase of the integrated intensity was found to occur between 12 K and the RT. The thermally activated process is described by activation energies of 10 meV and 30 meV for single crystals and targets, respectively. For the NPs, the UCL was found to be strongly sensitive to pressure conditions. Under vacuum conditions, instead of the narrow lines of the Tm(3+), a wide blackbody radiation was detected, responsible for the change in the emission colour from blue to orange. This phenomenon is totally reversible when the NPs are placed at ambient pressure. The UCL/blackbody radiation in the nanosized material exhibits non-contact pressure colour-based sensor characteristics. Moreover, tuning the color of the blackbody radiation in the nanoparticles by harvesting the low energy photons into the visible spectral region was found to be possible by adjusting the excitation power, paving the way for further developments of these nanoparticles for lighting and photovoltaic applications.

Down- and up-conversion luminescent carbon dot fluid: inkjet printing and gel glass fabrication.

PubMed

Wang, Fu; Xie, Zheng; Zhang, Bing; Liu, Yun; Yang, Wendong; Liu, Chun-yan

2014-04-07

Room temperature liquid-like nanoparticles have emerged as an exciting new research and development area, because their properties could be tailored over a broad range by manipulating geometric and chemical characteristics of the inorganic core and organic canopy. However, related applications are rarely reported due to the multi-step synthesis process and potential toxicity of cadmium based nanomaterials. In this study, we prepared inexpensive and eco-friendly carbon dot fluid by the direct thermal decomposition method. The carbon dot fluid can be excited from UV to near infrared light, and can be prepared as highly concentrated luminescent ink or incorporated into sol-gel derived organically modified silicate glass, suggesting that it has great application potential in the field of printable electronics, solid state lighting and so on.

Near-infrared light-activated red-emitting upconverting nanoplatform for T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and photodynamic therapy.

PubMed

Tang, Xiang-Long; Wu, Jun; Lin, Ben-Lan; Cui, Sheng; Liu, Hong-Mei; Yu, Ru-Tong; Shen, Xiao-Dong; Wang, Ting-Wei; Xia, Wei

2018-05-12

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has increasingly become an efficient and attractive cancer treatment modality based on reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can induce tumor death after irradiation with ultraviolet or visible light. Herein, to overcome the limited tissue penetration in traditional PDT, a novel near-infrared (NIR) light-activated NaScF 4 : 40% Yb, 2% Er@CaF 2 upconversion nanoparticle (rUCNP) is successfully designed and synthesized. Chlorin e6, a photosensitizer and a chelating agent for Mn 2+ , is loaded into human serum albumin (HSA) that further conjugates onto rUCNPs. To increase the ability to target glioma tumor, an acyclic Arg-Gly-Asp peptide (cRGDyK) is linked to rUCNPs@HSA(Ce6-Mn). This nanoplatform enables efficient adsorption and conversion of NIR light (980 nm) into bright red emission (660 nm), which can trigger the photosensitizer Ce6-Mn complex for PDT and T 1 -weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T 1 -weighted MRI) for glioma diagnosis. Our in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that NIR light-activated and glioma tumor-targeted PDT can generate large amounts of intracellular ROS that induce U87 cell apoptosis and suppress glioma tumor growth owing to the deep tissue penetration of irradiated light and excellent tumor-targeting ability. Thus, this nanoplatform holds potential for applications in T 1 -weighted MRI diagnosis and PDT of glioma for antitumor therapy. A near-infrared (NIR) light-activated nanoplatform for photodynamic therapy (PDT) was designed and synthesized. The Red-to-Green (R/G) ratio of NaScF 4 : 40% Yb, 2% Er almost reached 9, a value that was much higher than that of a traditional Yb/Er-codoped upconversion nanoparticle (rUCNP). By depositing a CaF 2 shell, the red-emission intensities of the rUCNPs were seven times strong as that of NaScF 4 : 40% Yb, 2% Er. The enhanced red-emitting rUCNPs could be applied in many fields such as bioimaging, controlled release, and real-time diagnosis. The nanoplatform had a strong active glioma-targeting ability, and all results achieved on subcutaneous glioma demonstrated that our NIR light-activated red-emitting upconverting nanoplatform was efficient for PDT. By loading Ce6-Mn complex into rUCNPs@HSA-RGD, the nanoplatform could be used as a T 1 -weighted magnetic resonance imaging agent for tumor diagnosis. Copyright © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation and comparison of the illuminance, uniformity, and efficiency of different forms of lighting used in basketball court illumination.

PubMed

Sun, Wen-Shing; Tien, Chuen-Lin; Tsuei, Chih-Hsuan; Pan, Jui-Wen

2014-10-10

We simulate and compare the illuminance, uniformity, and efficiency of metal-halide lamps, white LED light sources, and hybrid light box designs combining sunlight and white LED lighting used for indoor basketball court illumination. According to the optical simulation results and our examination of real situations, we find that hybrid light box designs combining sunlight and white LEDs do perform better than either metal-halide lamps or white LED lights. An evaluation of the sunlight concentrator system used in our inverted solar cell shows that the energy consumption of stadium lighting can be reduced significantly.

Medical Applications of White LEDs for Surgical Operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimada, Junichi; Kawakami, Yoichi

Everywhere in the world, the highest quality and quantity of lighting is required during the surgical operations. However, the surgical approach has had many types and various angles, common ceiling surgical halogen lighting system cannot provide an adequate amount of beams because the surgeons' heads hinder the illuminations from reaching the operation field. The evolution of solid-state-lighting is currently going to be developed due to the progress of white light emitting diodes (LEDs). We proposed and developed the new lighting equipment that is a surgical lighting goggle composed of InGaN-YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet):Ce3+-based white LEDs. Here, we newly design surgical lighting system composed of white LEDs equipped on both sides of goggles. In fact, we have succeeded in the first internal shunt operation in the left forearm using the surgical LED lighting system on 11th Sept 2000. Since the white LEDs used were composed of InGaN-blue-emitters and YAG-yellow-phosphors, the color rendering property was not sufficient in the reddish colors. After our first challenge for medical application of white LEDs, we have been trying to improve the luminance power of white LED, the color rendering in red colors and the spectral distribution of white LED to render inherent color of raw flesh such as skin, blood, fat tissue and internal organs. We have produced new concepts for LED lighting sources and new several generations of LED lighting goggles.

NIR-to-visible upconversion nanoparticles for fluorescent labeling and targeted delivery of siRNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Shan; Zhang, Yong; Lim, Kian Meng; Sim, Eugene K. W.; Ye, Lei

2009-04-01

Near-infrared (NIR)-to-visible upconversion fluorescent nanoparticles were synthesized and used for imaging and targeted delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) to cancer cells. Silica-coated NaYF4 upconversion nanoparticles (UCNs) co-doped with lanthanide ions (Yb/Er) were synthesized. Folic acid and anti-Her2 antibody conjugated UCNs were used to fluorescently label the folate receptors of HT-29 cells and Her2 receptors of SK-BR-3 cells, respectively. The intracellular uptake of the folic acid and antibody conjugated UCNs was visualized using a confocal fluorescence microscope equipped with an NIR laser. siRNA was attached to anti-Her2 antibody conjugated UCNs and the delivery of these nanoparticles to SK-BR-3 cells was studied. Meanwhile, a luciferase assay was established to confirm the gene silencing effect of siRNA. Upconversion nanoparticles can serve as a fluorescent probe and delivery system for simultaneous imaging and delivery of biological molecules.

Self-assembly of an upconverting nanocomplex and its application to turn-on detection of metalloproteinase-9 in living cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Phuong-Diem; Thanh Cong, Vu; Baek, Changyoon; Min, Junhong

2016-10-01

Upcoversion nanoparticles are an emerging luminescent nanomaterial with excellent photophysical properties that have great benefits in biological sensing. In this study, a luminescent turn-on biosensor for cell-secreted protease activity assay is established based on resonance energy transfer in an upconversion nanoparticle-graphene oxide nano-assembly. The proposed biosensor consists of a blue-emitting upconversion nanoparticle covered with a quenching complex, comprising gelatin as the proteinase substrate and graphene oxide nanosheets as luminescence acceptors. After enzymatic digestion, the upconversion nanoparticles lose the gelatin cover due to the disassembly of the quenching complex, thus the upconverting luminescence in the blue region is restored (a turn-on response). The recovered upconverting luminescence is proportional to the protease concentration; the limit of detection was 12 ng ml-1. Finally, the upconversion-graphene oxide nanocomplex was successfully applied in the detection of cell-secreted protease-metalloproteinase in MCF-7 cancer cells with high sensitivity and specificity.

Security writing application of thermal decomposition assisted NaYF4:Er3+/Yb3+ upconversion phosphor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, A.; Tiwari, S. P.; Esteves da Silva, Joaquim C. G.; Kumar, K.

2018-07-01

The authors have synthesized water-dispersible NaYF4:Er3+/Yb3+ upconversion particles via a thermal decomposition route and optimized the green upconversion emission through a concentration variation of the Yb3+ sensitizer. The prepared particles were found to be ellipsoid in shape having an average particle dimension of 600  ×  150 nm. It is observed that the sample with 18 mmol% Yb3+ ion concentration and 2 mmol% Er3+ ion gives optimum upconversion intensity in the green region under 980 nm excitation. Colloidal dispersibility of the sample in different solvents was checked and hexane was found to be the best medium for the prepared particles. The particle size of the sample was found to be suitable for the preparation of colloidal ink and security writing on a plain sheet of paper. This was demonstrated successfully using ink prepared in polyvinyl chloride gold medium.

The upconversion luminescence and magnetism in Yb3+/Ho3+ co-doped LaF3 nanocrystals for potential bimodal imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syamchand, Sasidharanpillai S.; George, Sony

2016-12-01

Biocompatible upconversion nanoparticles with multifunctional properties can serve as potential nanoprobes for multimodal imaging. Herein, we report an upconversion nanocrystal based on lanthanum fluoride which is developed to address the imaging modalities, upconversion luminescence imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Lanthanide ions (Yb3+ and Ho3+) doped LaF3 nanocrystals (LaF3 Yb3+/Ho3+) are fabricated through a rapid microwave-assisted synthesis. The hexagonal phase LaF3 nanocrystals exhibit nearly spherical morphology with average diameter of 9.8 nm. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis estimated the doping concentration of Yb3+ and Ho3+ as 3.99 and 0.41%, respectively. The nanocrystals show upconversion luminescence when irradiated with near-infrared (NIR) photons of wavelength 980 nm. The emission spectrum consists of bands centred at 542, 645 and 658 nm. The stronger green emission at 542 nm and the weak red emissions at 645 and 658 nm are assigned to 5S2 → 5I8 and 5F5 → 5I8 transitions of Ho3+, respectively. The pump power dependence of luminescence intensity confirmed the two-photon upconversion process. The nanocrystals exhibit paramagnetism due to the presence of lanthanide ion dopant Ho3+ and the magnetization is 19.81 emu/g at room temperature. The nanocrystals exhibit a longitudinal relaxivity ( r 1) of 0.12 s-1 mM-1 and transverse relaxivity ( r 2) of 28.18 s-1 mM-1, which makes the system suitable for developing T2 MRI contrast agents based on holmium. The LaF3 Yb3+/Ho3+ nanocrystals are surface modified by PEGylation to improve biocompatibility and enhance further functionalisation. The PEGylated nanocrystals are found to be non-toxic up to 50 μg/mL for 48 h of incubation, which is confirmed by the MTT assay as well as morphological studies in HeLa cells. The upconversion luminescence and magnetism together with biocompatibility enables the adaptability of the present system as a nanoprobe for potential bimodal imaging.

Integrated optical modulator for signal up-conversion over radio-on-fiber link.

PubMed

Kim, Woo-Kyung; Kwon, Soon-Woo; Jeong, Woo-Jin; Son, Geun-Sik; Lee, Kwang-Hyun; Choi, Woo-Young; Yang, Woo-Seok; Lee, Hyung-Man; Lee, Han-Young

2009-02-16

An integrated optical modulator, which consists of a dual-sideband suppressed carrier (DSB-SC) modulator cascaded with a single-sideband (SSB) modulator, is proposed for signal up-conversion over Radio-on-Fiber. Utilizing a single-drive domain inverted structure in both modulators, balanced modulations were obtained without complicated radio frequency (RF) driving circuits and delicate RF phase adjustments. Intermediate frequency (IF) band signal was up-conversed to 60GHz band by using the fabricated device and was transmitted over optical fiber. Experiment results show that the proposed device enables millimeter wave generation and signal transmission without any power penalty caused by chromatic dispersion.

1.5- μm single photon counting using polarization-independent up-conversion detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takesue, Hiroki; Diamanti, Eleni; Langrock, Carsten; Fejer, M. M.; Yamamoto, Yoshihisa

2006-12-01

We report a 1.5- μm band polarization independent single photon detector based on frequency up-conversion in periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguides. To overcome the polarization dependence of the PPLN waveguides, we employed a polarization diversity configuration composed of two up-conversion detectors connected with a polarization beam splitter. We experimentally confirmed polarization independent single photon counting using our detector. We undertook a proof-of-principle differential phase shift quantum key distribution experiment using the detector, and confirmed that the sifted key rate and error rate remained stable when the polarization state was changed during single photon transmission.

Tricolor R/G/B Laser Diode Based Eye-Safe White Lighting Communication Beyond 8 Gbit/s.

PubMed

Wu, Tsai-Chen; Chi, Yu-Chieh; Wang, Huai-Yung; Tsai, Cheng-Ting; Huang, Yu-Fang; Lin, Gong-Ru

2017-01-31

White light generation by mixing red, green, and blue laser diodes (RGB LDs) was demonstrated with Commission International de l'Eclairage coordinates of (0.2928, 0.2981), a correlated color temperature of 8382 K, and a color rendering index of 54.4 to provide a maximal illuminance of 7540 lux. All the white lights generated using RGB LDs were set within the risk group-1 criterion to avoid the blue-light hazard to human eyes. In addition, the RGB-LD mixed white light was diffused using a frosted glass to avoid optical aberration and to improve the performance of the lighting source. In addition, visible light communication (VLC) by using RGB-LD mixed white-light carriers and a point-to-point scheme over 1 m was performed in the directly modulated 16-QAM OFDM data format. In back-to-back transmission, the maximal allowable data rate at 10.8, 10.4, and 8 Gbps was determined for R, G, and B LDs, respectively. Moreover, the RGB-LD mixed white light-based indoor wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM)-VLC system yielded a total allowable transmission data rate of 8.8 Gbps over 0.5 m in free space. Such a high-speed RGB-LD mixed WDM-VLC system without any channel interference can be used to simultaneously provide data transmission and white lighting in an indoor environment.

Role of ytterbium-erbium co-doped gadolinium molybdate (Gd₂(MoO₄)₃:Yb/Er) nanophosphors in solar cells.

PubMed

Jin, Xiao; Li, Haiyang; Li, Dongyu; Zhang, Qin; Li, Feng; Sun, Weifu; Chen, Zihan; Li, Qinghua

2016-09-05

Insufficient harvest of solar light energy is one of the obstacles for current photovoltaic devices to achieve high performance. Especially, conventional organic/inorganic hybrid solar cells (HSCs) based on PTB7 as p-type semiconductor can only utilize 400-800 nm solar spectrum. One effective strategy to overcome this obstacle is the introduction of up-conversion nanophosphors (NPs), in the virtue of utilizing the near infrared region (NIR) of solar radiation. Up-conversion can convert low-energy photons to high-energy ones through multi-photon processes, by which the solar spectrum is tailored to well match the absorptive domain of the absorber. Herein we incorporate erbium-ytterbium co-doped gadolinium molybdate (Gd₂(MoO₄)₃, GMO), denoted as GMO:Yb/Er, into TiO₂ acceptor film in HSCs to enhance the light harvest. Here Er³⁺ acts as activator while Yb-MoO₄ ^2- is the joint sensitizer. Facts proved that the GMO:Yb/Er single crystal NPs are capable of turning NIR photons to visible photons that can be easily captured by PTB7. Studies on time-resolved photoluminescence demonstrate that electron transfer rate at the interface increases sharply from 0.65 to 1.42 × 10⁹ s^-1. As a result, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the GMO:Yb/Er doped TiO₂/PTB7 HSCs reach 3.67%, which is increased by around 25% compared to their neat PTB7/TiO₂ counterparts (2.94%). This work may open a hopeful way to take the advantage of those conversional rare-earth ion doped oxides that function in tailoring solar light spectrum for optoelectronic applications.

Quantum Phenomena in High Energy Density Plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murnane, Margaret; Kapteyn, Henry

The possibility of implementing efficient (phase matched) HHG upconversion of deep- UV lasers in multiply-ionized plasmas, with potentially unprecedented conversion efficiency is a fascinating prospect. HHG results from the extreme nonlinear response of matter to intense laser light:high harmonics are radiated as a result of a quantum coherent electron recollision process that occurs during laser field ionization of an atom. Under current support from this grant in work published in Science in 2015, we discovered a new regime of bright HHG in highly-ionized plasmas driven by intense UV lasers, that generates bright harmonics to photon energies >280eV

Exposing broiler eggs to green, red and white light during incubation.

PubMed

Archer, G S

2017-07-01

Previous work has shown that exposing broiler eggs to white light during incubation can improve hatchability and post-hatch animal welfare. It was hypothesized that due to how different wavelengths of light can affect avian physiology differently, and how pigmented eggshells filter light that different monochromatic wavelengths would have differential effects on hatchability and post-hatch animal welfare indicators. To determine, we incubated chicken eggs (n=6912) under either no light (dark), green light, red light or white light; the light level was 250 lux. White and red light were observed to increase hatch of fertile (P0.05). Fear response of during isolation and tonic immobility was reduced (P0.05) from dark incubated broilers. All light incubated broilers had lower (P<0.05) plasma corticosterone and higher (P<0.05) plasma serotonin concentrations than dark incubated broilers. These results indicate that white light and red light that is a component of it are possibly the key spectrum to improving hatchability and lower fear and stress susceptibility, whereas green light is not as effective. Incubating broiler eggs under these spectrums could be used to improve hatchery efficiency and post-hatch animal welfare at the same time.

Effects of coloured lighting on the perception of interior spaces.

PubMed

Odabaşioğlu, Seden; Olguntürk, Nіlgün

2015-02-01

Use of coloured lighting in interior spaces has become prevalent in recent years. Considerable importance is ascribed to coloured lighting in interior and lighting design. The effects of colour on the perception of interior spaces have been studied as surface colour; but here, the effects of three different types of chromatic light were investigated. The lighting differed in colour (red, green and white) and perceptions of interior space were assessed. 97 participants (59 women, 38 men; M age = 21.4 yr.) evaluated the experiment room on a questionnaire assessing eight evaluative factors: Pleasantness, Arousal, Aesthetics, Usefulness, Comfort, Spaciousness, Colour, and Lighting quality. Perceptions of the room differed by colour of lighting for some of the evaluative factors, but there was no sex difference in perceptions. Interior spaces may be perceived as equally pleasant under white, green and red lighting. Under white lighting a space is perceived as more useful, spacious, clear, and luminous. Green lighting would make the same effect. Green and white lighting were perceived equally comfortable in an interior space. Chromatic coloured lighting was perceived to be more aesthetic than white lighting. The results support previous findings for some evaluative factors, but differed for others.

Highly efficient green up-conversion luminescence of Nd3+-Yb3+-Ho3+ codoped fluorite-type nanocrystals in transparent glass ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Jianbei; Kawamoto, Yoji; Zhang, Junjie

2002-11-01

Oxyfluoride glasses were developed with composition 30SiO2[middle dot]15AlO1.5[middle dot]28PbF2[middle dot]22CdF2[middle dot](4.8-x)GdF3[middle dot]0.1NdF3[middle dot]0.1HoF3[middle dot]xYbF3 (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 4.8) in mole percent. Powder x-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the heat treatments of the oxyfluoride glasses at 450 degC for 0.5 h cause the precipitation of Nd3+-Yb3+-Ho3+ codoped fluorite-type nanocrystals of about 16.3 nm in diameter in the glass matrix. These transparent glass ceramics exhibited very strong green up-conversion luminescence due to the Ho3+: (5F4, 5S2)[right arrow]5I8 transition under 800 nm excitation. The intensity of the green up-conversion luminescence in a 1 mol % YbF3-containing glass ceramic was found to be about 120 times stronger than that in the precursor oxyfluoride glass. The reason for the highly efficient Ho3+ up-conversion luminescence in the oxyfluoride glass ceramics is discussed. An up-conversion mechanism is also proposed.

Exploiting the benefit of S0 → T1 excitation in triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion to attain large anti-stokes shifts: tuning the triplet state lifetime of a tris(2,2'-bipyridine) osmium(ii) complex.

PubMed

Liu, Dongyi; Zhao, Yingjie; Wang, Zhijia; Xu, Kejing; Zhao, Jianzhang

2018-03-07

Os(ii) complexes are particularly interesting for triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) upconversion, due to the strong direct S 0 → T 1 photoexcitation, as in this way, energy loss is minimized and large anti-Stokes shift can be achieved for TTA upconversion. However, Os(bpy) 3 has an intrinsic short T 1 state lifetime (56 ns), which is detrimental for the intermolecular triplet-triplet energy transfer (TTET), one of the crucial steps in TTA upconversion. In order to prolong the triplet state lifetime, we prepared an Os(ii) tris(bpy) complex with a Bodipy moiety attached, so that an extended T 1 state lifetime is achieved by excited state electronic configuration mixing or triplet state equilibrium between the coordination center-localized state ( 3 MLCT state) and Bodipy ligand-localized state ( 3 IL state). With steady-state and time-resolved transient absorption/emission spectroscopy, we proved that the 3 MLCT is slightly above the 3 IL state (by 0.05 eV), and the triplet state lifetime was prolonged by 31-fold (from 56 ns to 1.73 μs). The TTA upconversion quantum yield was increased by 4-fold as compared to that of the unsubstituted Os(ii) complex.

[Two-photon up-conversion fluorescence of a neodymium organic framework Nd(BTC)].

PubMed

Xu, Hui; Jin, Run-zhi; Wu, Chun-yang; Yang, Yu; Qian, Guo-dong

2008-08-01

In the present work, a neodymium organic framework Nd(BTC) was synthesized by the solvothermal reaction of Nd(NO3)3 x 5H2O and H3BTC (BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate) in mixed solvents of DMF, ethanol and water, and was identified by elemental analysis. This MOF complex was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC) analysis, UV-visible absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra. This polycrystalline powder lost DMF and H2O when heated to 120 degrees C, then remained stable till the temperature reached 500 degrees C. Near infrared fluorescence at 1064 nm due to the 4 F3/2--> 4 I11/2 transition of Nd3+ ions was exhibited when excited by 808 nm laser beam. It was also been found that up-conversion fluorescence of Nd(BTC) peaked at about 450 nm due to 2 D5/2 -->4 I11/2 transition of Nd3+ ions can be observed under the excitation of a 580 nm laser line. The mechanism of the up-conversion fluorescence of Nd(BTC) at around 450 nm under the excitation of 580 nm laser can be ascribed to both excited-state absorption and energy transfer up-conversion. This result indicated that such MOF can be employed as an up-conversion luminescence material in many potential application areas such as bio-labeling and fluorescence image.

33 CFR 83.30 - Anchored vessels and vessels aground (Rule 30).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... fore part, an all-round white light or one ball; and (2) At or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (1), an all-round white light. (b) Vessels of less than 50 meters... white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule. (c...

33 CFR 83.30 - Anchored vessels and vessels aground (Rule 30).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... fore part, an all-round white light or one ball; and (2) At or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (1), an all-round white light. (b) Vessels of less than 50 meters... white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule. (c...

33 CFR 83.30 - Anchored vessels and vessels aground (Rule 30).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... fore part, an all-round white light or one ball; and (2) At or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (1), an all-round white light. (b) Vessels of less than 50 meters... white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule. (c...

33 CFR 83.30 - Anchored vessels and vessels aground (Rule 30).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... fore part, an all-round white light or one ball; and (2) At or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (1), an all-round white light. (b) Vessels of less than 50 meters... white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule. (c...

33 CFR 83.30 - Anchored vessels and vessels aground (Rule 30).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... fore part, an all-round white light or one ball; and (2) At or near the stern and at a lower level than the light prescribed in subparagraph (1), an all-round white light. (b) Vessels of less than 50 meters... white light where it can best be seen instead of the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule. (c...

An organic white light-emitting dye: very small molecular architecture displays panchromatic emission.

PubMed

Nandhikonda, Premchendar; Heagy, Michael D

2010-11-14

The synthesis and photophysical characterization of a new white-light fluorophore is described. The optimization of excitation wavelengths allows the naphthalimide (NI) dyes to display blue, green or white light emission depending on the excitation wavelength.

Nanocluster-based white-light-emitting material employing surface tuning

DOEpatents

Wilcoxon, Jess P [Albuquerque, NM; Abrams, Billie L [Albuquerque, NM; Thoma, Steven G [Albuquerque, NM

2007-06-26

A method for making a nanocrystal-based material capable of emitting light over a sufficiently broad spectral range to appear white. Surface-modifying ligands are used to shift and broaden the emission of semiconductor nanocrystals to produce nanoparticle-based materials that emit white light.

Broadband white light emission from Ce:AlN ceramics: High thermal conductivity down-converters for LED and laser-driven solid state lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wieg, A. T.; Penilla, E. H.; Hardin, C. L.; Kodera, Y.; Garay, J. E.

2016-12-01

We introduce high thermal conductivity aluminum nitride (AlN) as a transparent ceramic host for Ce3+, a well-known active ion dopant. We show that the Ce:AlN ceramics have overlapping photoluminescent (PL) emission peaks that cover almost the entire visible range resulting in a white appearance under 375 nm excitation without the need for color mixing. The PL is due to a combination of intrinsic AlN defect complexes and Ce3+ electronic transitions. Importantly, the peak intensities can be tuned by varying the Ce concentration and processing parameters, causing different shades of white light without the need for multiple phosphors or light sources. The Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage coordinates calculated from the measured spectra confirm white light emission. In addition, we demonstrate the viability of laser driven white light emission by coupling the Ce:AlN to a readily available frequency tripled Nd-YAG laser emitting at 355 nm. The high thermal conductivity of these ceramic down-converters holds significant promise for producing higher power white light sources than those available today.

Imaging camera system of OYGBR-phosphor-based white LED lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobashi, Katsuya; Taguchi, Tsunemasa

2005-03-01

The near-ultraviolet (nUV) white LED approach is analogous to three-color fluorescent lamp technology, which is based on the conversion of nUV radiation to visible light via the photoluminescence process in phosphor materials. The nUV light is not included in the white light generation from nUV-based white LED devices. This technology can thus provide a higher quality of white light than the blue and YAG method. A typical device demonstrates white luminescence with Tc=3,700 K, Ra > 93, K > 40 lm/W and chromaticity (x, y) = (0.39, 0.39), respectively. The orange, yellow, green and blue OYGB) or orange, yellow, red, green and blue (OYRGB) device shows a luminescence spectrum broader than of an RGB white LED and a better color rendering index. Such superior luminous characteristics could be useful for the application of several kinds of endoscope. We have shown the excellent pictures of digestive organs in a stomach of a dog due to the strong green component and high Ra.

Local symmetric distortion boosted photon up-conversion and thermometric sensitivity in lanthanum oxide nanospheres.

PubMed

Suo, Hao; Zhao, Xiaoqi; Zhang, Zhiyu; Shi, Rui; Wu, Yanfang; Xiang, Jinmeng; Guo, Chongfeng

2018-05-17

It is essential to simultaneously boost the luminescence intensity and thermometric sensitivity of up-converted optical thermometers towards potential biomedical sensing applications. Herein, the effects of local site symmetry on the up-conversion (UC) emission and thermal sensing ability in trigonal-phased La2O3:Er3+/Yb3+ nanospheres were qualitatively explored using cubic-phased Lu2O3 and Y2O3 with a similar shape and phonon energy as contrasts. Under 980 nm light excitation, much stronger UC emissions were detected in La2O3 samples than that in cubic Lu2O3 and Y2O3 samples, and the possible mechanisms were elaborately proposed using Eu3+ as a luminescent probe. Thermo-responsive emission intensity from 2H11/2/4S3/2 levels was monitored to evaluate the absolute sensitivity of three samples, which strongly depends on the dopant-induced local site symmetric distortions according to the Judd-Ofelt theory. The potentiality of La2O3:Er3+/Yb3+ for sub-tissue thermometry was also validated by ex vivo experiments. Results open a promising avenue for realizing highly sensitive thermometry with a large signal-to-noise ratio in sub-tissues via finely tailoring the local site symmetry.

Color-tunable up-conversion emission in Y2O3:Yb3+, Er3+ nanoparticles prepared by polymer complex solution method

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Abstract Powders of Y2O3 co-doped with Yb3+ and Er3+ composed of well-crystallized nanoparticles (30 to 50 nm in diameter) with no adsorbed ligand species on their surface are prepared by polymer complex solution method. These powders exhibit up-conversion emission upon 978-nm excitation with a color that can be tuned from green to red by changing the Yb3+/Er3+ concentration ratio. The mechanism underlying up-conversion color changes is presented along with material structural and optical properties. PACS 42.70.-a, 78.55.Hx, 78.60.-b PMID:23522083

Optical transitions of Ho(3+) in oxyfluoride glasses and upconversion luminescence of Ho(3+)/Yb(3+)-codoped oxyfluoride glasses.

PubMed

Feng, Li; Wu, Yinsu

2015-05-05

Optical properties of Ho(3+)-doped SiO2-BaF2-ZnF2 glasses have been investigated on the basis of the Judd-Ofelt theory. Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters, radiative transition probabilities, fluorescence branching ratios and radiative lifetimes have been calculated for different glass compositions. Upconversion emissions were observed in Ho(3+)/Yb(3+)-codoped SiO2-BaF2-ZnF2 glasses under 980nm excitation. The effects of composition, concentration of the doping ions, and excitation pump power on the upconversion emissions were also systematically studied. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical transitions of Tm3+ in oxyfluoride glasses and compositional and thermal effect on upconversion luminescence of Tm3+/Yb3+-codoped oxyfluoride glasses.

PubMed

Feng, Li; Wu, Yinsu; Liu, Zhuo; Guo, Tao

2014-01-24

Optical properties of Tm(3+)-doped SiO2-BaF2-ZnF2 glasses have been investigated on the basis of the Judd-Ofelt theory. Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters, radiative transition probabilities, fluorescence branching ratios and radiative lifetimes have been calculated for different glass compositions. Upconversion emissions were observed in Tm(3+)/Yb(3+)-codoped SiO2-BaF2-ZnF2 glasses under 980 nm excitation. The effects of composition, concentration of the doping ions, temperature, and excitation pump power on the upconversion emissions were also systematically studied. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Luminescence of Er/Yb and Tm/Yb doped FAp nanoparticles and ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigorjeva, L.; Smits, K.; Millers, D.; Jankoviča, Dz

2015-03-01

The nanoparticles of hydroxiapatite and fluorapatite doped with Er/Yb and Tm/Yb were synthesized and characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM methods. The results of up-conversion luminescence studies were presented for the samples as prepared, annealed at 500°C and at 900-1000 °C. At annealing above 800°C the ceramic state was formed. It is shown that fluorapatite host is more appropriate than hydroxiapatite host for rare ions luminescence and up-conversion processes. The post preparing annealing of nanarticles significantly enhanced the luminescence intensity. The Tm/Yb doped fluorapatite shows intense up-conversion luminescence in 790-800 nm spectral region and is potentially useful for biomedical applications.

Suppression of white light generation (supercontinuum) in biological media: a pilot study using human salivary proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santhosh, C.; Dharmadhikari, A. K.; Alti, K.; Dharmadhikari, J. A.; Mathur, D.

2007-02-01

Propagation of ultrashort pulses of intense, infrared light through transparent medium gives rise to a visually spectacular phenomenon known as supercontinuum (white light) generation wherein the spectrum of transmitted light is very considerably broader than that of the incident light. We have studied the propagation of ultrafast (<45 fs) pulses of intense infrared light through biological media (water, and water doped with salivary proteins) which reveal that white light generation is severely suppressed in the presence of a major salivary protein, α-amylase.

Effects of continuous white light and 12h white-12h blue light-cycles on the expression of clock genes in diencephalon, liver, and skeletal muscle in chicks.

PubMed

Honda, Kazuhisa; Kondo, Makoto; Hiramoto, Daichi; Saneyasu, Takaoki; Kamisoyama, Hiroshi

2017-05-01

The core circadian clock mechanism relies on a feedback loop comprised of clock genes, such as the brain and muscle Arnt-like 1 (Bmal1), chriptochrome 1 (Cry1), and period 3 (Per3). Exposure to the light-dark cycle synchronizes the master circadian clock in the brain, and which then synchronizes circadian clocks in peripheral tissues. Birds have long been used as a model for the investigation of circadian rhythm in human neurobiology. In the present study, we examined the effects of continuous light and the combination of white and blue light on the expression of clock genes (Bmal1, Cry1, and Per3) in the central and peripheral tissues in chicks. Seventy two day-old male chicks were weighed, allocated to three groups and maintained under three light schedules: 12h white light-12h dark-cycles group (control); 24h white light group (WW group); 12h white light-12h blue light-cycles group (WB group). The mRNA levels of clock genes in the diencephalon were significantly different between the control and WW groups. On the other hand, the alteration in the mRNA levels of clock genes was similar between the control and WB groups. Similar phenomena were observed in the liver and skeletal muscle (biceps femoris). These results suggest that 12h white-12h blue light-cycles did not disrupt the circadian rhythm of clock gene expression in chicks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of supplementary lighting by natural light for growth of Brassica chinensis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Shih-Chuan; Lee, Hui-Ping; Kao, Shih-Tse; Lu, Ju-Lin

2016-04-01

This paper present a model of cultivated chamber with supplementary natural colour light. We investigate the effects of supplementary natural red light and natural blue light on growth of Brassica chinensis under natural white light illumination. After 4 weeks of supplementary colour light treatment, the experiment results shown that the weight of fresh leaf were not affected by supplementary natural blue light. However, those Brassica chinensis were cultivated in the chambers with supplementary natural red light obtained a significant increasing of fresh weight of leaf under both white light illuminate models. The combination of natural white light with supplementary natural red light illumination will be benefits in growth for cultivation and energy saving.

Two-photon excitation spectrum of light-harvesting complex II and fluorescence upconversion after one- and two-photon excitation of the carotenoids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walla, P.J.; Yom, J.; Krueger, B.P.

2000-05-18

The two-photon excitation (TPE) spectrum of light-harvesting complex II (LHC II) has been measured in the spectral region of 1,000--1,600 nm, corresponding to one-photon wavelengths of 500--800 nm. The authors observed a band with an origin at {approximately}2 x 660 nm (ca. 15,100 {+-} 300 cm{sup {minus}1}) and a maximum at {approximately}2 x 600 nm. The line shape and origin of this band strongly suggest that the observed signal is due to the two-photon-allowed S{sub 1} state of the energy-transferring carotenoids (Car ) in LHC II. The authors also report the time dependence of the upconverted chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence aftermore » TPE at the maximum of the observed band. Surprisingly, a fast rise of 250 {+-} 50 fs followed by a multiexponential decay on the picosecond time scale was observed. This result provides strong indication that there is a fast energy transfer even from the dipole-forbidden Car S{sub 1} state to the Chl's. The sub picosecond energy transfer from the Car S{sub 1} state is likely a consequence of the large number of energy-accepting Chls in van der Waals contact with the central Car's in LHC II. They also present upconversion data of the Car S{sub 2}, Chl a, and Chl b fluorescence observed after one-photon excitation into the dipole-allowed Car S{sub 2} state. The lifetime of the Car S{sub 2} state is {approximately}120 {+-} 30 fs. With the observed time constants they are able to calculate quantum yields for the different possible pathways contributing to the overall Car to Chl energy transfer in LHC II.« less

Far Red and White Light-promoted Utilization of Calcium by Seedlings of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

PubMed

Helms, K; David, D J

1973-01-01

The cotyledons and embryo axes of seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Pinto contained 16% of the total calcium in the seed. The remaining 84% was in the testas. There was no evidence that calcium in testas was used in seedling growth or that calcium was leached from seedlings during growth.An external supply of calcium decreased the incidence of hypocotyl collapse (a severe symptom of calcium deficiency), increased the calcium content of all organs, and increased the dry weight of all organs except cotyledons. Light treatments decreased the incidence of hypocotyl collapse and increased the calcium content and dry weight of all organs except cotyledons and hypocotyls.White light was more effective than far red light for decreasing incidence of hypocotyl collapse. Usually the effects of white light and far red light on the calcium content and dry weight of organs were similar, and usually those of white light were quantitatively greater than those of far red light. It is suggested that the light-promoted effects were associated with photomorphogenesis and that differences in data obtained with white light and far red light could be associated with photosynthesis.

The Upconversion Luminescence of Er3+/Yb3+/Nd3+ Triply-Doped β-NaYF4 Nanocrystals under 808-nm Excitation

PubMed Central

Tian, Lijiao; Xu, Zheng; Zhao, Suling; Cui, Yue; Liang, Zhiqin; Zhang, Junjie; Xu, Xurong

2014-01-01

In this paper, Nd3+–Yb3+–Er3+-doped β-NaYF4 nanocrystals with different Nd3+ concentrations are synthesized, and the luminescence properties of the upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have been studied under 808-nm excitation for sensitive biological applications. The upconversion luminescence spectra of NaYF4 nanoparticles with different dopants under 808-nm excitation proves that the Nd3+ ion can absorb the photons effectively, and the Yb3+ ion can play the role of an energy-transfer bridging ion between the Nd3+ ion and Er3+ ion. To investigate the effect of the Nd3+ ion, the decay curves of the 4S3/2 → 4I15/2 transition at 540 nm are measured and analyzed. The NaYF4: 20% Yb3+, 2% Er3+, 0.5% Nd3+ nanocrystals have the highest emission intensity among all samples under 808-nm excitation. The UC (upconversion) mechanism under 808-nm excitation is discussed in terms of the experimental results. PMID:28788246

Down- and up-conversion emissions in Er-doped transparent fluorotellurite glass-ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miguel, A.; Morea, R.; Gonzalo, J.; Fernandez, J.; Balda, R.

2015-03-01

In this work, we report the near infrared and upconversion emissions of Er3+-doped transparent fluorotellurite glassceramics obtained by heat treatment of the precursor Er-doped TeO2-ZnO-ZnF2 glass. Structural analysis shows that ErF3 nanocrystals nucleated in the glass-ceramic sample are homogeneously distributed in the glass matrix with a typical size of 45±10 nm. The comparison of the fluorescence properties of Er3+-doped precursor glass and glass-ceramic confirms the successful incorporation of the rare-earth into the nanocrystals. An enhancement of the red upconversion emission due to 4F9/2→4I15/2 transition together with weak emission bands due to transitions from 2H9/2, 4F3/2,5/2, and 4F7/2 levels to the ground state are observed under excitation at 801 nm in the glass-ceramic sample. The temporal evolution of the red emission together with the excitation upconversion spectrum suggest that energy transfer processes are responsible for the enhancement of the red emission.

Optical properties of Mg2+, Yb3+, and Ho3+ tri-doped LiNbO3 crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Li; Liu, Chun-Rui; Tan, Chao; Yan, Zhe-Hua; Xu, Yu-Heng

2017-04-01

A series of LiNbO3 crystals tri-doped with Mg{}2+, Yb{}3+, and Ho{}3+ are grown by the conventional Czochraski technique. The concentrations of Mg{}2+, Yb{}3+, and Ho{}3+ ions in Mg:Yb:Ho:LiNbO3 crystals are measured by using an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The x-ray diffraction is proposed to determine the lattice constant and analyze the internal structure of the crystal. The light-induced scattering of Mg:Yb:Ho:LiNbO3 crystal is quantitatively described via the threshold effect of incident exposure energy flux. The exposure energy ({E}{{r}}) is calculated to discuss the optical damage resistance ability. The exposure energy of Mg(7 mol):Yb:Ho:LiNbO3 crystal is 709.17 J/cm2, approximately 425 times higher than that of the Mg(1 mol):Yb:Ho:LiNbO3 crystal in magnitude. The blue, red, and very intense green bands of Mg:Yb:Ho:LiNbO3 crystal are observed under the 980-nm laser excitation to evaluate the up-conversion emission properties. The dependence of the emission intensity on pumping power indicates that the up-conversion emission is a two-photon process. The up-conversion emission mechanism is discussed in detail. This study indicates that Mg:Yb:Ho:LiNbO3 crystal can be applied to the fabrication of new multifunctional photoluminescence devices. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51301055), the Youth Science Fund of Heilongjiang Province, China (Grant No. QC2015061), the Special Funds of Harbin Innovation Talents in Science and Technology Research, China (Grant No. 2015RQQXJ045 ), and the Science Funds for the Young Innovative Talents of Harbin University of Science and Technology, China (Grant No. 201501).

Self-Assembled Upconversion Nanoparticle Clusters for NIR-controlled Drug Release and Synergistic Therapy after Conjugation with Gold Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Cai, Huijuan; Shen, Tingting; Kirillov, Alexander M; Zhang, Yu; Shan, Changfu; Li, Xiang; Liu, Weisheng; Tang, Yu

2017-05-01

Fabricated three-dimensional (3D) upconversion nanoclusters (abbreviated as EBSUCNPs) are obtained via an emulsion-based bottom-up self-assembly of NaGdF 4 :Yb/Er@NaGdF 4 nanoparticles (abbreviated as UCNPs), which comprise a NaGdF 4 :Yb/Er core and a NaGdF 4 shell. The EBSUCNPs were then coated with a thin mesoporous amino-functionalized SiO 2 shell (resulting in EBSUCNPs@SiO 2 precursor) and further conjugated with gold nanoparticles to give the novel EBSUCNPs@SiO 2 @Au material. Finally, EBSUCNPs@SiO 2 @Au was applied as a biocompatible and efficient drug carrier for doxorubicin (DOX), thus giving rise to a multifunctional EBSUCNPs@SiO 2 -DOX@Au nanocomposite. This final material, EBSUCNPs@SiO 2 -DOX@Au, and the precursor nanoparticles, EBSUCNPs@SiO 2 @Au, were both fully characterized and their luminescence was investigated in detail. In addition, the drug release properties and photothermal effects of EBSUCNPs@SiO 2 -DOX@Au were also discussed. Interestingly, when under NIR irradiation, an increasing DOX release was achieved owing to the thermal effect of the Au NPs after absorbing the green light from the upconversion nanoclusters based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect. Thus, a near-infrared (NIR)-controlled "on-off" pattern of drug release behavior can be achieved. Moreover, compared with a single therapy method, the assembled nanocomposites exhibit a good synergistic therapy against cancer cells that combines chemotherapy with photothermal therapy. In addition, the in vitro fluorescence microscopy images of EBSUCNPs@SiO 2 -DOX@Au show a higher enhancement in the red region due to the loading of DOX molecules with respect to EBSUCNPs@SiO 2 @Au. Therefore, this novel multifunctional 3D cluster architecture can be used in the biomedical field after modification and may pave a new way in other application areas of UCNPs clusters.

Er3+ -doped anatase TiO2 nanocrystals: crystal-field levels, excited-state dynamics, upconversion, and defect luminescence.

PubMed

Luo, Wenqin; Fu, Chengyu; Li, Renfu; Liu, Yongsheng; Zhu, Haomiao; Chen, Xueyuan

2011-11-04

A comprehensive survey of electronic structure and optical properties of rare-earth ions embedded in semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) is of vital importance for their potential applications in areas as diverse as luminescent bioprobes, lighting, and displays. Er3+ -doped anatase TiO2 NCs, synthesized via a facile sol-gel solvothermal method, exhibit intense and well-resolved intra-4f emissions of Er3+ . Crystal-field (CF) spectra of Er3+ in TiO2 NCs are systematically studied by means of high-resolution emission and excitation spectra at 10-300 K. The CF analysis of Er3+ assuming a site symmetry of C(2v) yields a small root-mean-square deviation of 25.1 cm(-1) and reveals the relatively large CF strength (549 cm(-1) ) of Er3+, thus verifying the rationality of the C(2v) symmetry assignment of Er3+ in anatase TiO2 NCs. Based on a simplified thermalization model for the temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) dynamics from (4) S(3/2) , the intrinsic radiative luminescence lifetimes of (4) S(3/2) and (2) H(11/2) are experimentally determined to be 3.70 and 1.73 μs, respectively. Green and red upconversion (UC) luminescence of Er3+ can be achieved upon laser excitation at 974.5 nm. The UC intensity of Er3+ in Yb/Er-codoped NCs is found to be about five times higher than that of Er-singly-doped counterparts as a result of efficient Yb3+ sensitization and energy transfer upconversion (ETU) evidenced by its distinct UC luminescence dynamics. Furthermore, the origin of defect luminescence is revealed based on the temperature-dependent PL spectra upon excitation above the TiO2 bandgap at 325 nm. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Evaluating white LEDs for outdoor landscape lighting application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shakir, Insiya; Narendran, Nadarajah

2002-11-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to understand the acceptability of different white light emitting diodes (LEDs) for outdoor landscape lighting. The study used a scaled model setup. The scene was designed to replicate the exterior of a typical upscale suburban restaurant including the exterior facade of the building, an approach with steps, and a garden. The lighting was designed to replicate light levels commonly found in nighttime outdoor conditions. The model had a central dividing partition with symmetrical scenes on both sides for side-by-side evaluations of the two scenes with different light sources. While maintaining equal luminance levels and distribution between the two scenes, four types of light sources were evaluated. These include, halogen, phosphor white LED, and two white light systems using RGB LEDs. These light sources were tested by comparing two sources at a time placed side-by-side and by individual assessment of each lighting condition. The results showed that the RGB LEDs performed equal or better than the most widely used halogen light source in this given setting. A majority of the subjects found slightly dimmer ambient lighting to be more typical for restaurants and therefore found RGB LED and halogen light sources to be more inviting. The phosphor white LEDs made the space look brighter, however a majority of the subjects disliked them.

Evaluation of anogenital injuries using white and UV-light among adult volunteers following consensual sexual intercourse.

PubMed

Joki-Erkkilä, Minna; Rainio, Juha; Huhtala, Heini; Salonen, Aki; Karhunen, Pekka J

2014-09-01

New clinical forensic examination techniques for sexual assaults have not been introduced over the last few decades. We evaluated the benefit of ultraviolet light compared to white light for detecting minor anogenital injuries and scars, following consensual sexual intercourse among adult volunteers. A prospective study comparing female genital findings utilising white and ultraviolet light. A colposcopy with photographic documentation was used. Personal invitation to healthcare students, hospital employees or acquaintances to volunteer for a gynecological examination, with a focus on clinical forensic aspects. Eighty-eight adult female volunteers were recruited for the study. The examination was performed after consensual intercourse. Age ranged from 20 to 52 years (median 26.5 years). Presence of acute findings and scars in the genital area using white and UV-light. Acute genital injury rate was 14.8% under white light colposcopy and 23.0% using UV light. Submucosal hemorrhages in the genital area were documented significantly better under UV-light than white light (14.9% vs. 6.8%; p=0.016), whereas petechiaes (4.5%) and abrasions (2.3%) were detected using either method. UV-light revealed significantly more often delivery-associated genital scars compared to white light (39.8% vs. 31.8%; p=0.016). Furthermore, 10 out of 31 (33.3%) women had no residual anogenital skin or mucosal surface findings, despite a prior episiotomy or rupture of the vaginal outlet wall during delivery, supporting its enormous ability to heal even after major trauma. UV-light may provide additional value for the evaluation of physical findings in clinical forensic examinations after sexual assault, and is especially useful in detecting otherwise invisible early submucosal hemorrhages and scars. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

White LED sources for vehicle forward lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Derlofske, John F.; McColgan, Michele W.

2002-11-01

Considerations for the use of white light emitting diode (LED) sources to produce illumination for automotive forward lighting is presented. Due to their reliability, small size, lower consumption, and lower heat generation LEDs are a natural choice for automotive lighting systems. Currently, LEDs are being sucessfully employed in most vehicle lighting applications. In these applications the light levels, distributions, and colors needed are achievable by present LED technologies. However, for vehicle white light illumination applications LEDs are now only being considered for low light level applications, such as back-up lamps. This is due to the relatively low lumen output that has been available up to now in white LEDs. With the advent of new higher lumen packages, and with the promise of even higher light output in the near future, the use of white LEDs sources for all vehicle forward lighting applications is beginning to be considered. Through computer modeling and photometric evaluation this paper examines the possibilities of using currently available white LED technology for vehicle headlamps. It is apparent that optimal LED sources for vehicle forward lighting applications will be constructed with hereto undeveloped technology and packaging configurations. However, the intent here in exploring currently available products is to begin the discussion on the design possibilities and significant issues surrounding LEDs in order to aid in the design and development of future LED sources and systems. Considerations such as total light output, physical size, optical control, power consumption, color appearance, and the effects of white LED spectra on glare and peripheral vision are explored. Finally, conclusions of the feasibility of current LED technology being used in these applications and recommendations of technology advancements that may need to occur are made.

One-step nucleotide-programmed growth of porous upconversion nanoparticles: application to cell labeling and drug delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Li; Li, Zhenhua; Liu, Zhen; Yin, Meili; Ren, Jinsong; Qu, Xiaogang

2014-01-01

A simple and ``green'' strategy has been reported for the first time to fabricate upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) by utilizing nucleotides as bio-templates. The influence of the functionalities present on the nucleotide on the production of nanoparticles was investigated in detail. Through the effects of nucleotides, the obtained nanoparticles possessed a porous structure. The use of the as-prepared UCNPs for cell imaging, drug delivery and versatile therapy applications were demonstrated. In view of the bright up-conversion luminescence as well as the excellent biocompatibility, and the good colloidal stability of the as-prepared UCNPs, we envision that our synthesis protocol might advance both the fields of UCNPs and biomolecule-based nanotechnology for future studies.A simple and ``green'' strategy has been reported for the first time to fabricate upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) by utilizing nucleotides as bio-templates. The influence of the functionalities present on the nucleotide on the production of nanoparticles was investigated in detail. Through the effects of nucleotides, the obtained nanoparticles possessed a porous structure. The use of the as-prepared UCNPs for cell imaging, drug delivery and versatile therapy applications were demonstrated. In view of the bright up-conversion luminescence as well as the excellent biocompatibility, and the good colloidal stability of the as-prepared UCNPs, we envision that our synthesis protocol might advance both the fields of UCNPs and biomolecule-based nanotechnology for future studies. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Supporting figures. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr04255c

Phototaxis of Propsilocerus akamusi (Diptera: Chironomidae) From a Shallow Eutrophic Lake in Response to Led Lamps.

PubMed

Hirabayashi, Kimio; Nagai, Yoshinari; Mushya, Tetsuya; Higashino, Makoto; Taniguchi, Yoshio

2017-06-01

A study on the attraction of adult Propsilocerus akamusi midges to different-colored light traps was carried out from October 21 to November 15, 2013. The 6 colored lights used in light-emitting diode (LED) lamps were white, green, red, blue, amber, and ultraviolet (UV). The UV lamp attracted the most P. akamusi, followed by green, white, blue, amber, and red. A white pulsed LED light attracted only half the number of midges as did a continuous-emission white LED light. The result indicated that manipulation of light color, considering that the red LED light and/or pulsed LED light are not as attractive as the other colors, may be appropriate for the development of an overall integrated strategy to control nuisance P. akamusi in the Lake Suwa area.

CORRELATION OF HARD X-RAY AND WHITE LIGHT EMISSION IN SOLAR FLARES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuhar, Matej; Krucker, Säm; Battaglia, Marina

A statistical study of the correlation between hard X-ray and white light emission in solar flares is performed in order to search for a link between flare-accelerated electrons and white light formation. We analyze 43 flares spanning GOES classes M and X using observations from the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager. We calculate X-ray fluxes at 30 keV and white light fluxes at 6173 Å summed over the hard X-ray flare ribbons with an integration time of 45 s around the peak hard-X ray time. We find a good correlation between hard X-raymore » fluxes and excess white light fluxes, with a highest correlation coefficient of 0.68 for photons with energy of 30 keV. Assuming the thick target model, a similar correlation is found between the deposited power by flare-accelerated electrons and the white light fluxes. The correlation coefficient is found to be largest for energy deposition by electrons above ∼50 keV. At higher electron energies the correlation decreases gradually while a rapid decrease is seen if the energy provided by low-energy electrons is added. This suggests that flare-accelerated electrons of energy ∼50 keV are the main source for white light production.« less

Folic acid-functionalized up-conversion nanoparticles: toxicity studies in vivo and in vitro and targeted imaging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Lining; Wei, Zuwu; Chen, Haige; Liu, Jinliang; Guo, Jianjian; Cao, Ming; Wen, Tieqiao; Shi, Liyi

2014-07-01

Folate receptors (FRs) are overexpressed on a variety of human cancer cells and tissues, including cancers of the breast, ovaries, endometrium, and brain. This over-expression of FRs can be used to target folate-linked imaging specifically to FR-expressing tumors. Fluorescence is emerging as a powerful new modality for molecular imaging in both the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Combining innovative molecular biology and chemistry, we prepared three kinds of folate-targeted up-conversion nanoparticles as imaging agents (UCNC-FA: UCNC-Er-FA, UCNC-Tm-FA, and UCNC-Er,Tm-FA). In vivo and in vitro toxicity studies showed that these nanoparticles have both good biocompatibility and low toxicity. Moreover, the up-conversion luminescence imaging indicated that they have good targeting to HeLa cells and can therefore serve as potential fluorescent contrast agents.Folate receptors (FRs) are overexpressed on a variety of human cancer cells and tissues, including cancers of the breast, ovaries, endometrium, and brain. This over-expression of FRs can be used to target folate-linked imaging specifically to FR-expressing tumors. Fluorescence is emerging as a powerful new modality for molecular imaging in both the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Combining innovative molecular biology and chemistry, we prepared three kinds of folate-targeted up-conversion nanoparticles as imaging agents (UCNC-FA: UCNC-Er-FA, UCNC-Tm-FA, and UCNC-Er,Tm-FA). In vivo and in vitro toxicity studies showed that these nanoparticles have both good biocompatibility and low toxicity. Moreover, the up-conversion luminescence imaging indicated that they have good targeting to HeLa cells and can therefore serve as potential fluorescent contrast agents. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Up-conversion luminescence spectra of UCNC-Er and UCNC-Er-FA, UCNC-Tm and UCNC-Tm-FA. Confocal luminescence imaging data collected as a series along the Z optical axis. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr02312a

Synthesis and characterization of attosecond light vortices in the extreme ultraviolet

PubMed Central

Géneaux, R.; Camper, A.; Auguste, T.; Gobert, O.; Caillat, J.; Taïeb, R.; Ruchon, T.

2016-01-01

Infrared and visible light beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) are currently thoroughly studied for their extremely broad applicative prospects, among which are quantum information, micromachining and diagnostic tools. Here we extend these prospects, presenting a comprehensive study for the synthesis and full characterization of optical vortices carrying OAM in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) domain. We confirm the upconversion rules of a femtosecond infrared helically phased beam into its high-order harmonics, showing that each harmonic order carries the total number of OAM units absorbed in the process up to very high orders (57). This allows us to synthesize and characterize helically shaped XUV trains of attosecond pulses. To demonstrate a typical use of these new XUV light beams, we show our ability to generate and control, through photoionization, attosecond electron beams carrying OAM. These breakthroughs pave the route for the study of a series of fundamental phenomena and the development of new ultrafast diagnosis tools using either photonic or electronic vortices. PMID:27573787

Synthesis and characterization of attosecond light vortices in the extreme ultraviolet

DOE PAGES

Géneaux, R.; Camper, A.; Auguste, T.; ...

2016-08-30

Infrared and visible light beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) are currently thoroughly studied for their extremely broad applicative prospects, among which are quantum information, micromachining and diagnostic tools. Here we extend these prospects, presenting a comprehensive study for the synthesis and full characterization of optical vortices carrying OAM in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) domain. We confirm the upconversion rules of a femtosecond infrared helically phased beam into its high-order harmonics, showing that each harmonic order carries the total number of OAM units absorbed in the process up to very high orders (57). This allows us to synthesize and characterizemore » helically shaped XUV trains of attosecond pulses. To demonstrate a typical use of these new XUV light beams, we show our ability to generate and control, through photoionization, attosecond electron beams carrying OAM. Furthermore, these breakthroughs pave the route for the study of a series of fundamental phenomena and the development of new ultrafast diagnosis tools using either photonic or electronic vortices.« less

Optical property measurements of a novel type of upconverting reporter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xudong; Herring, Michael E.; Haushalter, Jeanne; Lee, Seonkyung; Kalogerakis, Kostas S.; Faris, Gregory W.

2003-07-01

We have recently developed a new type of reporter (upconverting chelate) for biomedical diagnostics. For this reporter, the light is absorbed and emitted by a lanthanide ion, rather than an organic molecule, as is the case for a typical fluorescent dye. These materials do not photobleach and have no autofluorescent background. We focus in this paper on neodymium ions complexed with the familiar chelating agents, EDTA, DPA, DTPA and DOTA. We have performed experimental measurements with one- and two-color laser light excitation for different chelate compounds. The samples are excited using two Nd:YAG-pumped dye laser systems that provide laser light near 587 nm and 800 nm. For one-color excitation, the emitted light depends quadratically on the incident laser power, as expected. Three strongly emitting lines are observed, located near 360 nm, 387 nm, and 417 nm. We observed more efficient upconversion in EDTA although the DPA chelates show comparable ground state absorbance. We have studied the influence of temporal delay between the two laser pulses and obtained the decay lifetime of the first intermediate state in the various chelated compounds.

Light-directing self-organized 1D and 3D chiral liquid crystalline nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Quan; Bisoyi, Hari K.

2015-03-01

A brief overview of recent research and developments in our laboratory toward the fabrication and application of photoresponsive cholesteric liquid crystals, microshells and microdroplets, and blue phase is presented here. We have designed and synthesized a variety of light-driven chiral molecular switches and doped into achiral nematic liquid crystals hosts to obtain photoresponsive cholesteric liquid crystals and blue phase. By irradiation with light of suitable wavelengths, it has been possible to tune the reflection color of cholesteric liquid crystals and blue phase over a wide range across the visible spectrum. By doping upconversion nanoparticles into photoresponsive cholesteric liquid crystals, the reflection color tuning has been accomplished by irradiation with near infrared light. Moreover, cholesteric microshells have been fabricated which exhibit omnidirectional lasing. Similarly, cholesteric microdroplets have been found to display omnidirectional selective reflection and photonic cross communication. Wide-range non-mechanical beam steering has been demonstrated in a phoresponsive cholesteric liquid crystal sample. This short summary of our recent research work shows that the century old fascinating cholesteric liquid crystals have diverse opportunities to offer.

Transforming White Light into Rainbows: Segmentation Strategies for Successful School Tax Elections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senden, J. Bradford; Lifto, Don E.

2009-01-01

In the late 1600s, British physicist Sir Isaac Newton first demonstrated refraction and dispersion in a triangular prism. He discovered that a prism could decompose white light into a spectrum. Hold a prism up to the light at the correct angle and white light magically splits into vivid colors of the rainbow! So what do prisms and rainbows have to…

Development of an antimicrobial blended white LED system containing pulsed 405nm LEDs for decontamination applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillespie, Jonathan B.; Maclean, Michelle; Wilson, Mark P.; Given, Martin J.; MacGregor, Scott J.

2017-03-01

This study details the design, build and testing of a prototype antimicrobial blended white light unit containing pulsed red, yellow, green and 405nm LEDs. With a push for alternative methods of disinfection, optical methods have become a topic of interest. Ultra-violet (UV) light is widely known for its antimicrobial properties however; 405nm light has demonstrated significant antimicrobial properties against many common hospital acquired pathogens. In this study, a pulsed, blended, white-light prototype with a high content of 405 nm antimicrobial light, was designed, built and tested. Antimicrobial efficacy testing of the prototype was conducted using Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas. aeruginosa, two bacteria which are common causes of hospital acquired infections. These were exposure to 3 different light outputs from the prototype and the surviving bacteria enumerated. Results showed that the mixed light output provided a much better CRI and light output under which to work. Also, the light output containing 405 nm light provided an antimicrobial effect, with decontamination of 103 CFUml-1 populations of both bacterial species. The other light content (red, yellow, green) had no beneficial or adverse effects on the antimicrobial properties of the 405nm light. The results suggest that with further development, it could be possible to produce an antimicrobial blended white light containing pulsed 405nm light that could supplement or even replace standard white lighting in certain environments.

ZnO-nanorods: A possible white LED phosphor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarangi, Sachindra Nath; T., Arun; Ray, Dinseh K.; Sahoo, Pratap Kumar; Nozaki, Shinji; Sugiyama, Noriyuki; Uchida, Kazuo

2017-05-01

The white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have drawn much attention to replace conventional lighting sources because of low energy consumption, high light efficiency and long lifetime. Although the most common approach to produce white light is to combine a blue LED chip and a yellow phosphor, such a white LED cannot be used for a general lighting application, which requires a broad luminescence spectrum in the visible wavelength range. We have successfully chemically synthesized the ZnO nanorods showing intense broad luminescence in the visible wavelength range and made a white LED using the ZnO nanorods as phosphor excited with a blue LED. Their lengths and diameters were 2 - 10 μm and 200 - 800 nm, respectively. The wurtzite structure was confirmed by the x-ray diffraction measurement. The PL spectrum obtained by exciting the ZnO nanorods with the He-Cd laser has two peaks, one associated with the near band-edge recombination and the other with recombination via defects. The peak intensity of the near band-edge luminescence at 388 nm is much weaker than that of the defect-related luminescence. The latter luminescence peak ranges from 450 to 850 nm and broad enough to be used as a phosphor for a white LED. A white LED has been fabricated using a blue LED with 450 nm emission and ZnO nanorod powders. The LED performances show a white light emission and the electroluminescence measurement shows a stiff increase in white light intensity with increasing blue LED current. The Commission International de1'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity colour coordinates of 450 nm LED pumped white emission shows a coordinate of (0.31, 0.32) for white LED at 350 mA. These results indicate that ZnO nanorods provides an alternate and effective approach to achieve high-performance white LEDs and also other optoelectronic devices.

ACTIVE-REGION TILT ANGLES: MAGNETIC VERSUS WHITE-LIGHT DETERMINATIONS OF JOY'S LAW

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Y.-M.; Colaninno, R. C.; Baranyi, T.

2015-01-01

The axes of solar active regions are inclined relative to the east-west direction, with the tilt angle tending to increase with latitude ({sup J}oy's law{sup )}. Observational determinations of Joy's law have been based either on white-light images of sunspot groups or on magnetograms, where the latter have the advantage of measuring directly the physically relevant quantity (the photospheric field), but the disadvantage of having been recorded routinely only since the mid-1960s. White-light studies employing the historical Mount Wilson (MW) database have yielded tilt angles that are smaller and that increase less steeply with latitude than those obtained from magneticmore » data. We confirm this effect by comparing sunspot-group tilt angles from the Debrecen Photoheliographic Database with measurements made by Li and Ulrich using MW magnetograms taken during cycles 21-23. Whether white-light or magnetic data are employed, the median tilt angles significantly exceed the mean values, and provide a better characterization of the observed distributions. The discrepancy between the white-light and magnetic results is found to have two main sources. First, a substantial fraction of the white-light ''tilt angles'' refer to sunspots of the same polarity. Of greater physical significance is that the magnetograph measurements include the contribution of plage areas, which are invisible in white-light images but tend to have greater axial inclinations than the adjacent sunspots. Given the large uncertainties inherent in both the white-light and the magnetic measurements, it remains unclear whether any systematic relationship exists between tilt angle and cycle amplitude during cycles 16-23.« less

Recent developments in white light emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lohe, P. P.; Nandanwar, D. V.; Belsare, P. D.; Moharil, S. V.

2018-05-01

In the recent years solid state lighting based on LEDs has revolutionized lighting technology. LEDs have many advantages over the conventional lighting based on fluorescent and incandescent lamps such as mercury free, high conversion efficiency of electrical energy into light, long lifetime reliability and ability to use with many types of devices. LEDs have emerged as a new potentially revolutionary technology that could save up to half of energy used for lighting applications. White LEDs would be the most important light source in the future, so much so that this aspect had been highlighted by the Nobel committee during the award of 2014 Nobel Prize for Physics. Recent advancement in the fabrication of GaN chip capable of emitting in blue and near UV region paved way for fabrication of white LED lamps. Mainly there are two approaches used for preparing white emitting solid state lamp. In the first approach blue light (λ=450 nm) emitted from the InGaN LED chip is partially absorbed by the YAG:Ce3+ phosphor coated on it and re-emitted as yellow fluorescence. A white light can be generated by the combination of blue + yellow emission bands. These lamps are already available. But they are suffering from major drawback that their Colour Rendering Index (CRI) is low. In the second approach, white LEDs are made by coating near ultraviolet emitting (360 to 410nm) LED with a mixture of high efficiency red, green and blue emitting phosphors, analogous to the fluorescent lamp. This method yields lamps with better color rendition. Addition of a yellow emitting phosphor improves CRI further. However conversion efficiency is compromised to some extent. Further the cost of near UV emitting chip is very high compared to blue emitting chips. Thus cost and light output wise, near UV chips are much inferior to blue chips. Recently some rare earth activated oxynitrides, silicates, fluorides have emerged as an important family of luminescent materials for white LED application because they can emit visible light strongly under blue light irradiation. These are chemically, thermally and mechanically stable materials with high efficiency to down convert blue radiation into green and red. Efficient white light can be generated by coating these phosphors on blue LED.CRI of white emitting LED lamp can be improved significantly if green and red emitting phosphors are coated on efficient blue emitting LED chips. In this approach CRI will be maintained if appropriate combination of red, green along with blue emission is used. This article reviews some recent developments in phosphors for white light emitting diodes.

Developing a new supplemental lighting device with ultra-bright white LED for vegetables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yongguang; Li, Pingping; Jiang, Jianghai

2007-02-01

It has been proved that monochromatic or compound light-emitting diode (LED) or laser diode (LD) can promote the photosynthesis of horticultural crops, but the promotion of polychromatic light like white LED is unclear. A new type of ultra-bright white LED (LUW56843, InGaN, \

Snap-through twinkling energy generation through frequency up-conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panigrahi, Smruti R.; Bernard, Brian P.; Feeny, Brian F.; Mann, Brian P.; Diaz, Alejandro R.

2017-07-01

A novel experimental energy harvester is investigated for its energy harvesting capability by frequency up-conversion using snap-through structures. In particular, a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) experimental energy harvester model is built using a snap-through nonlinear element. The snap-through dynamics is facilitated by the experimental setup of a twinkling energy generator (TEG) consisting of linear springs and attracting cylindrical bar magnets. A cylindrical coil of enamel-coated magnet wire is used as the energy generator. The governing equations are formulated mathematically and solved numerically for a direct comparison with the experimental results. The experimental TEG and the numerical simulation results show 25-fold frequency up-conversion and the power harvesting capacity of the SDOF TEG.

Thermal, optical and vibrational studies of tyrosine doped LaF3:Ce nanoparticles for bioimaging and biotagging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Amit T.

2018-05-01

Upconversion quantum dots of tyrosine doped LaF3:Ce nanoparticles have been synthesized by wet chemical route. The thermal studies (TGA/DTA) confirm the crystallinity and stability of different phases of synthesized nanoparticles. The UV-Visible spectra show multiple absorption edges at 215.60 nm and 243.10 nm indicating quantum dot nature of the synthesized nanoparticles. The PL spectra showed upconversion with sharp emission peak at 615 nm (red colour). The FT-RAMAN spectra of the synthesized nanoparticles show the modification of the surface of the nanoparticles in the form of functional groups and skeletal groups. Upconversion nature of the synthesized nanoparticles indicates their potential application in bioimaging and biotagging.

Zirconia nanocrystals as submicron level biological label

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smits, K.; Liepins, J.; Gavare, M.; Patmalnieks, A.; Gruduls, A.; Jankovica, D.

2012-08-01

Inorganic nanocrystals are of increasing interest for their usage in biology and pharmacology research. Our interest was to justify ZrO2 nanocrystal usage as submicron level biological label in baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisia culture. For the first time (to our knowledge) images with sub micro up-conversion luminescent particles in biologic media were made. A set of undoped as well as Er and Yb doped ZrO2 samples at different concentrations were prepared by sol-gel method. The up-conversion luminescence for free standing and for nanocrystals with baker's yeast cells was studied and the differences in up-conversion luminescence spectra were analyzed. In vivo toxic effects of ZrO2 nanocrystals were tested by co-cultivation with baker's yeast.

Bi-stable frequency up-conversion piezoelectric energy harvester driven by non-contact magnetic repulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Q. C.; Yang, Y. L.; Li, Xinxin

2011-12-01

This paper presents miniaturized energy harvesters, where the frequency up-conversion technique is used to improve the bandwidth of vibration energy harvesters. The proposed and developed miniature piezoelectric energy harvester utilizes magnetic repulsion forces to achieve non-contact frequency up-conversion, thereby avoiding mechanical collision and wear for long-term working durability. A pair of piezoelectric resonant cantilevers is micro-fabricated to generate electric power. A simplified model involving linear oscillators and magnetic interaction is deployed to demonstrate the feasibility of the device design. A bench-top harvester has been fabricated and characterized, resulting in average power generation of over 10 µW within a broad frequency range of 10-22 Hz under 1g acceleration.

White Light Emission and Enhanced Color Stability in a Single-Component Host.

PubMed

Li, Junhao; Liang, Qiongyun; Hong, Jun-Yu; Yan, Jing; Dolgov, Leonid; Meng, Yuying; Xu, Yiqin; Shi, Jianxin; Wu, Mingmei

2018-05-30

Eu 3+ ion can be effectively sensitized by Ce 3+ ion through an energy-transfer chain of Ce 3+ -(Tb 3+ ) n -Eu 3+ , which has contributed to the development of white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) as it can favor more efficient red phosphors. However, simply serving for WLEDs as one of the multicomponents, the design of the Ce 3+ -(Tb 3+ ) n -Eu 3+ energy transfer is undoubtedly underused. Theoretically, white light can be achieved with extra blue and green emissions released from Ce 3+ and Tb 3+ . Herein, the design of the white light based on these three multicolor luminescence centers has been realized in GdBO 3 . It is the first time that white light is generated via accurate controls on the Ce 3+ -(Tb 3+ ) n -Eu 3+ energy transfer in such a widely studied host material. Because the thermal quenching rates of blue, green, and red emissions from Ce 3+ , Tb 3+ , and Eu 3+ , respectively, are well-matched in the host, this novel white light exhibits superior color stability and potential application prospect.

Material system for tailorable white light emission and method for making thereof

DOEpatents

Smith, Christine A.; Lee, Howard W.

2004-08-10

A method of processing a composite material to tailor white light emission of the resulting composite during excitation. The composite material is irradiated with a predetermined power and for a predetermined time period to reduce the size of a plurality of nanocrystals and the number of a plurality of traps in the composite material. By this irradiation process, blue light contribution from the nanocrystals to the white light emission is intensified and red and green light contributions from the traps are decreased.

Material system for tailorable white light emission and method for making thereof

DOEpatents

Smith, Christine A [Livermore, CA; Lee, Howard W. H. [Fremont, CA

2009-05-19

A method of processing a composite material to tailor white light emission of the resulting composite during excitation. The composite material is irradiated with a predetermined power and for a predetermined time period to reduce the size of a plurality of nanocrystals and the number of a plurality of traps in the composite material. By this irradiation process, blue light contribution from the nanocrystals to the white light emission is intensified and red and green light contributions from the traps are decreased.

A 10-cm Discharge-Length He-ZnII White Light Laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasaki, Wakao; Itani, Kimihiko; Ohta, Tatehisa

1989-06-01

We demonstrate a unique, efficient white light laser source realized by the He-Zn mixture with substantially short discharge length of 10 cm. The white laser light can be made up of only two wavelengths at simultaneous oscillation --- 492.4 nm (4f2Fo712_4d2D5/2) and 610.2 nm (5d 2D 512 -5 2p03/2 The ideal white color region for human eyes lies just between these two wavelengths in the chromaticity diagram. Therefore, such a compact white light laser will be useful for some specific purposes such as a white color standard. Moreover, we have analyzed the proper relation between the electron energy and the discharge sustaining voltage which appears as a function of the Zn vapor pressure measured at the terminal of the tube, considering the Druyvesteyn distribution of electron energy. Then we succeeded to operate a He-Zn laser tube in white light with 10-cm discharge length. The derived output beam was estimated to be about 0.5 mW.

White-light-emitting supramolecular gels.

PubMed

Praveen, Vakayil K; Ranjith, Choorikkat; Armaroli, Nicola

2014-01-07

Let there be light, let it be white: Recent developments in the use of chromophore-based gels as scaffolds for the assembly of white-light-emitting soft materials have been significant. The main advantage of this approach lies in the facile accommodation of selected luminescent components within the gel. Excitation-energy-transfer processes between these components ultimately generate the desired light output. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Phase shifting white light interferometry using colour CCD for optical metrology and bio-imaging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upputuri, Paul Kumar; Pramanik, Manojit

2018-02-01

Phase shifting white light interferometry (PSWLI) has been widely used for optical metrology applications because of their precision, reliability, and versatility. White light interferometry using monochrome CCD makes the measurement process slow for metrology applications. WLI integrated with Red-Green-Blue (RGB) CCD camera is finding imaging applications in the fields optical metrology and bio-imaging. Wavelength dependent refractive index profiles of biological samples were computed from colour white light interferograms. In recent years, whole-filed refractive index profiles of red blood cells (RBCs), onion skin, fish cornea, etc. were measured from RGB interferograms. In this paper, we discuss the bio-imaging applications of colour CCD based white light interferometry. The approach makes the measurement faster, easier, cost-effective, and even dynamic by using single fringe analysis methods, for industrial applications.

Effects of Different Viewing Conditions on Radiographic Interpretation

PubMed Central

Moshfeghi, Mahkameh; Shahbazian, Majid; Sajadi, Soodabeh Sadat; Sajadi, Sepideh; Ansari, Hossein

2015-01-01

Objectives: Optimum viewing conditions facilitate identification of radiographic details and decrease the need for retakes, patients’ costs and radiation dose. This study sought to evaluate the effects of different viewing conditions on radiographic interpretation. Materials and Methods: This diagnostic study was performed by evaluating radiograph of a 7mm-thick aluminum block, in which 10 holes with 2mm diameters were randomly drilled with depths ranging from 0.05 mm to 0.50mm. The radiograph was viewed by four oral radiologists independently under four viewing conditions, including a white light viewing light box in a lit room, yellow light viewing light box in a lit room, white light viewing light box in a dark room and yellow light viewing light box in a dark room. Number of circular shadows observed on the film was recorded. The data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA. Results: The mean number of detected circular shadows was 6.75, 7.5, 7.25 and 7.75 in white light viewing light box in a lit room, white light viewing light box in a dark room, yellow light viewing light box in a lit room and yellow light viewing light box in a dark room, respectively. Although the surrounding illumination had statistically significant effect on the radiographic details (P≤0.03), the light color of the viewing light box had no significant effect on visibility of the radiographic details. Conclusion: White and yellow light of the viewing light box had no significant effect on visibility of the radiographic details but more information was obtained in a dark room. PMID:27507997

Effects of Different Viewing Conditions on Radiographic Interpretation.

PubMed

Moshfeghi, Mahkameh; Shahbazian, Majid; Sajadi, Soodabeh Sadat; Sajadi, Sepideh; Ansari, Hossein

2015-11-01

Optimum viewing conditions facilitate identification of radiographic details and decrease the need for retakes, patients' costs and radiation dose. This study sought to evaluate the effects of different viewing conditions on radiographic interpretation. This diagnostic study was performed by evaluating radiograph of a 7mm-thick aluminum block, in which 10 holes with 2mm diameters were randomly drilled with depths ranging from 0.05 mm to 0.50mm. The radiograph was viewed by four oral radiologists independently under four viewing conditions, including a white light viewing light box in a lit room, yellow light viewing light box in a lit room, white light viewing light box in a dark room and yellow light viewing light box in a dark room. Number of circular shadows observed on the film was recorded. The data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA. The mean number of detected circular shadows was 6.75, 7.5, 7.25 and 7.75 in white light viewing light box in a lit room, white light viewing light box in a dark room, yellow light viewing light box in a lit room and yellow light viewing light box in a dark room, respectively. Although the surrounding illumination had statistically significant effect on the radiographic details (P≤0.03), the light color of the viewing light box had no significant effect on visibility of the radiographic details. White and yellow light of the viewing light box had no significant effect on visibility of the radiographic details but more information was obtained in a dark room.

Human phase response curve to a 1 h pulse of bright white light

PubMed Central

St Hilaire, Melissa A; Gooley, Joshua J; Khalsa, Sat Bir S; Kronauer, Richard E; Czeisler, Charles A; Lockley, Steven W

2012-01-01

The phase resetting response of the human circadian pacemaker to light depends on the timing of exposure and is described by a phase response curve (PRC). The current study aimed to construct a PRC for a 1 h exposure to bright white light (∼8000 lux) and to compare this PRC to a <3 lux dim background light PRC. These data were also compared to a previously completed 6.7 h bright white light PRC and a <15 lux dim background light PRC constructed under similar conditions. Participants were randomized for exposure to 1 h of either bright white light (n= 18) or <3 lux dim background light (n= 18) scheduled at 1 of 18 circadian phases. Participants completed constant routine (CR) procedures in dim light (<3 lux) before and after the light exposure to assess circadian phase. Phase shifts were calculated as the difference in timing of dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) during pre- and post-stimulus CRs. Exposure to 1 h of bright white light induced a Type 1 PRC with a fitted peak-to-trough amplitude of 2.20 h. No discernible PRC was observed in the <3 lux dim background light PRC. The fitted peak-to-trough amplitude of the 1 h bright light PRC was ∼40% of that for the 6.7 h PRC despite representing only 15% of the light exposure duration, consistent with previous studies showing a non-linear duration–response function for the effects of light on circadian resetting. PMID:22547633

Human phase response curve to a 1 h pulse of bright white light.

PubMed

St Hilaire, Melissa A; Gooley, Joshua J; Khalsa, Sat Bir S; Kronauer, Richard E; Czeisler, Charles A; Lockley, Steven W

2012-07-01

The phase resetting response of the human circadian pacemaker to light depends on the timing of exposure and is described by a phase response curve (PRC). The current study aimed to construct a PRC for a 1 h exposure to bright white light (∼8000 lux) and to compare this PRC to a <3 lux dim background light PRC. These data were also compared to a previously completed 6.7 h bright white light PRC and a <15 lux dim background light PRC constructed under similar conditions. Participants were randomized for exposure to 1 h of either bright white light (n=18) or <3 lux dim background light (n=18) scheduled at 1 of 18 circadian phases. Participants completed constant routine (CR) procedures in dim light (<3 lux) before and after the light exposure to assess circadian phase. Phase shifts were calculated as the difference in timing of dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) during pre- and post-stimulus CRs. Exposure to 1 h of bright white light induced a Type 1 PRC with a fitted peak-to-trough amplitude of 2.20 h. No discernible PRC was observed in the <3 lux dim background light PRC. The fitted peak-to-trough amplitude of the 1 h bright light PRC was ∼40% of that for the 6.7 h PRC despite representing only 15% of the light exposure duration, consistent with previous studies showing a non-linear duration–response function for the effects of light on circadian resetting.

Materials for Digital Optical Design:. a Survey Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, Ayman Abdel Khader; Ismail, Imane Aly Saroit; Ahmed, S. H.

2010-04-01

In the last few years digital optical design had major attention in research fields. Many researches were published in the fields of optical materials, instruments, circuit design and devices. This is considered to be the most multidisciplinary field and requires for its success collaborative efforts of many disciplines, ranging from device and optical engineers to computer architects, chemists, material scientists, and optical physicists. In this study we will introduce a survey of the latest papers in the field of optical materials and its properties for light; this paper is organized in three major sections, optical glasses, compound materials and nonlinear absorption (multi photon absorption) and up-conversion.

Full phosphorescent white-light organic light-emitting diodes with improved color stability and efficiency by fine tuning primary emission contributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, Wang; Du, Xiaogang; Su, Wenming; Lin, Wenjing; Zhang, Dongyu

2014-02-01

In this paper, a novel type of white-light organic light emitting diode (OLED) with high color stability was reported, in which the yellow-light emission layer of (4,4'-N,N'-dicarbazole)biphenyl (CBP) : tris(2-phenylquinoline-C2,N')iridium(III) (Ir(2-phq)3) was sandwiched by double blue-light emission layers of 1,1-bis-[(di-4-tolylamino)pheny1]cyclohexane (TAPC) : bis[4,6-(di-fluorophenyl)-pyridinato-N,C2']picolinate (FIrpic) and tris[3-(3-pyridyl)mesityl]borane (3TPYMB):FIrpic. And, it exhibited the maximum current efficiency of 33.1 cd/A, the turn-on voltage at about 3 V and the maximum luminance in excess of 20000 cd/m2. More important, it realized very stable white-light emission, and its CIE(x, y) coordinates only shift from (0.34, 0.37) to (0.33, 0.37) as applied voltage increased from 5 V to 12 V. It is believed that the new scheme in emission layer of white-light OLED can fine tune the contribution of primary emission with applied voltage changed, resulting in high quality white-light OLED.

LED lamp

DOEpatents

Galvez, Miguel; Grossman, Kenneth; Betts, David

2013-11-12

There is herein described a lamp for providing white light comprising a plurality of light sources positioned on a substrate. Each of said light sources comprises a blue light emitting diode (LED) and a dome that substantially covers said LED. A first portion of said blue light from said LEDs is transmitted through said domes and a second portion of said blue light is converted into a red light by a first phosphor contained in said domes. A cover is disposed over all of said light sources that transmits at least a portion of said red and blue light emitted by said light sources. The cover contains a second phosphor that emits a yellow light in response to said blue light. The red, blue and yellow light combining to form the white light and the white light having a color rendering index (CRI) of at least about 80.

Couleurs, etoiles, temperatures.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spite, F.

The eye is able to distinguish very tiny color differences of contiguous objects (at high light level, cones vision), but it is not a reliable colorimeter. Hot objects (a heated iron rod) emits some red light, a hotter object would provide a yellow-orange light (the filament of a bulb) and a still hotter one a white or even bluish light : this may be at reverse of common life codes, where "red" means hot water and/or danger, and "blue" cool water or cool air. Stars are a good illustration of the link between temperatures and colors. A heated iron rod has a temperature of about 800 K. Let us recall that K is a temperature unit (Kelvin) such that the Kelvin temperature is the Celsius temperature +273).The so called red stars (or cool stars) have temperature around 3000 K, higher than "white-hot iron". The Sun has a still higher temperature (5800 K) and its color is white : the solar light is by definition the "white light", and includes violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red colors in balanced proportions (the maximum in the yellow-green). It is often said that the Sun is a yellow star. Admittedly, a brief glimpse at the Sun (take care ! never more than a VERY brief glimpse !) provides a perception of yellow light, but such a vision, with the eye overwhelmed by a fierce light, is not able to provide a good evaluation of the solar color : prefer a white sheet of paper illuminated by the Sun at noon and conclude that "the Sun is a white star". It is sometimes asked why red, white and bluish stars are seen in the sky, but no green stars : the solar light has its maximum intensity in the green, but such a dominant green light, equilibrated by some blue and some red light, is what we call "white", so that stars similar to the Sun, with a maximum in the green, are seen as white stars. Faint stars (rods vision of the eye) are also seen as white stars. Spots on the Sun (never look at the Sun ! let us say spots on "projected images of the Sun") appear as black spots : they are in fact bright areas, only slightly less luminous than the undisturbed surface of the Sun, but the eye has a particular of enhancing enormously the contrasts.

Experimentally comparing the attractiveness of domestic lights to insects: Do LEDs attract fewer insects than conventional light types?

PubMed

Wakefield, Andrew; Broyles, Moth; Stone, Emma L; Jones, Gareth; Harris, Stephen

2016-11-01

LED lighting is predicted to constitute 70% of the outdoor and residential lighting markets by 2020. While the use of LEDs promotes energy and cost savings relative to traditional lighting technologies, little is known about the effects these broad-spectrum "white" lights will have on wildlife, human health, animal welfare, and disease transmission. We conducted field experiments to compare the relative attractiveness of four commercially available "domestic" lights, one traditional (tungsten filament) and three modern (compact fluorescent, "cool-white" LED and "warm-white" LED), to aerial insects, particularly Diptera. We found that LEDs attracted significantly fewer insects than other light sources, but found no significant difference in attraction between the "cool-" and "warm-white" LEDs. Fewer flies were attracted to LEDs than alternate light sources, including fewer Culicoides midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Use of LEDs has the potential to mitigate disturbances to wildlife and occurrences of insect-borne diseases relative to competing lighting technologies. However, we discuss the risks associated with broad-spectrum lighting and net increases in lighting resulting from reduced costs of LED technology.

Zero- and two-dimensional hybrid carbon phosphors for high colorimetric purity white light-emission.

PubMed

Ding, Yamei; Chang, Qing; Xiu, Fei; Chen, Yingying; Liu, Zhengdong; Ban, Chaoyi; Cheng, Shuai; Liu, Juqing; Huang, Wei

2018-03-01

Carbon nanomaterials are promising phosphors for white light emission. A facile single-step synthesis method has been developed to prepare zero- and two-dimensional hybrid carbon phosphors for the first time. Zero-dimensional carbon dots (C-dots) emit bright blue luminescence under 365 nm UV light and two-dimensional nanoplates improve the dispersity and film forming ability of C-dots. As a proof-of-concept application, the as-prepared hybrid carbon phosphors emit bright white luminescence in the solid state, and the phosphor-coated blue LEDs exhibit high colorimetric purity white light-emission with a color coordinate of (0.3308, 0.3312), potentially enabling the successful application of white emitting phosphors in the LED field.

White-Light Optical Information Processing and Holography.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-29

this technique is the processing system does not require to carry its own light source. It is very suitable for spaceborne and satellite application. We...developed a technique of generating a spatialtrequency color coded speech spectrogram with a white-light optical system . This system not only offers a low...that the annoying moire fringes can be eliminated. In short, we have once again demonstrated the versatility of the white-light progress system ; a

Green light drives leaf photosynthesis more efficiently than red light in strong white light: revisiting the enigmatic question of why leaves are green.

PubMed

Terashima, Ichiro; Fujita, Takashi; Inoue, Takeshi; Chow, Wah Soon; Oguchi, Riichi

2009-04-01

The literature and our present examinations indicate that the intra-leaf light absorption profile is in most cases steeper than the photosynthetic capacity profile. In strong white light, therefore, the quantum yield of photosynthesis would be lower in the upper chloroplasts, located near the illuminated surface, than that in the lower chloroplasts. Because green light can penetrate further into the leaf than red or blue light, in strong white light, any additional green light absorbed by the lower chloroplasts would increase leaf photosynthesis to a greater extent than would additional red or blue light. Based on the assessment of effects of the additional monochromatic light on leaf photosynthesis, we developed the differential quantum yield method that quantifies efficiency of any monochromatic light in white light. Application of this method to sunflower leaves clearly showed that, in moderate to strong white light, green light drove photosynthesis more effectively than red light. The green leaf should have a considerable volume of chloroplasts to accommodate the inefficient carboxylation enzyme, Rubisco, and deliver appropriate light to all the chloroplasts. By using chlorophylls that absorb green light weakly, modifying mesophyll structure and adjusting the Rubisco/chlorophyll ratio, the leaf appears to satisfy two somewhat conflicting requirements: to increase the absorptance of photosynthetically active radiation, and to drive photosynthesis efficiently in all the chloroplasts. We also discuss some serious problems that are caused by neglecting these intra-leaf profiles when estimating whole leaf electron transport rates and assessing photoinhibition by fluorescence techniques.

Dye-Sensitized Core/Active Shell Upconversion Nanoparticles for Optogenetics and Bioimaging Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Xiang; Zhang, Yuanwei; Takle, Kendra

2016-01-26

Near Infrared (NIR) dye-sensitized upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have recently been proposed in order to broaden the absorption range and to boost upconversion efficiency. However, implementing this strategy has been limited only to bare core UCNP structures that are faintly luminescent. Herein, we report on an approach to achieve significantly enhanced upconversion luminescence in dye-sensitized core-active shell UCNPs with a broadened absorption range via the doping of ytterbium ions in the UCNP shell in order to bridge the energy transfer from the dye to the UCNP core. As a result, we have been able to synergize the two most practical upconversionmore » booster effectors (dye-sensitizing and core/shell enhancement). The absolute quantum yield of our dye-sensitized core/active shell UCNPs at 800 nm was determined to be ~6% at 2 W/cm2, about 33 times larger than the highest value reported to date for existing 800 nm excitable UCNPs. Moreover, for the first time, by using dye-sensitized core/active shell UCNP embedded poly(methyl methacrylate) polymer implantable systems, we successfully shifted the optogenetic neuron excitation window to a wavelength that is compatible with deep tissue penetrable near the infrared wavelength at 800 nm. Finally, amphiphilic triblock copolymer, Pluronic F127 coatings permit the transfer of hydrophobic UCNPs into water, resulting in water-soluble nanoparticles with well-preserved optical property in aqueous solution. We believe that this research offers a new solution to enhance upconversion efficiency for photonic and biophotonic purposes and opens up new opportunities to use UCNPs as a NIR relay for optogenetic applications.« less

All-inorganic colloidal upconversion quantum dots (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oron, Dan; Teitelboim, Ayelet

2017-02-01

Upconversion (UC) is a nonlinear process in which two, or more, long wavelength photons are converted to a shorter wavelength photon. This process is based on sequential absorption of two or more photons, involving metastable, long lived intermediate energy states, thus is not restricted to ultrashort pulsed excitation. Hence, requirements for UC processes are long lived excited states, a ladder like arrangement of energy levels and a mechanism inhibiting cooling of the hot charge carrier. UC holds great promise for bioimaging, enabling to perform multiphoton imaging in scattering specimen at very low powers. Rare-earth-doped nanocrystals, the most commonly used ones for UC, typically require a minimal particle diameter of several tens of nanometers and have a limited action spectrum. Here, we present a novel luminescence upconversion nano-system based on colloidal semiconductor double quantum dots, consisting of a NIR-absorbing component and a visible emitting component separated by a tunneling barrier in a spherical onion-like geometry. These dual near-infrared and visible core/shell/shell PbSe/CdSe/CdS nanocrystals are shown to efficiently upconvert a broad range of NIR wavelengths up to 1.2 microns to visible emission at room temperature, covering a spectral range where there are practically no alternative upconversion systems. The particle diameter is less than ten nanometers, and the synthesis enables versatility and tunability of both the visible emission color and the NIR absorption edge. The physical mechanism for upconversion in this type of structures, as well as potential advances and extensions on this system will be discussed.

Recent advances in light outcoupling from white organic light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gather, Malte C.; Reineke, Sebastian

2015-01-01

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been successfully introduced to the smartphone display market and have geared up to become contenders for applications in general illumination where they promise to combine efficient generation of white light with excellent color quality, glare-free illumination, and highly attractive designs. Device efficiency is the key requirement for such white OLEDs, not only from a sustainability perspective, but also because at the high brightness required for general illumination, losses lead to heating and may, thus, cause rapid device degradation. The efficiency of white OLEDs increased tremendously over the past two decades, and internal charge-to-photon conversion can now be achieved at ˜100% yield. However, the extraction of photons remains rather inefficient (typically <30%). Here, we provide an introduction to the underlying physics of outcoupling in white OLEDs and review recent progress toward making light extraction more efficient. We describe how structures that scatter, refract, or diffract light can be attached to the outside of white OLEDs (external outcoupling) or can be integrated close to the active layers of the device (internal outcoupling). Moreover, the prospects of using top-emitting metal-metal microcavity designs for white OLEDs and of tuning the average orientation of the emissive molecules within the OLED are discussed.

Tuneable light-emitting carbon-dot/polymer flexible films prepared through one-pot synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhunia, Susanta Kumar; Nandi, Sukhendu; Shikler, Rafi; Jelinek, Raz

2016-02-01

Development of efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally-friendly light emitters, particularly devices that produce white light, have drawn intense interest due to diverse applications in the lighting industry, photonics, solar energy, and others. We present a simple strategy for the fabrication of flexible transparent films exhibiting tuneable light emission through one-pot synthesis of polymer matrixes with embedded carbon dots assembled in situ. Importantly, different luminescence colours were produced simply by preparing C-dot/polymer films using carbon precursors that yielded C-dots exhibiting distinct fluorescence emission profiles. Furthermore, mixtures of C-dot precursors could be also employed for fabricating films exhibiting different colours. In particular, we successfully produced films emitting white light with attractive properties (i.e. ``warm'' white light with a high colour rendering index) - a highly sought after goal in optical technologies.Development of efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally-friendly light emitters, particularly devices that produce white light, have drawn intense interest due to diverse applications in the lighting industry, photonics, solar energy, and others. We present a simple strategy for the fabrication of flexible transparent films exhibiting tuneable light emission through one-pot synthesis of polymer matrixes with embedded carbon dots assembled in situ. Importantly, different luminescence colours were produced simply by preparing C-dot/polymer films using carbon precursors that yielded C-dots exhibiting distinct fluorescence emission profiles. Furthermore, mixtures of C-dot precursors could be also employed for fabricating films exhibiting different colours. In particular, we successfully produced films emitting white light with attractive properties (i.e. ``warm'' white light with a high colour rendering index) - a highly sought after goal in optical technologies. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr08400h

Compact high-power red-green-blue laser light source generation from a single lithium tantalate with cascaded domain modulation.

PubMed

Xu, P; Zhao, L N; Lv, X J; Lu, J; Yuan, Y; Zhao, G; Zhu, S N

2009-06-08

1W quasi-white-light source has been generated from a single lithium tantalate with cascaded domain modulation. The quasi-white-light is combined by proper proportion of the red, green and blue laser light. The red and the blue result from a compact self-sum frequency optical parametric oscillation when pumped by a single green laser. The efficiency of quasi-white-light from the green pump reaches 27%. This compact design can be employed not only as a stable and powerful RGB light source but also an effective blue laser generator.

Top-emitting white organic light-emitting devices with down-conversion phosphors: theory and experiment.

PubMed

Ji, Wenyu; Zhang, Letian; Gao, Ruixue; Zhang, Liming; Xie, Wenfa; Zhang, Hanzhuang; Li, Bin

2008-09-29

White top-emitting organic light-emitting devices (TEOLEDs) with down-conversion phosphors are investigated from theory and experiment. The theoretical simulation was described by combining the microcavity model with the down-conversion model. A White TEOLED by the combination of a blue TEOLED with organic down-conversion phosphor 3-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)-1-pheny1prop-2-en-1-one was fabricated to validate the simulated results. It is shown that this approach permits the generation of white light in TEOLEDs. The efficiency of the white TEOLED is twice over the corresponding blue TEOLED. The feasible methods to improve the performance of such white TEOLEDs are discussed.

Controllable optical modulation of blue/green up-conversion fluorescence from Tm3+ (Er3+) single-doped glass ceramics upon two-step excitation of two-wavelengths

PubMed Central

Chen, Zhi; Kang, Shiliang; Zhang, Hang; Wang, Ting; Lv, Shichao; Chen, Qiuqun; Dong, Guoping; Qiu, Jianrong

2017-01-01

Optical modulation is a crucial operation in photonics for network data processing with the aim to overcome information bottleneck in terms of speed, energy consumption, dispersion and cross-talking from conventional electronic interconnection approach. However, due to the weak interactions between photons, a facile physical approach is required to efficiently manipulate photon-photon interactions. Herein, we demonstrate that transparent glass ceramics containing LaF3: Tm3+ (Er3+) nanocrystals can enable fast-slow optical modulation of blue/green up-conversion fluorescence upon two-step excitation of two-wavelengths at telecom windows (0.8–1.8 μm). We show an optical modulation of more than 1500% (800%) of the green (blue) up-conversion fluorescence intensity, and fast response of 280 μs (367 μs) as well as slow response of 5.82 ms (618 μs) in the green (blue) up-conversion fluorescence signal, respectively. The success of manipulating laser at telecom windows for fast-slow optical modulation from rear-earth single-doped glass ceramics may find application in all-optical fiber telecommunication areas. PMID:28368041

Up-Conversion Y2O3:Yb(3+),Er(3+) Hollow Spherical Drug Carrier with Improved Degradability for Cancer Treatment.

PubMed

Ge, Kun; Zhang, Cuimiao; Sun, Wentong; Liu, Huifang; Jin, Yi; Li, Zhenhua; Liang, Xing-Jie; Jia, Guang; Zhang, Jinchao

2016-09-28

The rare earth hollow spheres with up-conversion luminescence properties have shown potential applications in drug delivery and bioimaging fields. However, there have been few reports for the degradation properties of rare earth oxide drug carriers. Herein, uniform and well-dispersed Y2O3:Yb(3+),Er(3+) hollow spheres (YOHSs) have been fabricated by a general Pechini sol-gel process with melamine formaldehyde colloidal spheres as template. The novel YOHSs with up-conversion luminescence has good drug loading amount and drug-release efficiency; moreover, it exhibits pH-responsive release patterns. In particular, the YOHSs sample exhibits low cytotoxicity and excellent degradable properties in acid buffer. After the sample was loaded with anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX), the antitumor result in vitro indicates that YOHS-DOX might be effective in cancer treatment. The animal imaging test also reveals that the YOHSs drug carrier can be used as an outstanding luminescent probe for bioimaging in vivo application prospects. The results suggest that the degradable drug carrier with up-conversion luminescence may enhance the delivery efficiency of drugs and improve the cancer therapy in clinical applications.

Structural morphology, upconversion luminescence and optical thermometric sensing behavior of Y2O3:Er(3+)/Yb(3+) nano-crystalline phosphor.

PubMed

Joshi, C; Dwivedi, A; Rai, S B

2014-08-14

Infrared-to-visible upconverting rare earths Er(3+)/Yb(3+) co-doped Y2O3 nano-crystalline phosphor samples have been prepared by solution combustion method followed by post-heat treatment at higher temperatures. A slight increase in average crystallite size has been found on calcinations verified by X-ray analysis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirms the nano-crystalline nature of the as-prepared and calcinated samples. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis shows the structural changes in as-prepared and calcinated samples. Upconversion and downconversion emission recorded using 976 and 532 nm laser sources clearly demonstrates a better luminescence properties in the calcinated samples as compared to as-prepared sample. Upconversion emission has been quantified in terms of standard chromaticity diagram (CIE) showing a shift in overall upconversion emission of as-prepared and calcinated samples. Temperature sensing behaviour of this material has also been investigated by measurement of fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) of various signals in green emission in the temperature range of 315 to 555 K under 976 nm laser excitation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of Multicolor Core/Shell NaLuF4:Yb3+/Ln3+@CaF2 Upconversion Nanocrystals

PubMed Central

Li, Hui; Hao, Shuwei; Yang, Chunhui; Chen, Guanying

2017-01-01

The ability to synthesize high-quality hierarchical core/shell nanocrystals from an efficient host lattice is important to realize efficacious photon upconversion for applications ranging from bioimaging to solar cells. Here, we describe a strategy to fabricate multicolor core @ shell α-NaLuF4:Yb3+/Ln3+@CaF2 (Ln = Er, Ho, Tm) upconversion nanocrystals (UCNCs) based on the newly established host lattice of sodium lutetium fluoride (NaLuF4). We exploited the liquid-solid-solution method to synthesize the NaLuF4 core of pure cubic phase and the thermal decomposition approach to expitaxially grow the calcium fluoride (CaF2) shell onto the core UCNCs, yielding cubic core/shell nanocrystals with a size of 15.6 ± 1.2 nm (the core ~9 ± 0.9 nm, the shell ~3.3 ± 0.3 nm). We showed that those core/shell UCNCs could emit activator-defined multicolor emissions up to about 772 times more efficient than the core nanocrystals due to effective suppression of surface-related quenching effects. Our results provide a new paradigm on heterogeneous core/shell structure for enhanced multicolor upconversion photoluminescence from colloidal nanocrystals. PMID:28336867

Fabrication and evaluation of chitosan/NaYF4:Yb3+/Tm3+ upconversion nanoparticles composite beads based on the gelling of Pickering emulsion droplets.

PubMed

Yan, Huiqiong; Chen, Xiuqiong; Shi, Jia; Shi, Zaifeng; Sun, Wei; Lin, Qiang; Wang, Xianghui; Dai, Zihao

2017-02-01

The rare earth ion doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) synthesized by hydrophobic organic ligands possess poor solubility and low fluorescence quantum yield in aqueous media. To conquer this issue, NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ /Tm 3+ UCNPs, synthesized by a hydrothermal method, were coated with F127 and then assembled with chitosan to fabricate the chitosan/NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ /Tm 3+ composite beads (CS/NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ /Tm 3+ CBs) by Pickering emulsion system. The characterization results revealed that the as-synthesized NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ /Tm 3+ UCNPs with an average size of 20nm exhibited spherical morphology, high crystallinity and characteristic emission upconversion fluorescence with an overall blue color output. The NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ /Tm 3+ UCNPs were successfully conjugated on the surface of chitosan beads by the gelling of emulsion droplets. The resultant CS/NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ /Tm 3+ CBs showed good upconversion luminescent property, drug-loading capacity, release performance and excellent biocompatibility, exhibiting great potentials in targeted drug delivery and tissue engineering with potential tracking capability and lasting release performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NIR Ratiometric Luminescence Detection of pH Fluctuation in Living Cells with Hemicyanine Derivative-Assembled Upconversion Nanophosphors.

PubMed

Li, Haixia; Dong, Hao; Yu, Mingming; Liu, Chunxia; Li, Zhanxian; Wei, Liuhe; Sun, Ling-Dong; Zhang, Hongyan

2017-09-05

It is crucial for cell physiology to keep the homeostasis of pH, and it is highly demanded yet challenging to develop luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET)-based near-infrared (NIR) ratiometric luminescent sensor for the detection of pH fluctuation with NIR excitation. As promising energy donors for LRET, upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have been widely used to fabricate nanosensors, but the relatively low LRET efficiency limits their application in bioassay. To improve the LRET efficiency, core/shell/shell structured β-NaGdF 4 @NaYF 4 :Yb,Tm@NaYF 4 UCNPs were prepared and decorated with hemicyanine dyes as an LRET-based NIR ratiometric luminescent pH fluctuation-nanosensor for the first time. The as-developed nanosensor not only exhibits good antidisturbance ability, but it also can reversibly sense pH and linearly sense pH in a range of 6.0-9.0 and 6.8-9.0 from absorption and upconversion emission spectra, respectively. In addition, the nanosensor displays low dark toxicity under physiological temperature, indicating good biocompatibility. Furthermore, live cell imaging results revealed that the sensor can selectively monitor pH fluctuation via ratiometric upconversion luminescence behavior.

DNA-assisted upconversion nanoplatform for imaging-guided synergistic therapy and laser-switchable drug detoxification.

PubMed

Li, Luoyuan; Hao, Panlong; Wei, Peng; Fu, Limin; Ai, Xicheng; Zhang, Jianping; Zhou, Jing

2017-08-01

The side effects of chemotherapy bring significant physical and psychological suffering to patients. To solve this urgent medical problem, Yb 3+ and Er 3+ co-doped NaLuF 4 upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) were constructed for upconversion luminescence (UCL)-labeled diagnosis under 980 nm laser irradiation. The UCNPs were then modified layer by layer with polypyrrole and a special programming DNA segment as photothermal conversion agents and controllable drug carriers, respectively. The nanoplatform was successfully used for imaging-guided synergistic therapy (photothermal therapy and chemotherapy) at a safe power density (300 mW cm -2 ), and DNA-assisted detoxification at lower temperature in cancer cells when the laser off. The synergistic therapy of the nanoplatform achieved a higher therapeutic index (∼85%) than chemotherapy only (∼44%) and photothermal therapy only (∼25%) in vitro. In vivo experiments also suggested that the nanoplatform had a higher therapeutic effect and lower side effects. The toxicity study was also evaluated, indicating the nanoplatform is low toxic to living system. This multifunctional upconversion nanoplatform provided an innovative method for imaging-guided photothermal-chemotherapy and laser-switchable drug detoxification. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A highly sensitive biosensing platform based on upconversion nanoparticles and graphene quantum dots for the detection of Ag+

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Lu; Yang, Lin; Zhu, Hao; Dong, Wenkui; Ding, Yujie; Zhu, Jun-Jie

2017-06-01

A novel luminescence ‘Turn-On’ nanoplatform for the sensitive sensing of Ag+ was fabricated based on luminescence resonance energy transfer technique between sodium citrate functionalized upconversion nanoparticles (Cit-UCNPs, energy donor) and graphene quantum dots (GQDs, energy acceptor). Amino-labeled single-stranded DNA (NH2-ssDNA) containing a number of cytosine (C) was conjugated on the surface of the Cit-UCNPs to capture Ag+ ions. Due to the π-π stacking interaction between NH2-ssDNA and GQDs, the upconversion luminescence can be quenched. However, upon the addition of Ag+, the π-π stacking interaction weakens due to the formation of the hairpin structure of C-Ag+-C on the UCNPs. As a result, GQDs will leave the surface of the UCNPs and the upconversion luminescence can be enhanced (Turn-On). Based on this fact, the sensor was developed for the detection of Ag+ with a linear concentration range from 2 × 10-4 to 1 μM and a detection limit as low as 60 pM. The assay method is fairly simple with high selectivity and sensitivity, which can be used for the determination of Ag+ in environmental water samples.

Solar upconversion with plasmon-enhanced bimolecular complexes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dionne, Jennifer

2017-04-14

Upconversion of sub-bandgap photons is a promising approach to exceed the Shockley-Queisser limit in solar technologies. However, due to the low quantum efficiencies and narrow absorption bandwidths of upconverters, existing systems have only led to fractional percent improvements in photovoltaic devices (~0.01%). In this project, we aimed to develop an efficient upconverting material that could improve cell efficiencies by at least one absolute percent. To achieve this goal, we first used thermodynamic calculations to determine cell efficiencies with realistic upconverting materials. Then, we designed, synthesized, and characterized nanoantennas that promise >100x enhancement in both the upconverter absorption cross-section and emissivemore » radiative rate. Concurrently, we optimized the upconverer by designing new ionic and molecular complexes that promise efficient solid-state upconversion. Lastly, with Bosch, we simulated record-efficiency semi-transparent cells that will allow for ready incorporation of our upconverting materials. While we were not successful in designing record efficiency upconverters during our three years of funding, we gained significant insight into the existing limitations of upconverters and how to best address these challenges. Ongoing work is aimed at addressing these limitations, to make upconversion a cost-competitive solar technology in future years.« less

A novel tunable white light emitting multiphase phosphor obtained from Ba2TiP2O9 by introducing Eu3+

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zhenzhen; Liu, Guanghui; Wan, Jieqiong; Ni, Jia; Lu, Zhouguang; Ma, Ruguang; Zhou, Yao; Wang, Jiacheng; Liu, Qian

2016-04-01

Tunable white light was realized in samples Ba2(1- x)TiP2O9:2 xEu ( x = 0-0.80) by introducing orange-red light emitting Eu3+ in self-activated blue-green light emitting matrix Ba2TiP2O9. The sample Ba2(1- x)TiP2O9:2 xEu is a multiphase system consisting of Ba2TiP2O9, EuPO4 and TiO2 when x is greater than or equal to 0.20. The tunable light from blue-green to bluish-white, to white, and eventually to pinky-white of samples Ba2(1- x)TiP2O9:2 xEu under UV light excitation is attributed to the light mixture of tunable blue-green light from Ti4+-O2- charge transfer transition in Ba2TiP2O9 and orange-red light from Eu3+ 4f-4f transition mostly in EuPO4. The Commission International de l'Eclairage chromaticity coordinates, correlated color temperature and color rendering index were tuned from (0.262, 0.339), 9492 K and 74 for matrix sample Ba2TiP2O9 to (0.324, 0.346), 5876 K and 87 for sample Ba2(1- x)TiP2O9:2 xEu ( x = 0.40) under UV light excitation. Therefore, a kind of promising UV-excited white light emitting multiphase phosphor was obtained.

Optimization of LED light spectrum to enhance colorfulness of illuminated objects with white light constraints.

PubMed

Wu, Haining; Dong, Jianfei; Qi, Gaojin; Zhang, Guoqi

2015-07-01

Enhancing the colorfulness of illuminated objects is a promising application of LED lighting for commercial, exhibiting, and scientific purposes. This paper proposes a method to enhance the color of illuminated objects for a given polychromatic lamp. Meanwhile, the light color is restricted to white. We further relax the white light constraints by introducing soft margins. Based on the spectral and electrical characteristics of LEDs and object surface properties, we determine the optimal mixing of the LED light spectrum by solving a numerical optimization problem, which is a quadratic fractional programming problem by formulation. Simulation studies show that the trade-off between the white light constraint and the level of the color enhancement can be adjusted by tuning an upper limit value of the soft margin. Furthermore, visual evaluation experiments are performed to evaluate human perception of the color enhancement. The experiments have verified the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Red, green, and blue luminescence by carbon dots: full-color emission tuning and multicolor cellular imaging.

PubMed

Jiang, Kai; Sun, Shan; Zhang, Ling; Lu, Yue; Wu, Aiguo; Cai, Congzhong; Lin, Hengwei

2015-04-27

A facile approach for preparation of photoluminescent (PL) carbon dots (CDs) is reported. The three resulting CDs emit bright and stable red, green and blue (RGB) colors of luminescence, under a single ultraviolet-light excitation. Alterations of PL emission of these CDs are tentatively proposed to result from the difference in their particle size and nitrogen content. Interestingly, up-conversion (UC)PL of these CDs is also observed. Moreover, flexible full-color emissive PVA films can be achieved through mixing two or three CDs in the appropriate ratios. These CDs also show low cytotoxicity and excellent cellular imaging capability. The facile preparation and unique optical features make these CDs potentially useful in numerous applications such as light-emitting diodes, full-color displays, and multiplexed (UC)PL bioimaging. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Phosphorous Diffuser Diverged Blue Laser Diode for Indoor Lighting and Communication

PubMed Central

Chi, Yu-Chieh; Hsieh, Dan-Hua; Lin, Chung-Yu; Chen, Hsiang-Yu; Huang, Chia-Yen; He, Jr-Hau; Ooi, Boon; DenBaars, Steven P.; Nakamura, Shuji; Kuo, Hao-Chung; Lin, Gong-Ru

2015-01-01

An advanced light-fidelity (Li-Fi) system based on the blue Gallium nitride (GaN) laser diode (LD) with a compact white-light phosphorous diffuser is demonstrated for fusing the indoor white-lighting and visible light communication (VLC). The phosphorous diffuser adhered blue GaN LD broadens luminescent spectrum and diverges beam spot to provide ample functionality including the completeness of Li-Fi feature and the quality of white-lighting. The phosphorous diffuser diverged white-light spot covers a radiant angle up to 120o with CIE coordinates of (0.34, 0.37). On the other hand, the degradation on throughput frequency response of the blue LD is mainly attributed to the self-feedback caused by the reflection from the phosphor-air interface. It represents the current state-of-the-art performance on carrying 5.2-Gbit/s orthogonal frequency-division multiplexed 16-quadrature-amplitude modulation (16-QAM OFDM) data with a bit error rate (BER) of 3.1 × 10−3 over a 60-cm free-space link. This work aims to explore the plausibility of the phosphorous diffuser diverged blue GaN LD for future hybrid white-lighting and VLC systems. PMID:26687289

Phosphorous Diffuser Diverged Blue Laser Diode for Indoor Lighting and Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, Yu-Chieh; Hsieh, Dan-Hua; Lin, Chung-Yu; Chen, Hsiang-Yu; Huang, Chia-Yen; He-Hau, Jr.; Ooi, Boon; Denbaars, Steven P.; Nakamura, Shuji; Kuo, Hao-Chung; Lin, Gong-Ru

2015-12-01

An advanced light-fidelity (Li-Fi) system based on the blue Gallium nitride (GaN) laser diode (LD) with a compact white-light phosphorous diffuser is demonstrated for fusing the indoor white-lighting and visible light communication (VLC). The phosphorous diffuser adhered blue GaN LD broadens luminescent spectrum and diverges beam spot to provide ample functionality including the completeness of Li-Fi feature and the quality of white-lighting. The phosphorous diffuser diverged white-light spot covers a radiant angle up to 120o with CIE coordinates of (0.34, 0.37). On the other hand, the degradation on throughput frequency response of the blue LD is mainly attributed to the self-feedback caused by the reflection from the phosphor-air interface. It represents the current state-of-the-art performance on carrying 5.2-Gbit/s orthogonal frequency-division multiplexed 16-quadrature-amplitude modulation (16-QAM OFDM) data with a bit error rate (BER) of 3.1 × 10-3 over a 60-cm free-space link. This work aims to explore the plausibility of the phosphorous diffuser diverged blue GaN LD for future hybrid white-lighting and VLC systems.

A dual-emitting core-shell carbon dot-silica-phosphor composite for white light emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yonghao; Lei, Bingfu; Zheng, Mingtao; Zhang, Haoran; Zhuang, Jianle; Liu, Yingliang

2015-11-01

A unique dual-emitting core-shell carbon dot-silica-phosphor (CDSP) was constructed from carbon dots (CDs), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and Sr2Si5N8:Eu2+ phosphor through a one-pot sol-gel method. Blue emitting CDs uniformly disperse in the silica layer covering the orange emitting phosphor via a polymerization process, which makes CDSP achieve even white light emission. Tunable photoluminescence of CDSP is observed and the preferable white light emission is achieved through changing the excitation wavelength or controlling the mass ratio of the phosphor. When CDSP powders with a phosphor rate of 3.9% and 5.1% are excited at a wavelength of 400 nm, preferable white light emission is observed, with Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.32, 0.32) and (0.34, 0.32), respectively. Furthermore, CDSP can mix well with epoxy resin to emit strong and even white light, and based on this, a CDSP-based white LED with a high colour rendering index (CRI) of 94 was fabricated.A unique dual-emitting core-shell carbon dot-silica-phosphor (CDSP) was constructed from carbon dots (CDs), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and Sr2Si5N8:Eu2+ phosphor through a one-pot sol-gel method. Blue emitting CDs uniformly disperse in the silica layer covering the orange emitting phosphor via a polymerization process, which makes CDSP achieve even white light emission. Tunable photoluminescence of CDSP is observed and the preferable white light emission is achieved through changing the excitation wavelength or controlling the mass ratio of the phosphor. When CDSP powders with a phosphor rate of 3.9% and 5.1% are excited at a wavelength of 400 nm, preferable white light emission is observed, with Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.32, 0.32) and (0.34, 0.32), respectively. Furthermore, CDSP can mix well with epoxy resin to emit strong and even white light, and based on this, a CDSP-based white LED with a high colour rendering index (CRI) of 94 was fabricated. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Characterization methods, SEM and TEM images, fluorescence spectra and CIE coordinates of CDSP. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr05637c

Response of bats to light with different spectra: light-shy and agile bat presence is affected by white and green, but not red light

PubMed Central

van Grunsven, Roy H. A.; Ramakers, Jip J. C.; Ferguson, Kim B.; Raap, Thomas; Donners, Maurice; Veenendaal, Elmar M.; Visser, Marcel E.

2017-01-01

Artificial light at night has shown a remarkable increase over the past decades. Effects are reported for many species groups, and include changes in presence, behaviour, physiology and life-history traits. Among these, bats are strongly affected, and how bat species react to light is likely to vary with light colour. Different spectra may therefore be applied to reduce negative impacts. We used a unique set-up of eight field sites to study the response of bats to three different experimental light spectra in an otherwise dark and undisturbed natural habitat. We measured activity of three bat species groups around transects with light posts emitting white, green and red light with an intensity commonly used to illuminate countryside roads. The results reveal a strong and spectrum-dependent response for the slow-flying Myotis and Plecotus and more agile Pipistrellus species, but not for Nyctalus and Eptesicus species. Plecotus and Myotis species avoided white and green light, but were equally abundant in red light and darkness. The agile, opportunistically feeding Pipistrellus species were significantly more abundant around white and green light, most likely because of accumulation of insects, but equally abundant in red illuminated transects compared to dark control. Forest-dwelling Myotis and Plecotus species and more synanthropic Pipistrellus species are thus least disturbed by red light. Hence, in order to limit the negative impact of light at night on bats, white and green light should be avoided in or close to natural habitat, but red lights may be used if illumination is needed. PMID:28566484

Photoluminescence Analysis of White-Light-Emitting Si Nanoparticles Using Effective Mass Approximation Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Soojin; Cho, Woon Jo; Kim, Yang Do; Kim, Eun Kyu; Park, Jae Gwan

2005-07-01

White-light-emitting Si nanoparticles were prepared from the sodium silicide (NaSi) precursor. The photoluminescence of colloidal Si nanoparticles has been fitted by effective mass approximation (EMA). We analyzed the correlation between experimental photoluminescence and simulated fitting curves. Both the mean diameter and the size dispersion of the white-light-emitting Si nanoparticles were estimated.

Validation of Fujinon intelligent chromoendoscopy with high definition endoscopes in colonoscopy.

PubMed

Parra-Blanco, Adolfo; Jiménez, Alejandro; Rembacken, Björn; González, Nicolás; Nicolás-Pérez, David; Gimeno-García, Antonio Z; Carrillo-Palau, Marta; Matsuda, Takahisa; Quintero, Enrique

2009-11-14

To validate high definition endoscopes with Fujinon intelligent chromoendoscopy (FICE) in colonoscopy. The image quality of normal white light endoscopy (WLE), that of the 10 available FICE filters and that of a gold standard (0.2% indigo carmine dye) were compared. FICE-filter 4 [red, green, and blue (RGB) wavelengths of 520, 500, and 405 nm, respectively] provided the best images for evaluating the vascular pattern compared to white light. The mucosal surface was best assessed using filter 4. However, the views obtained were not rated significantly better than those observed with white light. The "gold standard", indigo carmine (IC) dye, was found to be superior to both white light and filter 4. Filter 6 (RGB wavelengths of 580, 520, and 460 nm, respectively) allowed for exploration of the IC-stained mucosa. When assessing mucosal polyps, both FICE with magnification, and magnification following dye spraying were superior to the same techniques without magnification and to white light imaging. In the presence of suboptimal bowel preparation, observation with the FICE mode was possible, and endoscopists considered it to be superior to observation with white light. FICE-filter 4 with magnification improves the image quality of the colonic vascular patterns obtained with WLE.

Effects of white light-emitting diode (LED) light exposure with different correlated color temperatures (CCTs) on human lens epithelial cells in culture.

PubMed

Xie, Chen; Li, Xiuyi; Tong, Jianping; Gu, Yangshun; Shen, Ye

2014-01-01

Cataract is the major cause for legal blindness in the world. Oxidative stress on the lens epithelial cells (hLECs) is the most important factor in cataract formation. Cumulative light-exposure from widely used light-emitting diodes (LEDs) may pose a potential oxidative threat to the lens epithelium, due to the high-energy blue light component in the white-light emission from diodes. In the interest of perfecting biosafety standards for LED domestic lighting, this study analyzed the photobiological effect of white LED light with different correlated color temperatures (CCTs) on cultured hLECs. The hLECs were cultured and cumulatively exposed to multichromatic white LED light with CCTs of 2954, 5624, and 7378 K. Cell viability of hLECs was measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. DNA damage was determined by alkaline comet assay. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, cell cycle, and apoptosis were quantified by flow cytometry. Compared with 2954 and 5624 K LED light, LED light having a CCT of 7378 K caused overproduction of intracellular ROS and severe DNA damage, which triggered G2 /M arrest and apoptosis. These results indicate that white LEDs with a high CCT could cause significant photobiological damage to hLECs. © 2014 The American Society of Photobiology.

White-Light Emission from Layered Halide Perovskites.

PubMed

Smith, Matthew D; Karunadasa, Hemamala I

2018-03-20

With nearly 20% of global electricity consumed by lighting, more efficient illumination sources can enable massive energy savings. However, effectively creating the high-quality white light required for indoor illumination remains a challenge. To accurately represent color, the illumination source must provide photons with all the energies visible to our eye. Such a broad emission is difficult to achieve from a single material. In commercial white-light sources, one or more light-emitting diodes, coated by one or more phosphors, yield a combined emission that appears white. However, combining emitters leads to changes in the emission color over time due to the unequal degradation rates of the emitters and efficiency losses due to overlapping absorption and emission energies of the different components. A single material that emits broadband white light (a continuous emission spanning 400-700 nm) would obviate these problems. In 2014, we described broadband white-light emission upon near-UV excitation from three new layered perovskites. To date, nine white-light-emitting perovskites have been reported by us and others, making this a burgeoning field of study. This Account outlines our work on understanding how a bulk material, with no obvious emissive sites, can emit every color of the visible spectrum. Although the initial discoveries were fortuitous, our understanding of the emission mechanism and identification of structural parameters that correlate with the broad emission have now positioned us to design white-light emitters. Layered hybrid halide perovskites feature anionic layers of corner-sharing metal-halide octahedra partitioned by organic cations. The narrow, room-temperature photoluminescence of lead-halide perovskites has been studied for several decades, and attributed to the radiative recombination of free excitons (excited electron-hole pairs). We proposed that the broad white emission we observed primarily stems from exciton self-trapping. Here, the exciton couples strongly to the lattice, creating transient elastic lattice distortions that can be viewed as "excited-state defects". These deformations stabilize the exciton affording a broad emission with a large Stokes shift. Although material defects very likely contribute to the emission width, our mechanistic studies suggest that the emission mostly arises from the bulk material. Ultrafast spectroscopic measurements support self-trapping, with new, transient, electronic states appearing upon photoexcitation. Importantly, the broad emission appears common to layered Pb-Br and Pb-Cl perovskites, albeit with a strong temperature dependence. Although the emission is attributed to light-induced defects, it still reflects changes in the crystal structure. We find that greater out-of-plane octahedral tilting increases the propensity for the broad emission, enabling synthetic control over the broad emission. Many of these perovskites have color rendering abilities that exceed commercial requirements and mixing halides affords both "warm" and "cold" white light. The most efficient white-light-emitting perovskite has a quantum efficiency of 9%. Improving this value will make these phosphors attractive for solid-state lighting, particularly as large-area coatings that can be deposited inexpensively. The emission mechanism can also be extended to other low-dimensional systems. We hope this Account aids in expanding the phase space of white-light emitters and controlling their exciton dynamics by the synthetic, spectroscopic, theoretical, and engineering communities.

33 CFR 83.21 - Definitions (Rule 21).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... NAVIGATION RULES RULES Lights and Shapes § 83.21 Definitions (Rule 21). (a) Masthead light means a white... light shall be placed as nearly as practicable to the fore and aft centerline of the vessel. (b... white light placed as nearly as practicable at the stern showing an unbroken light over an arc of the...

33 CFR 83.21 - Definitions (Rule 21).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... NAVIGATION RULES RULES Lights and Shapes § 83.21 Definitions (Rule 21). (a) Masthead light means a white... light shall be placed as nearly as practicable to the fore and aft centerline of the vessel. (b... white light placed as nearly as practicable at the stern showing an unbroken light over an arc of the...

33 CFR 83.21 - Definitions (Rule 21).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... NAVIGATION RULES RULES Lights and Shapes § 83.21 Definitions (Rule 21). (a) Masthead light means a white... light shall be placed as nearly as practicable to the fore and aft centerline of the vessel. (b... white light placed as nearly as practicable at the stern showing an unbroken light over an arc of the...

A cobalt oxyhydroxide-modified upconversion nanosystem for sensitive fluorescence sensing of ascorbic acid in human plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cen, Yao; Tang, Jun; Kong, Xiang-Juan; Wu, Shuang; Yuan, Jing; Yu, Ru-Qin; Chu, Xia

2015-08-01

Ascorbic acid (AA), a potent antioxidant readily scavenging reactive species, is a crucial micronutrient involved in many biochemical processes. Here, we have developed a cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH)-modified upconversion nanosystem for fluorescence sensing of AA activity in human plasma. The nanosystem consists of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) NaYF4:30% Yb,0.5% Tm@NaYF4, which serve as energy donors, and CoOOH nanoflakes formed on the surface of UCNPs, which act as efficient energy acceptors. The fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) process from the UCNPs to the absorbance of the CoOOH nanoflakes occurs in the nanosystem. The AA-mediated specific redox reaction reduces CoOOH into Co2+, leading to the inhibition of FRET, and resulting in the recovery of upconversion emission spectra. On the basis of these features, the nanosystem can be used for sensing AA activity with sensitivity and selectivity. Moreover, due to the minimizing background interference provided by UCNPs, the nanosystem has been applied to monitoring AA levels in human plasma sample with satisfactory results. The proposed approach may potentially provide an analytical platform for research and clinical diagnosis of AA related diseases.Ascorbic acid (AA), a potent antioxidant readily scavenging reactive species, is a crucial micronutrient involved in many biochemical processes. Here, we have developed a cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH)-modified upconversion nanosystem for fluorescence sensing of AA activity in human plasma. The nanosystem consists of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) NaYF4:30% Yb,0.5% Tm@NaYF4, which serve as energy donors, and CoOOH nanoflakes formed on the surface of UCNPs, which act as efficient energy acceptors. The fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) process from the UCNPs to the absorbance of the CoOOH nanoflakes occurs in the nanosystem. The AA-mediated specific redox reaction reduces CoOOH into Co2+, leading to the inhibition of FRET, and resulting in the recovery of upconversion emission spectra. On the basis of these features, the nanosystem can be used for sensing AA activity with sensitivity and selectivity. Moreover, due to the minimizing background interference provided by UCNPs, the nanosystem has been applied to monitoring AA levels in human plasma sample with satisfactory results. The proposed approach may potentially provide an analytical platform for research and clinical diagnosis of AA related diseases. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03588k

Full phosphorescent white-light organic light-emitting diodes with improved color stability and efficiency by fine tuning primary emission contributions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hua, Wang, E-mail: wmsu2008@sinano.ac.cn, E-mail: wanghua001@tyut.edu.cn; Du, Xiaogang; Research Center of Advanced Materials Science and Technology, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024

2014-02-15

In this paper, a novel type of white-light organic light emitting diode (OLED) with high color stability was reported, in which the yellow-light emission layer of (4,4{sup ′}-N,N{sup ′}-dicarbazole)biphenyl (CBP) : tris(2-phenylquinoline-C2,N{sup ′})iridium(III) (Ir(2-phq){sub 3}) was sandwiched by double blue-light emission layers of 1,1-bis-[(di-4-tolylamino)pheny1]cyclohexane (TAPC) : bis[4,6-(di-fluorophenyl)-pyridinato-N,C2{sup ′}]picolinate (FIrpic) and tris[3-(3-pyridyl)mesityl]borane (3TPYMB):FIrpic. And, it exhibited the maximum current efficiency of 33.1 cd/A, the turn-on voltage at about 3 V and the maximum luminance in excess of 20000 cd/m{sup 2}. More important, it realized very stable white-light emission, and its CIE(x, y) coordinates only shift from (0.34, 0.37) to (0.33, 0.37)more » as applied voltage increased from 5 V to 12 V. It is believed that the new scheme in emission layer of white-light OLED can fine tune the contribution of primary emission with applied voltage changed, resulting in high quality white-light OLED.« less

Color Degradation of Textiles with Natural Dyes and of Blue Scale Standards Exposed to White LED Lamps:Evaluation of White LED Lamps for Effectiveness as Museum Lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishii, Mie; Moriyama, Takayoshi; Toda, Masahiro; Kohmoto, Kohtaro; Saito, Masako

White light-emitting diodes (LED) are well suited for museum lighting because they emit neither UV nor IR radiation, which damage artifacts. The color degradation of natural dyes and blue scale standards (JIS L 0841) by white LED lamps are examined, and the performance of white LED lamps for museum lighting is evaluated. Blue scale standard grades 1-6 and silk fabrics dyed with 22 types of natural dyes classified as mid to highly responsive in a CIE technical report (CIE157:2004) were exposed to five types of white LED lamps using different luminescence methods and color temperatures. Color changes were measured at each 15000 lx·hr (500 lx at fabric surface × 300 hr) interval ten times. The accumulated exposure totaled 150000 lx·hr. The data on conventional white LED lamps and previously reported white fluorescent (W) and museum fluorescent (NU) lamps was evaluated. All the white LED lamps showed lower fading rates compared with a W lamp on a blue scale grade 1. The fading rate of natural dyes in total was the same between an NU lamp (3000 K) and a white LED lamp (2869 K). However, yellow natural dyes showed higher fading rates with the white LED lamp. This tendency is due to the high power characteristic of the LED lamp around 400-500 nm, which possibly contributes to the photo-fading action on the dyes. The most faded yellow dyes were Ukon (Curcuma longa L.) and Kihada (Phellodendron amurense Rupr.), and these are frequently used in historic artifacts such as kimono, wood-block prints, and scrolls. From a conservation point of view, we need to continue research on white LED lamps for use in museum lighting.

Multilayer white lighting polymer light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Xiong; Wang, Shu; Heeger, Alan J.

2006-08-01

Organic and polymer light-emitting diodes (OLEDs/PLEDs) that emit white light are of interest and potential importance for use in active matrix displays (with color filters) and because they might eventually be used for solid-state lighting. In such applications, large-area devices and low-cost of manufacturing will be major issues. We demonstrated that high performance multilayer white emitting PLEDs can be fabricated by using a blend of luminescent semiconducting polymers and organometallic complexes as the emission layer, and water-soluble (or ethanol-soluble) polymers/small molecules (for example, PVK-SO 3Li) as the hole injection/transport layer (HIL/HTL) and water-soluble (or ethanol-soluble) polymers/small molecules (for example, t-Bu-PBD-SO 3Na) as the electron injection/transport layer (EIL/HTL). Each layer is spin-cast sequentially from solutions. Illumination quality light is obtained with stable Commission Internationale d'Eclairage coordinates, stable color temperatures, and stable high color rendering indices, all close to those of "pure" white. The multilayer white-emitting PLEDs exhibit luminous efficiency of 21 cd/A, power efficiency of 6 lm/W at a current density of 23 mA/cm2 with luminance of 5.5 x 10 4 cd/m2 at 16 V. By using water-soluble (ethanol-soluble) polymers/small molecules as HIL/HTL and polymers/small molecules as EIL/ETL, the interfacial mixing problem is solved (the emissive polymer layer is soluble in organic solvents, but not in water/ ethanol). As a result, this device architecture and process technology can potentially be used for printing large-area multiplayer light sources and for other applications in "plastic" electronics. More important, the promise of producing large areas of high quality white light with low-cost manufacturing technology makes the white multilayer white-emitting PLEDs attractive for the development of solid state light sources.

Theoretical and experimental luminous characteristics of white LEDs composed of multiphosphors and near-UV LED for lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, Yuji; Taguchi, Tsunemasa

2003-07-01

We have performed theoretical studies on the luminous characeristics of white LED light source which composed of multi phosphors and near ultraviolet (UV) LED for general lighting. White LED source for general lighting applications requires the conditions that have high-flux, high luminous efficacy of radiation (> 100 lm/W) in addition to high color rendering index (Ra > 90) and variable color temperatures. Recently, we have proposed a novel type white LED based on multi phosphors and near UV LED system in order to high-Ra (>93). We will describe the excellent luminescence properties of white LED consisting of orange (O), yellow (Y), green (G) and blue (B) phosphor materials, and near UV LED. The color spectral contributions of individual phosphor-coated LED are theoretically analyzed using our multi LED lighting theory calculated the maximum luminous efficacy can be estimated to be approximately 300 lm/W having a high Ra of about 90 taking into account individual radiation spectrum. Illuminance distribution of white LED is in fairly good agreement with the experimental data.

White light velocity interferometer

DOEpatents

Erskine, D.J.

1999-06-08

The invention is a technique that allows the use of broadband and incoherent illumination. Although denoted white light velocimetry, this principle can be applied to any wave phenomenon. For the first time, powerful, compact or inexpensive sources can be used for remote target velocimetry. These include flash and arc lamps, light from detonations, pulsed lasers, chirped frequency lasers, and lasers operating simultaneously in several wavelengths. The technique is demonstrated with white light from an incandescent source to measure a target moving at 16 m/s. 41 figs.

White light velocity interferometer

DOEpatents

Erskine, David J.

1997-01-01

The invention is a technique that allows the use of broadband and incoherent illumination. Although denoted white light velocimetry, this principle can be applied to any wave phenomenon. For the first time, powerful, compact or inexpensive sources can be used for remote target velocimetry. These include flash and arc lamps, light from detonations, pulsed lasers, chirped frequency lasers, and lasers operating simultaneously in several wavelengths. The technique is demonstrated with white light from an incandescent source to measure a target moving at 16 m/s.

White light velocity interferometer

DOEpatents

Erskine, David J.

1999-01-01

The invention is a technique that allows the use of broadband and incoherent illumination. Although denoted white light velocimetry, this principle can be applied to any wave phenomenon. For the first time, powerful, compact or inexpensive sources can be used for remote target velocimetry. These include flash and arc lamps, light from detonations, pulsed lasers, chirped frequency lasers, and lasers operating simultaneously in several wavelengths. The technique is demonstrated with white light from an incandescent source to measure a target moving at 16 m/s.

White light velocity interferometer

DOEpatents

Erskine, D.J.

1997-06-24

The invention is a technique that allows the use of broadband and incoherent illumination. Although denoted white light velocimetry, this principle can be applied to any wave phenomenon. For the first time, powerful, compact or inexpensive sources can be used for remote target velocimetry. These include flash and arc lamps, light from detonations, pulsed lasers, chirped frequency lasers, and lasers operating simultaneously in several wavelengths. The technique is demonstrated with white light from an incandescent source to measure a target moving at 16 m/s. 41 figs.

Rational Design and Development of Lanthanide-Doped NaYF4@CdS-Au-RGO as Quaternary Plasmonic Photocatalysts for Harnessing Visible-Near-Infrared Broadband Spectrum.

PubMed

Kumar, Ajay; Reddy, Kumbam Lingeshwar; Kumar, Suneel; Kumar, Ashish; Sharma, Vipul; Krishnan, Venkata

2018-05-09

Utilization of the total solar spectrum efficiently for photocatalysis has remained a huge challenge for a long time. However, designing a system by rationally combining nanocomponents with complementary properties, such as upconversion nanoparticles, semiconductors, plasmonic metals, and carbonaceous support, offers a promising route for efficient utilization of solar energy by harnessing the broadband spectrum. In this work, a series of novel quaternary plasmonic photocatalysts comprising of lanthanide-doped NaYF 4 @CdS (UC) core-shell nanostructures decorated with Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) supported on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets were prepared using the multistep hydrothermal method. The different components of the prepared nanocomposites could be efficiently employed to utilize both the visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions. Specifically in this work, the utility of these quaternary nanocomposites for photocatalytic degradation of a colorless pharmaceutical pollutant, ciprofloxacin, under visible and NIR light irradiations has been demonstrated. In comparison to bare counterparts, our quaternary nanocomposites exhibit an enhanced photocatalytic activity attributable to the synergistic effect of different components arranged in such a way that favors harnessing energy from the broad spectral region and efficient charge separation. The combination of upconversion and plasmonic properties along with the advantages of a carbonaceous support can provide new physical insights for further development of photocatalysts, which could utilize the broadband spectrum.

Er(3+)/Yb(3+) upconverters for InGaP solar cells under concentrated broadband illumination.

PubMed

Feenstra, J; Six, I F; Asselbergs, M A H; van Leest, R H; de Wild, J; Meijerink, A; Schropp, R E I; Rowan, A E; Schermer, J J

2015-05-07

The inability of solar cell materials to convert all incident photon energy into electrical current, provides a fundamental limit to the solar cell efficiency; the so called Shockley-Queisser (SQ) limit. A process termed upconversion provides a pathway to convert otherwise unabsorbed low energy photons passing through the solar cell into higher energy photons, which subsequently can be redirected back to the solar cell. The combination of a semi-transparent InGaP solar cell with lanthanide upconverters, consisting of ytterbium and erbium ions doped in three different host materials (Gd2O2S, Y2O3 and NaYF4) is investigated. Using sub-band gap light of wavelength range 890 nm to 1045 nm with a total accumulated power density of 2.7 kW m(-2), a distinct photocurrent was measured in the solar cell when the upconverters were applied whereas a zero current was measured without upconverter. Furthermore, a time delay between excitation and emission was observed for all upconverter systems which can be explained by energy transfer upconversion. Also, a quadratic dependence on the illumination intensity was observed for the NaYF4 and Y2O3 host material upconverters. The Gd2O2S host material upconverter deviated from the quadratic illumination intensity dependence towards linear behaviour, which can be attributed to saturation effects occurring at higher illumination power densities.

Neuroendocrine Tumor-Targeted Upconversion Nanoparticle-Based Micelles for Simultaneous NIR-Controlled Combination Chemotherapy and Photodynamic Therapy, and Fluorescence Imaging.

PubMed

Chen, Guojun; Jaskula-Sztul, Renata; Esquibel, Corinne R; Lou, Irene; Zheng, Qifeng; Dammalapati, Ajitha; Harrison, April; Eliceiri, Kevin W; Tang, Weiping; Chen, Herbert; Gong, Shaoqin

2017-02-23

Although neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are slow growing, they are frequently metastatic at the time of discovery and no longer amenable to curative surgery, emphasizing the need for the development of other treatments. In this study, multifunctional upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP)-based theranostic micelles are developed for NET-targeted and near-infrared (NIR)-controlled combination chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT), and bioimaging. The theranostic micelle is formed by individual UCNP functionalized with light-sensitive amphiphilic block copolymers poly(4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrobenzyl methacrylate)-polyethylene glycol (PNBMA-PEG) and Rose Bengal (RB) photosensitizers. A hydrophobic anticancer drug, AB3, is loaded into the micelles. The NIR-activated UCNPs emit multiple luminescence bands, including UV, 540 nm, and 650 nm. The UV peaks overlap with the absorption peak of photocleavable hydrophobic PNBMA segments, triggering a rapid drug release due to the NIR-induced hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic transition of the micelle core and thus enabling NIR-controlled chemotherapy. RB molecules are activated via luminescence resonance energy transfer to generate 1 O 2 for NIR-induced PDT. Meanwhile, the 650 nm emission allows for efficient fluorescence imaging. KE108, a true pansomatostatin nonapeptide, as an NET-targeting ligand, drastically increases the tumoral uptake of the micelles. Intravenously injected AB3-loaded UCNP-based micelles conjugated with RB and KE108-enabling NET-targeted combination chemotherapy and PDT-induce the best antitumor efficacy.

Enhanced photocatalytic performance of Er-doped Bi{sub 24}O{sub 31}Br{sub 10}: Facile synthesis and photocatalytic mechanism

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Zhang Sheng, E-mail: lzsliu2008@hotmail.com; Liu, Zhi Lin; Liu, Jin Long

2016-04-15

Highlights: • Er-doped Bi{sub 24}O{sub 31}Br{sub 10} have been prepared via a one-pot solvothermal method. • Er doping drastically improves the photocatalytic activity of Bi{sub 24}O{sub 31}Br{sub 10}. • The enhanced activity is attributed to effective electron trapping and up-conversion process resulting from Er{sup 3+}. • Holes and super-oxide radicals are main active species. - Abstract: Erbium (Er) doped Bi{sub 24}O{sub 31}Br{sub 10} samples were successfully prepared by using a solvothermal method. The samples were characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, BET, DRS, PL and EIS. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and methylmore » orange (MO) under visible light irradiation. The result shows that Er dopant induces a significant improvement in the photocatalytic activity. 1.0% Er–Bi{sub 24}O{sub 31}Br{sub 10} sample exhibits the best photocatalytic performance. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the effective trapping of photogenerated electron by Er{sup 3+} ion and the up-conversion process resulting from Er dopant. In addition, it is found that holes and super-oxide radicals play main role in the photocatalytic degradation of RhB and MO.« less

White-light-controlled resistive switching in ZnO/BaTiO3/C multilayer layer at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Junshuai; Liang, Dandan; Wu, Liangchen; Li, Xiaoping; Chen, Peng

2018-07-01

The bipolar resistance switching effect is observed in ZnO/BaTiO3/C structure. The resistance switching behavior can be modulated by white light. The resistance switch states and threshold voltage can be changed when subjected to white light. This research can help explore multi-functional materials and applications in nonvolatile memory device.

High Color Rendering Index White-Light Emission from UV-Driven LEDs Based on Single Luminescent Materials: Two-Dimensional Perovskites (C6H5C2H4NH3)2PbBr xCl4- x.

PubMed

Yang, Shuming; Lin, Zhenghuan; Wang, Jingwei; Chen, Yunxiang; Liu, Zhengde; Yang, E; Zhang, Jian; Ling, Qidan

2018-05-09

Two-dimensional (2D) white-light-emitting hybrid perovskites (WHPs) are promising active materials for single-component white-light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) driven by UV. However, the reported WHPs exhibit low quantum yields (≤9%) and low color rendering index (CRI) values less than 85, which does not satisfy the demand of solid-state lighting applications. In this work, we report a series of mixed-halide 2D layered WHPs (C 6 H 5 C 2 H 4 NH 3 ) 2 PbBr x Cl 4- x (0 < x < 4) obtained from the phenethylammonium cation. Unlike the reported WHPs including (C 6 H 5 C 2 H 4 NH 3 ) 2 PbCl 4 , the mixed-halide perovskites display morphology-dependent white emission for the different extents of self-absorption. Additionally, the amount of Br has a huge influence on the photophysical properties of mixed-halide WHPs. With the increasing content of Br, the quantum yields of WHPs increase gradually from 0.2 to 16.9%, accompanied by tunable color temperatures ranging from 4000 K ("warm" white light) to 7000 K ("cold" white light). When applied to the WLEDs, the mixed-halide perovskite powders exhibit tunable white electroluminescent emission with very high CRI of 87-91.

Cone signals for spectacle-lens compensation: differential responses to short and long wavelengths.

PubMed

Rucker, Frances J; Wallman, Josh

2008-09-01

Chick eyes compensate for defocus imposed by spectacle lenses by making compensatory changes in eye length and choroidal thickness, a laboratory model of emmetropization. To investigate the roles of longitudinal chromatic aberration and of chromatic mechanisms in emmetropization, we examined the participation of different cone classes, and we compared the efficacy of lens compensation under monochromatic illumination with that under white light of the same illuminance to the chick eye. Chicks wore positive or negative 6D or 8D lenses on one eye for 3 days, under either blue (460 nm) or red (620 nm) light at 0.67 lux or under white light at 0.67 or 0.2 lux (all measures are corrected for chick photopic sensitivity). The illumination conditions were chosen to differentially stimulate either the short-wavelength and ultraviolet cones or the long-wavelength and double cones. Measurements are expressed as the relative change: the inter-ocular difference in the amount of change over the 3 days of lens wear. We find that under this low illumination the two components of lens compensation were differentially affected by the monochromatic illumination: in blue light lens compensation was mainly due to changes in eye length, whereas in red light lens compensation was mainly due to changes in choroidal thickness. In general, white light produced better lens compensation than monochromatic illumination. NEGATIVE LENSES: Under white light negative lenses caused an increase in eye length (60 microm) together with a decrease in choroidal thickness (-51 microm) relative to the fellow eye. Under blue light, although there was an increase in eye length (32 microm), there was no change in choroidal thickness (5 microm). In contrast, under red light there was a decrease in choroidal thickness (-62 microm) but no increase in eye length (8 microm). Relative ocular elongation was the same in white and monochromatic light. POSITIVE LENSES: Under white light positive lenses caused a decrease in eye length (-142 microm) together with an increase in choroidal thickness (68 microm) relative to the fellow eye. Under blue light, there was a decrease in eye length (-64 microm), but no change in choroidal thickness (2 microm). In contrast, under red light there was an increase (90 microm) in choroidal thickness but less of a decrease (-36 microm) in eye length. Lens compensation by inhibition of ocular elongation was less effective under monochromatic illumination than under white light (white v red: p=0.003; white v blue p=.014). The differential effects of red and blue light on the choroidal and ocular length compensatory responses suggest that they are driven by different proportions of the cone-types, implying that, although chromatic contrast is not essential for lens compensation and presumably for emmetropization as well, the retinal substrates exist for utilizing chromatic contrast in these compensatory responses. The generally better lens compensation in white than monochromatic illumination suggests that longitudinal chromatic aberration may be used in lens compensation.

Pure white-light emitting ultrasmall organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite nanoclusters.

PubMed

Teunis, Meghan B; Lawrence, Katie N; Dutta, Poulami; Siegel, Amanda P; Sardar, Rajesh

2016-10-14

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, direct band-gap semiconductors, have shown tremendous promise for optoelectronic device fabrication. We report the first colloidal synthetic approach to prepare ultrasmall (∼1.5 nm diameter), white-light emitting, organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite nanoclusters. The nearly pure white-light emitting ultrasmall nanoclusters were obtained by selectively manipulating the surface chemistry (passivating ligands and surface trap-states) and controlled substitution of halide ions. The nanoclusters displayed a combination of band-edge and broadband photoluminescence properties, covering a major part of the visible region of the solar spectrum with unprecedentedly large quantum yields of ∼12% and photoluminescence lifetime of ∼20 ns. The intrinsic white-light emission of perovskite nanoclusters makes them ideal and low cost hybrid nanomaterials for solid-state lighting applications.

.pi.-conjugated heavy-metal polymers for organic white-light-emitting diodes

DOEpatents

Vardeny, Zeev Valentine; Wojcik, Leonard; Drori, Tomer

2016-09-13

A polymer mixture emits a broad spectrum of visible light that appears white or near-white in the aggregate. The polymer mixture comprises two (or more) components in the active layer. A heavy atom, such as platinum and/or iridium, present in the backbone of the mixture acts via a spin-orbit coupling mechanism to cause the ratio of fluorescent to phosphorescent light emission bands to be of approximately equal strength. These two broad emissions overlap, resulting in an emission spectrum that appears to the eye to be white.

Multicolor white light-emitting diodes for illumination applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, Solomon W. S.; Chen, Tzer-Perng; Tu, Chuan-Cheng; Chang, Chih-Sung; Tsai, Tzong-Liang; Hsieh, Mario C. C.

2004-01-01

Semiconductor light emitting diode (LED) has become a promising device for general-purpose illumination applications. LED has the features of excellent durability, long operation life, low power consumption, no mercury containing and potentially high efficiency. Several white LED technologies appear capable of meeting the technical requirements of illumination. In this paper we present a new multi-color white (MCW) LED as a high luminous efficacy, high color rendering index and low cost white illuminator. The device consists of two LED chips, one is AlInGaN LED for emitting shorter visible spectra, another is AlInGaP LED for emitting longer visible spectra. At least one chip in the MCW-LED has two or more transition energy levels used for emitting two or more colored lights. The multiple colored lights generated from the MCW-LED can be mixed into a full-spectral white light. Besides, there is no phosphors conversion layer used in the MCW-LED structure. Therefore, its color rendering property and illumination efficiency are excellent. The Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) of the MCW-LED may range from 2,500 K to over 10,000 K. The theoretical General Color Rendering Index (Ra) could be as high as 94, which is close to the incandescent and halogen sources, while the Ra of binary complementary white (BCW) LED is about 30 ~ 45. Moreover, compared to the expensive ternary RGB (Red AlInGaP + Green AlInGaN + Blue AlInGaN) white LED sources, the MCW-LED uses only one AlInGaN chip in combination with one cheap AlInGaP chip, to form a low cost, high luminous performance white light source. The MCW-LED is an ideal light source for general-purpose illumination applications.

Designing lanthanide-doped nanocrystals with both up- and down-conversion luminescence for anti-counterfeiting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yanlan; Ai, Kelong; Lu, Lehui

2011-11-01

The widespread forgery in all kinds of paper documents and certificates has become a real threat to society. Traditional fluorescent anti-counterfeiting materials generally exhibit unicolor display and suffer greatly from substitution, thus leading to a poor anti-counterfeiting effect. In this work, unseen but significant enhanced blue down-conversion emission from oleic acid-stabilized lanthanide-doped fluoride nanocrystals is first present and the mechanism is proposed and validated. This not only endows these nanocrystals with dual-mode fluorescence, but also offers a simplified synthesis approach for dual-mode fluorescent nanocrystals involving no further complicated assembly or coating procedures, unlike the traditional methods. Furthermore, by changing the host/dopant combination or the content of dopant, these nanocrystals can exhibit simultaneously multicolor up-conversion emission under excitation at near-infrared light and unalterable blue down-conversion emission under ultraviolet light. A preliminary investigation of their anti-counterfeiting performance has been made, and the results indicate that this color tuning capability and high concealment makes these nanocrystals behave in a similar way to chameleons and can provide a strengthened and more reliable anti-counterfeiting effect.The widespread forgery in all kinds of paper documents and certificates has become a real threat to society. Traditional fluorescent anti-counterfeiting materials generally exhibit unicolor display and suffer greatly from substitution, thus leading to a poor anti-counterfeiting effect. In this work, unseen but significant enhanced blue down-conversion emission from oleic acid-stabilized lanthanide-doped fluoride nanocrystals is first present and the mechanism is proposed and validated. This not only endows these nanocrystals with dual-mode fluorescence, but also offers a simplified synthesis approach for dual-mode fluorescent nanocrystals involving no further complicated assembly or coating procedures, unlike the traditional methods. Furthermore, by changing the host/dopant combination or the content of dopant, these nanocrystals can exhibit simultaneously multicolor up-conversion emission under excitation at near-infrared light and unalterable blue down-conversion emission under ultraviolet light. A preliminary investigation of their anti-counterfeiting performance has been made, and the results indicate that this color tuning capability and high concealment makes these nanocrystals behave in a similar way to chameleons and can provide a strengthened and more reliable anti-counterfeiting effect. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Fig. S1-S6, Table S. See DOI: 10.1039/c1nr10752f

Luminescence studies and infrared emission of erbium-doped calcium zirconate phosphor.

PubMed

Tiwari, Neha; Dubey, Vikas

2016-05-01

The near-infrared-to-visible upconversion luminescence behaviour of Er(3+)-doped CaZrO3 phosphor is discussed in this manuscript. The phosphor was prepared by a combustion synthesis technique that is suitable for less-time-taking techniques for nanophosphors. The starting materials used for sample preparation were Ca(NO3)2.4H2O, Zr(NO3)4 and Er(NO3)2, and urea was used as a fuel. The prepared sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface morphology of prepared phosphor was determined by field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEGSEM). The functional group analysis was determined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. All prepared phosphors with variable Er(3+) concentrations (0.5-2.5 mol%) were studied by photoluminescence analysis. It was found that the excitation spectra of the prepared phosphor showed a sharp excitation peak centred at 980 nm. The emission spectra with variable Er(3+) concentrations showed strong peaks in the 555 nm and 567 nm range, with a dominant peak at 555 nm due to the ((2)H(11/2),(4)S(3/2)) transition and a weaker transition at 567 nm associated with 527 nm. Spectrophotometric determination of the peak was evaluated by the Commission Internationale de I'Eclairage (CIE) method These upconverted emissions were attributed to a two-photon process. The excitation wavelength dependence of the upconverted luminescence, together with its time evolution after infrared pulsed excitation, suggested that energy transfer upconversion processes were responsible for the upconversion luminescence. The upconversion mechanisms were studied in detail through laser power dependence. Excited state absorption and energy transfer processes were discussed as possible upconversion mechanisms. The cross-relaxation process in Er(3+) was also investigated. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Investigating the evolution of local structure around Er and Yb in ZnO:Er and ZnO:Er, Yb on annealing using X-ray absorption spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anjana, R.; Jayaraj, M. K.; Yadav, A. K.; Jha, S. N.; Bhattacharyya, D.

2018-04-01

The local structure around Er and Yb centre in ZnO favouring upconversion luminescence was studied using EXAFS (Extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy). Due to the ionic radii difference between Zn and Er, Yb ions, the dopants cannot replace Zn in the ZnO lattice properly. Er2O3 and Yb2O3 impurity phases are formed at the grain boundaries of ZnO. It is found that the local structure around the Er centre in ZnO is modified on annealing in air. The symmetry around both erbium and ytterbium reduces with increase in annealing temperature. Symmetry reduction will favour the intra-4f transition and the energy transitions causing upconversion luminescence. By fitting the EXAFS data with theoretically simulated data, it is found that the Er centre forms a local structure similar to C4ν symmetry which is a distorted octahedron. On annealing the sample to 1200 °C, all the erbium centres are transformed to C4ν symmetry causing enhanced upconversion emission. Yb centre has also been modified on annealing. The decrease in co-ordination number with annealing temperature will decrease the symmetry and increase the near infrared absorption cross section. The decrease in symmetry around both the erbium and ytterbium centre and formation of C4ν symmetry around Er centre is the reason behind the activation of upconversion luminescence with high temperature annealing in both Er doped and Er, Yb co-doped ZnO samples. The study will be useful for the synthesis of high efficiency upconversion materials.

Preparation of balanced trichromatic white phosphors for solid-state white lighting.

PubMed

Al-Waisawy, Sara; George, Anthony F; Jadwisienczak, Wojciech M; Rahman, Faiz

2017-08-01

High quality white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) employ multi-component phosphor mixtures to generate light of a high color rendering index (CRI). The number of distinct components in a typical phosphor mix usually ranges from two to four. Here we describe a systematic experimental technique for starting with phosphors of known chromatic properties and arriving at their respective proportions for creating a blended phosphor to produce light of the desired chromaticity. This method is applicable to both LED pumped and laser diode (LD) pumped white light sources. In this approach, the radiometric power in the down-converted luminescence of each phosphor is determined and that information is used to estimate the CIE chromaticity coordinate of light generated from the mixed phosphor. A suitable method for mixing multi-component phosphors is also described. This paper also examines the effect of light scattering particles in phosphors and their use for altering the spectral characteristics of LD- and LED-generated light. This is the only approach available for making high efficiency phosphor-converted single-color LEDs that emit light of wide spectral width. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Warm-White-Light-Emitting Diode Based on a Dye-Loaded Metal-Organic Framework for Fast White-Light Communication.

PubMed

Wang, Zhiye; Wang, Zi; Lin, Bangjiang; Hu, XueFu; Wei, YunFeng; Zhang, Cankun; An, Bing; Wang, Cheng; Lin, Wenbin

2017-10-11

A dye@metal-organic framework (MOF) hybrid was used as a fluorophore in a white-light-emitting diode (WLED) for fast visible-light communication (VLC). The white light was generated from a combination of blue emission of the 9,10-dibenzoate anthracene (DBA) linkers and yellow emission of the encapsulated Rhodamine B molecules. The MOF structure not only prevents dye molecules from aggregation-induced quenching but also efficiently transfers energy to the dye for dual emission. This light-emitting material shows emission lifetimes of 1.8 and 5.3 ns for the blue and yellow components, respectively, which are significantly shorter than the 200 ns lifetime of Y 3 Al 5 O 12 :Ce 3+ in commercial WLEDs. The MOF-WLED device exhibited a modulating frequency of 3.6 MHz for VLC, six times that of commercial WLEDs.

Light-induced changes in bottled white wine and underlying photochemical mechanisms.

PubMed

Grant-Preece, Paris; Barril, Celia; Schmidtke, Leigh M; Scollary, Geoffrey R; Clark, Andrew C

2017-03-04

Bottled white wine may be exposed to UV-visible light for considerable periods of time before it is consumed. Light exposure may induce an off-flavor known as "sunlight" flavor, bleach the color of the wine, and/or increase browning and deplete sulfur dioxide. The changes that occur in bottled white wine exposed to light depend on the wine composition, the irradiation conditions, and the light exposure time. The light-induced changes in the aroma, volatile composition, color, and concentrations of oxygen and sulfur dioxide in bottled white wine are reviewed. In addition, the photochemical reactions thought to have a role in these changes are described. These include the riboflavin-sensitized oxidation of methionine, resulting in the formation of methanethiol and dimethyl disulfide, and the photodegradation of iron(III) tartrate, which gives rise to glyoxylic acid, an aldehyde known to react with flavan-3-ols to form yellow xanthylium cation pigments.

Quantitative phase imaging of human red blood cells using phase-shifting white light interference microscopy with colour fringe analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh Mehta, Dalip; Srivastava, Vishal

2012-11-01

We report quantitative phase imaging of human red blood cells (RBCs) using phase-shifting interference microscopy. Five phase-shifted white light interferograms are recorded using colour charge coupled device camera. White light interferograms were decomposed into red, green, and blue colour components. The phase-shifted interferograms of each colour were then processed by phase-shifting analysis and phase maps for red, green, and blue colours were reconstructed. Wavelength dependent refractive index profiles of RBCs were computed from the single set of white light interferogram. The present technique has great potential for non-invasive determination of refractive index variation and morphological features of cells and tissues.

Response of bats to light with different spectra: light-shy and agile bat presence is affected by white and green, but not red light.

PubMed

Spoelstra, Kamiel; van Grunsven, Roy H A; Ramakers, Jip J C; Ferguson, Kim B; Raap, Thomas; Donners, Maurice; Veenendaal, Elmar M; Visser, Marcel E

2017-05-31

Artificial light at night has shown a remarkable increase over the past decades. Effects are reported for many species groups, and include changes in presence, behaviour, physiology and life-history traits. Among these, bats are strongly affected, and how bat species react to light is likely to vary with light colour. Different spectra may therefore be applied to reduce negative impacts. We used a unique set-up of eight field sites to study the response of bats to three different experimental light spectra in an otherwise dark and undisturbed natural habitat. We measured activity of three bat species groups around transects with light posts emitting white, green and red light with an intensity commonly used to illuminate countryside roads. The results reveal a strong and spectrum-dependent response for the slow-flying Myotis and Plecotus and more agile Pipistrellus species, but not for Nyctalus and Eptesicus species. Plecotus and Myotis species avoided white and green light, but were equally abundant in red light and darkness. The agile, opportunistically feeding Pipistrellus species were significantly more abundant around white and green light, most likely because of accumulation of insects, but equally abundant in red illuminated transects compared to dark control. Forest-dwelling Myotis and Plecotus species and more synanthropic Pipistrellus species are thus least disturbed by red light. Hence, in order to limit the negative impact of light at night on bats, white and green light should be avoided in or close to natural habitat, but red lights may be used if illumination is needed. © 2017 The Author(s).

Bright-White Beetle Scales Optimise Multiple Scattering of Light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burresi, Matteo; Cortese, Lorenzo; Pattelli, Lorenzo; Kolle, Mathias; Vukusic, Peter; Wiersma, Diederik S.; Steiner, Ullrich; Vignolini, Silvia

2014-08-01

Whiteness arises from diffuse and broadband reflection of light typically achieved through optical scattering in randomly structured media. In contrast to structural colour due to coherent scattering, white appearance generally requires a relatively thick system comprising randomly positioned high refractive-index scattering centres. Here, we show that the exceptionally bright white appearance of Cyphochilus and Lepidiota stigma beetles arises from a remarkably optimised anisotropy of intra-scale chitin networks, which act as a dense scattering media. Using time-resolved measurements, we show that light propagating in the scales of the beetles undergoes pronounced multiple scattering that is associated with the lowest transport mean free path reported to date for low-refractive-index systems. Our light transport investigation unveil high level of optimisation that achieves high-brightness white in a thin low-mass-per-unit-area anisotropic disordered nanostructure.

Ultrafast mid-infrared spectroscopy by chirped pulse upconversion in 1800-1000cm(-1) region.

PubMed

Zhu, Jingyi; Mathes, Tilo; Stahl, Andreas D; Kennis, John T M; Groot, Marie Louise

2012-05-07

Broadband femtosecond mid-infrared pulses can be converted into the visible spectral region by chirped pulse upconversion. We report here the upconversion of pump probe transient signals in the frequency region below 1800cm(-1), using the nonlinear optical crystal AgGaGeS4, realizing an important expansion of the application range of this method. Experiments were demonstrated with a slab of GaAs, in which the upconverted signals cover a window of 120cm(-1), with 1.5cm(-1) resolution. In experiments on the BLUF photoreceptor Slr1694, signals below 1 milliOD were well resolved after baseline correction. Possibilities for further optimization of the method are discussed. We conclude that this method is an attractive alternative for the traditional MCT arrays used in most mid-infrared pump probe experiments.

A dual-targeting upconversion nanoplatform for two-color fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy.

PubMed

Wang, Xu; Yang, Cheng-Xiong; Chen, Jia-Tong; Yan, Xiu-Ping

2014-04-01

The targetability of a theranostic probe is one of the keys to assuring its theranostic efficiency. Here we show the design and fabrication of a dual-targeting upconversion nanoplatform for two-color fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT). The nanoplatform was prepared from 3-aminophenylboronic acid functionalized upconversion nanocrystals (APBA-UCNPs) and hyaluronated fullerene (HAC60) via a specific diol-borate condensation. The two specific ligands of aminophenylboronic acid and hyaluronic acid provide synergistic targeting effects, high targetability, and hence a dramatically elevated uptake of the nanoplatform by cancer cells. The high generation yield of (1)O2 due to multiplexed Förster resonance energy transfer between APBA-UCNPs (donor) and HAC60 (acceptor) allows effective therapy. The present nanoplatform shows great potential for highly selective tumor-targeted imaging-guided PDT.

[A study on the concentration quenching of Tm3+ upconversion luminescence].

PubMed

Chen, B; Wang, H; Huang, S

2001-06-01

In this work, we have a designation and preparation of MFT glasses for upconversion, the glasses consisted of TeO2 and fluoride: PbF2, AlF3, BaF2, NaF and the impurity Tm2O3. In this glass system the oxide improve forming ability, the fluorides improve the microscopic environment around RE ions in glasses. In this glass host the content of Tm2O3 achieves to 4% mol and crystallization no occurred. A detail study on the concentration quenching of upconversion luminescence for 1G4-->3H6 and 1D2-->3H4 transitions was completed. The experimental results directed that the quenching concentration was 0.6 mol.% and higher 3 times than in other glasses materials. The cross relaxation and mechanism of concentration quenching were discussed.

Energy transfer and up-conversion in rare-earth doped dielectric crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tkachuk, Alexandra M.

1996-01-01

In this work, we consider the prospects of development of the visible, and IR laser-diode pumped lasers based on TR3+-doped double-fluoride crystals. On the basis of estimates of the probabilities of competing non-radiative energy-transfer processes obtained from the experiments and theoretical calculations, the conclusions are drawn on the efficiency of up-conversion pumping and selfquenching of the upper TR3+ states excited by laser-diode emission. The effect of the host composition, dopant concentration, and temperature on the efficiency of up-conversion processes is demonstrated on the example of the YLF:Nd, YLF:Er, BaY2F8:Er, and BaY2F8:Er,Yb crystals. The transfer microparameters for most important cross-relaxation transitions are determined and the conclusions about interaction mechanisms are drawn.

Intense green and red upconversion emission of Er3+,Yb3+ co-doped CaZrO3 obtained by a solution combustion reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Vijay; Kumar Rai, Vineet; Haase, Markus

2012-09-01

CaZrO3 phosphors co-doped with Er3+ and Yb3+ ions have been prepared by the urea combustion route. The formation of the orthorhombic phase of CaZrO3 was confirmed by powder x-ray diffraction. The absorption in the 280-1800 nm region and excitation spectrum corresponding to the emission at 545 nm for CaZrO3:Er3+/CaZrO3:Er3+,Yb3+ phosphors have been recorded. Upon excitation at 978 nm, the material displays strong energy transfer upconversion emission in the green and red spectral regions. The upconversion emission of the CaZrO3:Er3+,Yb3+ co-doped material shows an increased red-to-green ratio, indicating cross relaxation between Er3+ ions.

Whole high-quality light environment for humans and plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharakshane, Anton

2017-11-01

Plants sharing a single light environment on a spaceship with a human being and bearing a decorative function should look as natural and attractive as possible. And consequently they can be illuminated only with white light with a high color rendering index. Can lighting optimized for a human eye be effective and appropriate for plants? Spectrum-based effects have been compared under artificial lighting of plants by high-pressure sodium lamps and general-purpose white LEDs. It has been shown that for the survey sample phytochrome photo-equilibria does not depend significantly on the parameters of white LED light, while the share of phytoactive blue light grows significantly as the color temperature increases. It has been revealed that yield photon flux is proportional to luminous efficacy and increases as the color temperature decreases, general color rendering index Ra and the special color rendering index R14 (green leaf) increase. General-purpose white LED lamps with a color temperature of 2700 K, Ra > 90 and luminous efficacy of 100 lm/W are as efficient as the best high-pressure sodium lamps, and at a higher luminous efficacy their yield photon flux per joule is even bigger in proportion. Here we show that demand for high color rendering white LED light is not contradictory to the agro-technical objectives.

Stray-light suppression in a reflecting white-light coronagraph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Romoli, Marco; Weiser, Heinz; Gardner, Larry D.; Kohl, John L.

1993-01-01

An analysis of stray-light suppression in the white-light channel of the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer experiment for the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory is reported. The white-light channel consists of a reflecting telescope with external and internal occultation and a polarimeter section. Laboratory tests and analytical methods are used to perform the analysis. The various stray-light contributions are classified in two main categories: the contribution from sunlight that passes directly through the entrance aperture and the contribution of sunlight that is diffracted by the edges of the entrance aperture. Values of the stray-light contributions from various sources and the total stray-light level for observations at heliocentric heights from 1.4 to 5 solar radii are derived. Anticipated signal-to-stray-light ratios are presented together with the effective stray-light rejection by the polarimeter, demonstrating the efficacy of the stray-light suppression design.

The impacts of new street light technologies: experimentally testing the effects on bats of changing from low-pressure sodium to white metal halide

PubMed Central

Stone, Emma Louise; Wakefield, Andrew; Harris, Stephen; Jones, Gareth

2015-01-01

Artificial light at night is a major feature of anthropogenic global change and is increasingly recognized as affecting biodiversity, often negatively. On a global scale, newer technology white lights are replacing orange sodium lights to reduce energy waste. In 2009, Cornwall County Council (UK) commenced replacement of existing low-pressure sodium (LPS) high intensity discharge (HID) street lights with new Phillips CosmoPolis white ceramic metal halide street lights to reduce energy wastage. This changeover provided a unique collaborative opportunity to implement a before-after-control-impact field experiment to investigate the ecological effects of newly installed broad spectrum light technologies. Activity of the bat species Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P. pygmaeus and Nyctalus/Eptesicus spp. was significantly higher at metal halide than LPS lights, as found in other studies of bat activity at old technology (i.e. mercury vapour) white light types. No significant difference was found in feeding attempts per bat pass between light types, though more passes overall were recorded at metal halide lights. Species-specific attraction of bats to the metal halide lights could have cascading effects at lower trophic levels. We highlight the need for further research on possible ecosystem-level effects of light technologies before they are installed on a wide scale. PMID:25780239

Mixing Halogens To Assemble an All-Inorganic Layered Perovskite with Warm White-Light Emission.

PubMed

Li, Xianfeng; Wang, Sasa; Zhao, Sangen; Li, Lina; Li, Yanqiang; Zhao, Bingqing; Shen, Yaoguo; Wu, Zhenyue; Shan, Pai; Luo, Junhua

2018-05-01

Most of single-component white-light-emitting materials focus on organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, metal-organic frameworks, as well as all-inorganic semiconductors. In this work, we successfully assembled an all-inorganic layered perovskite by mixing two halogens of distinct ionic radii, namely, Rb 2 CdCl 2 I 2 , which emits "warm" white light with a high color rendering index of 88. To date, Rb 2 CdCl 2 I 2 is the first single-component white-light-emitting material with an all-inorganic layered perovskite structure. Furthermore, Rb 2 CdCl 2 I 2 is thermally highly stable up to 575 K. A series of luminescence measurements show that the white-light emission arises from the lattice deformation, which are closely related to the [CdCl 4 I 2 ] 2- octahedra with high distortion from the distinct ionic radii of Cl and I. The first-principles calculations reveal that both the Cl and I components make significant contributions to the electronic band structures of Rb 2 CdCl 2 I 2 . These findings indicate that mixing halogens is an effective route to design and synthesize new single-component white-light-emitting materials. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Conversion of Biowaste Asian Hard Clam (Meretrix lusoria) Shells into White-Emitting Phosphors for Use in Neutral White LEDs.

PubMed

Chang, Tsung-Yuan; Wang, Chih-Min; Lin, Tai-Yuan; Lin, Hsiu-Mei

2016-12-02

The increasing volume and complexity of waste associated with the modern economy poses a serious risk to ecosystems and human health. However, the remanufacturing and recycling of waste into usable products can lead to substantial resource savings. In the present study, clam shell waste was first transformed into pure and well-crystallized single-phase white light-emitting phosphor Ca₉Gd(PO₄)₇:Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ materials. The phosphor Ca₉Gd(PO₄)₇:Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ materials were synthesized by the solid-state reaction method and the carbothermic reduction process, and then characterized and analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The structural and luminescent properties of the phosphors were investigated as well. The PL and quantum efficiency measurements showed that the luminescence properties of clam shell-based phosphors were comparable to that of the chemically derived phosphors. Moreover, white light-emitting diodes were fabricated through the integration of 380 nm chips and single-phase white light-emitting phosphors (Ca 0.979 Eu 0.006 Mn 0.015 )₉Gd(PO₄)₇ into a single package of a white light emitting diode (WLED) emitting a neutral white light of 5298 K with color coordinates of (0.337, 0.344).

Conversion of Biowaste Asian Hard Clam (Meretrix lusoria) Shells into White-Emitting Phosphors for Use in Neutral White LEDs

PubMed Central

Chang, Tsung-Yuan; Wang, Chih-Min; Lin, Tai-Yuan; Lin, Hsiu-Mei

2016-01-01

The increasing volume and complexity of waste associated with the modern economy poses a serious risk to ecosystems and human health. However, the remanufacturing and recycling of waste into usable products can lead to substantial resource savings. In the present study, clam shell waste was first transformed into pure and well-crystallized single-phase white light-emitting phosphor Ca9Gd(PO4)7:Eu2+,Mn2+ materials. The phosphor Ca9Gd(PO4)7:Eu2+,Mn2+ materials were synthesized by the solid-state reaction method and the carbothermic reduction process, and then characterized and analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The structural and luminescent properties of the phosphors were investigated as well. The PL and quantum efficiency measurements showed that the luminescence properties of clam shell-based phosphors were comparable to that of the chemically derived phosphors. Moreover, white light-emitting diodes were fabricated through the integration of 380 nm chips and single-phase white light-emitting phosphors (Ca0.979Eu0.006Mn0.015)9Gd(PO4)7 into a single package of a white light emitting diode (WLED) emitting a neutral white light of 5298 K with color coordinates of (0.337, 0.344). PMID:28774101

Deep Photoacoustic/Luminescence/Magnetic Resonance Multimodal Imaging in Living Subjects Using High-Efficiency Upconversion Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Liu, Yu; Kang, Ning; Lv, Jing; Zhou, Zijian; Zhao, Qingliang; Ma, Lingceng; Chen, Zhong; Ren, Lei; Nie, Liming

2016-08-01

A gadolinium-doped multi-shell upconversion nanoparticle under 800 nm excitation is synthesized with a 10-fold fluorescence-intensity enhancement over that under 980 nm. The nanoformulations exhibit excellent photoacoustic/luminescence/magnetic resonance tri-modal imaging capabilities, enabling visualization of tumor morphology and microvessel distribution at a new imaging depth. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Spectral effects of light-emitting diodes on plant growth and development: The importance of green and blue light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cope, K. R.; Bugbee, B.

2011-12-01

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are an emerging technology for plant growth lighting. Due to their narrow spectral output, colored LEDs provide many options for studying the spectral effects of light on plants. Early on, efficient red LEDs were the primary focus of photobiological research; however, subsequent studies have shown that normal plant growth and development cannot be achieved under red light without blue light supplementation. More recent studies have shown that red and blue (RB) LEDs supplemented with green light increase plant dry mass. This is because green light transmits more effectively through the leaf canopy than red and blue light, thus illuminating lower plant leaves and increasing whole-plant photosynthesis. Red, green and blue (RGB) light can be provided by either a conventional white light source (such as fluorescent lights), a combination of RGB LEDs, or from recently developed white LEDs. White LEDs exceed the efficiency of fluorescent lights and have a comparable broad spectrum. As such, they have the potential to replace fluorescent lighting for growth-chamber-based crop production both on Earth and in space. Here we report the results of studies on the effects of three white LED types (warm, neutral and cool) on plant growth and development compared to combinations of RB and RGB LEDs. Plants were grown under two constant light intensities (200 and 500 μmol m-2 s-1). Temperature, environmental conditions and root-zone environment were uniformly maintained across treatments. Phytochrome photoequilbria and red/far-red ratios were similar among treatments and were comparable to conventional fluorescent lights. Blue light had a significant effect on both plant growth (dry mass gain) and development (dry mass partitioning). An increase in the absolute amount (μmol m-2 s-1) of blue light from 0-80 μmol m-2 s-1 resulted in a decrease in stem elongation, independent of the light intensity. However, an increase in the relative amount (%) of blue light caused a decrease in specific leaf area (leaf area per unit leaf mass). As the relative amount of blue light increased, chlorophyll concentration per unit leaf area increased, but chlorophyll concentration per unit leaf mass remained constant. The relative amount of blue light increased total dry mass in some species while it remained constant in others. An increase in the fraction of green light increased dry mass in radish. Overall, white LEDs provided a more uniform spectral distribution, reduced stem elongation and leaf area, and maintained or increased dry mass as compared to RB and RGB LEDs. Cool white LEDs are more electrically efficient than the other two white LEDs and have sufficient blue light for normal plant growth and development at both high and low light intensities. Compared to sunlight, cool white LEDs are perhaps deficient in red light and may therefore benefit from supplementation with red LEDs. Future studies will be conducted to test this hypothesis. These results have significant implication for LADA growth chambers which are currently used for vegetable production on the International Space Station.

Orbital angular momentum light frequency conversion and interference with quasi-phase matching crystals.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhi-Yuan; Ding, Dong-Sheng; Jiang, Yun-Kun; Li, Yan; Shi, Shuai; Wang, Xi-Shi; Shi, Bao-Sen

2014-08-25

Light with helical phase structures, carrying quantized orbital angular momentum (OAM), has many applications in both classical and quantum optics, such as high-capacity optical communications and quantum information processing. Frequency conversion is a basic technique to expand the frequency range of the fundamental light. The frequency conversion of OAM-carrying light gives rise to new physics and applications such as up-conversion detection of images and generation of high dimensional OAM entanglements. Quasi-phase matching (QPM) nonlinear crystals are good candidates for frequency conversion, particularly due to their high-valued effective nonlinear coefficients and no walk-off effect. Here we report the first experimental second-harmonic generation (SHG) of an OAM-carried light with a QPM crystal, where a UV light with OAM of 100 ℏ is generated. OAM conservation is verified using a specially designed interferometer. With a pump beam carrying an OAM superposition of opposite sign, we observe interesting interference phenomena in the SHG light; specifically, a photonics gear-like structure is obtained that gives direct evidence of OAM conservation, which will be very useful for ultra-sensitive angular measurements. Besides, we also develop a theory to reveal the underlying physics of the phenomena. The methods and theoretical analysis shown here are also applicable to other frequency conversion processes, such as sum frequency generation and difference-frequency generation, and may also be generalized to the quantum regime for single photons.

Pyropheophorbide A and c(RGDyK) comodified chitosan-wrapped upconversion nanoparticle for targeted near-infrared photodynamic therapy.

PubMed

Zhou, Aiguo; Wei, Yanchun; Wu, Baoyan; Chen, Qun; Xing, Da

2012-06-04

Near-infrared (NIR)-to-visible upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP) has shown promising prospects in photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a drug carrier or energy donor. In this work, a photosensitizer pyropheophorbide a (Ppa) and RGD peptide c(RGDyK) comodified chitosan-wrapped NaYF(4):Yb/Er upconversion nanoparticle UCNP-Ppa-RGD was developed for targeted near-infrared photodynamic therapy. The properties of UCNP-Ppa-RGD, such as morphology, stability, optical spectroscopy and singlet oxygen generation efficiency, were investigated. The results show that covalently linked pyropheophorbide a molecule not only is stable but also retains its spectroscopic and functional properties. In vitro studies confirm a stronger targeting specificity of UCNP-Ppa-RGD to integrin α(v)β(3)-positive U87-MG cells compared with that in the corresponding negative group. The photosensitizer-attached nanostructure exhibited low dark toxicity and high phototoxicity against cancer cells upon 980 nm laser irradiation at an appropriate dosage. These results represent the first demonstration of a highly stable and efficient photosensitizer modified upconversion nanostructure for targeted near-infrared photodynamic therapy of cancer cells. The novel UCNP-Ppa-RGD nanoparticle may provide a powerful alternative for near-infrared photodynamic therapy with an improved tumor targeting specificity.

The Intersection of CMOS Microsystems and Upconversion Nanoparticles for Luminescence Bioimaging and Bioassays

PubMed Central

Wei, Liping.; Doughan, Samer.; Han, Yi.; DaCosta, Matthew V.; Krull, Ulrich J.; Ho, Derek.

2014-01-01

Organic fluorophores and quantum dots are ubiquitous as contrast agents for bio-imaging and as labels in bioassays to enable the detection of biological targets and processes. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) offer a different set of opportunities as labels in bioassays and for bioimaging. UCNPs are excited at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths where biological molecules are optically transparent, and their luminesce in the visible and ultraviolet (UV) wavelength range is suitable for detection using complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. These nanoparticles provide multiple sharp emission bands, long lifetimes, tunable emission, high photostability, and low cytotoxicity, which render them particularly useful for bio-imaging applications and multiplexed bioassays. This paper surveys several key concepts surrounding upconversion nanoparticles and the systems that detect and process the corresponding luminescence signals. The principle of photon upconversion, tuning of emission wavelengths, UCNP bioassays, and UCNP time-resolved techniques are described. Electronic readout systems for signal detection and processing suitable for UCNP luminescence using CMOS technology are discussed. This includes recent progress in miniaturized detectors, integrated spectral sensing, and high-precision time-domain circuits. Emphasis is placed on the physical attributes of UCNPs that map strongly to the technical features that CMOS devices excel in delivering, exploring the interoperability between the two technologies. PMID:25211198

Efficient upconversion-pumped continuous wave Er3+:LiLuF4 lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moglia, Francesca; Müller, Sebastian; Reichert, Fabian; Metz, Philip W.; Calmano, Thomas; Kränkel, Christian; Heumann, Ernst; Huber, Günter

2015-04-01

We report on detailed spectroscopic investigations and efficient visible upconversion laser operation of Er3+:LiLuF4. This material allows for efficient resonant excited-state-absorption (ESA) pumping at 974 nm. Under spectroscopic conditions without external feedback, ESA at the laser wavelength of 552 nm prevails stimulated emission. Under lasing conditions in a resonant cavity, the high intracavity photon density bleaches the ESA at 552 nm, allowing for efficient cw laser operation. We obtained the highest output power of any room-temperature crystalline upconversion laser. The laser achieves a cw output power of 774 mW at a slope efficiency of 19% with respect to the incident pump power delivered by an optically-pumped semiconductor laser. The absorption efficiency of the pump radiation is estimated to be below 50%. To exploit the high confinement in waveguides for this laser, we employed femtosecond-laser pulses to inscribe a cladding of parallel tracks of modified material into Er3+:LiLuF4 crystals. The core material allows for low-loss waveguiding at pump and laser wavelengths. Under Ti:sapphire pumping at 974 nm, the first crystalline upconversion waveguide laser has been realized. We obtained waveguide-laser operation with up to 10 mW of output power at 553 nm.

Yb3+/Ho3+ Co-Doped Apatite Upconversion Nanoparticles to Distinguish Implanted Material from Bone Tissue.

PubMed

Li, Xiyu; Chen, Haifeng

2016-10-07

The exploration of bone reconstruction with time requires the combination of a biological method and a chemical technique. Lanthanide Yb 3+ and Ho 3+ co-doped fluorapatite (FA:Yb 3+ /Ho 3+ ) and hydroxyapatite (HA:Yb 3+ /Ho 3+ ) particles with varying dopant concentrations were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and thermal activation. Controllable green and red upconversion emissions were generated under 980 nm near-infrared excitation; the FA:Yb 3+ /Ho 3+ particles resulted in superior green luminescence, while HA:Yb 3+ /Ho 3+ dominated in red emission. The difference in the green and red emission behavior was dependent on the lattice structure and composition. Two possible lattice models were proposed for Yb 3+ /Ho 3+ co-doped HA and FA along the hydroxyl channel and fluorine channel of the apatite crystal structure. We first reported the use of the upconversion apatite particles to clearly distinguish implanted material from bone tissue on stained histological sections of harvested in vivo samples. The superposition of the tissue image and material image is a creative method to show the material-tissue distribution and interrelation. The upconversion apatite particles and image superposition method provide a novel strategy for long-term discriminable fluorescence tracking of implanted material or scaffold during bone regeneration.

Generation of three wide frequency bands within a single white-light cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Othman, Anas; Yevick, David; Al-Amri, M.

2018-04-01

We theoretically investigate the double-Λ scheme inside a Fabry-Pérot cavity employing a weak probe beam and two strong driving fields together with an incoherent pumping mechanism. By generating analytical expressions for the susceptibility and applying the white-light cavity conditions, we devise a procedure that reaches the white-light condition at a smaller gas density than the values typically cited in similar previous studies. Further, when the intensities of the two driving fields are equal, a single giant white band is obtained, while for unequal driving fields three white bands can be present in the cavity. Two additional techniques are then advanced for generating three white bands and a method is described for displacing the center frequency of the bands. Finally, some potential applications are suggested.

The possible ocular hazards of LED dental illumination applications.

PubMed

Stamatacos, Catherine; Harrison, Janet L

2014-04-01

The use of high-intensity illumination via Light-Emitting Diode (LED) headlamps is gaining in popularity with dentists and student dentists. Practitioners are using LED headlamps together with magnifying loupes, overhead LED illumination and fiber-optic dental handpieces for long periods of time. Although most manufacturers of these LED illuminators advertise that their devices emit "white" light, these still consist of two spectral bands - the blue spectral band, with its peak at 445 nm, and the green with its peak at 555 nm. While manufacturers suggest that their devices emit "white" light, spectral components of LED lights from different companies are significantly different. Dental headlamp manufacturers strive to create a white LED, and they advertise that this type of light emitted from their product offers bright white-light illumination. However, the manufacturing of a white LED light is done through selection of a white LED-type based on the peak blue strength in combination with the green peak strength and thus creating a beam-forming optic, which determines the beam quality. Some LED illuminators have a strong blue-light component versus the green-light component. Blue-light is highly energized and is close in the color spectrum to ultraviolet-light. The hazards of retinal damage with the use of high-intensity blue-lights has been well-documented. There is limited research regarding the possible ocular hazards of usage of high-intensity illuminating LED devices. Furthermore, the authors have found little research, standards, or guidelines examining the possible safety issues regarding the unique dental practice setting consisting of the combined use of LED illumination systems. Another unexamined component is the effect of high-intensity light reflective glare and magnification back to the practitioner's eyes due to the use of water during dental procedures. Based on the result of Dr. Janet Harrison's observations of beginning dental students in a laboratory setting, the aim of this review is to raise awareness of the potential risk for eye damage when singular or combinations of LED illumination are used.

The possible ocular hazards of LED dental illumination applications.

PubMed

Stamatacos, Catherine; Harrison, Janet L

2013-01-01

The use of high-intensity illumination via Light-Emitting Diode (LED) headlamps is gaining in popularity with dentists and student dentists. Practitioners are using LED headlamps together with magnifying loupes, overhead LED illumination and fiber-optic dental handpieces for long periods of time. Although most manufacturers of these LED illuminators advertise that their devices emit "white" light, these still consist of two spectral bands--the blue spectral band, with its peak at 445 nm, and the green with its peak at 555 nm. While manufacturers suggest that their devices emit "white" light, spectral components of LED lights from different companies are significantly different. Dental headlamp manufacturers strive to create a white LED, and they advertise that this type of light emitted from their product offers bright white-light illumination. However, the manufacturing of a white LED light is done through selection of a white LED-type based on the peak blue strength in combination with the green peak strength and thus creating a beam-forming optic, which determines the beam quality. Some LED illuminators have a strong blue-light component versus the green-light component. Blue-light is highly energized and is close in the color spectrum to ultraviolet-light. The hazards of retinal damage with the use of high-intensity blue-lights has been well-documented. There is limited research regarding the possible ocular hazards of usage of high-intensity illuminating LED devices. Furthermore, the authors have found little research, standards, or guidelines examining the possible safety issues regarding the unique dental practice setting consisting of the combined use of LED illumination systems. Another unexamined component is the effect of high-intensity light reflective glare and magnification back to the practitioner's eyes due to the use of water during dental procedures. Based on the result of Dr. Janet Harrison's observations of beginning dental students in a laboratory setting, the aim of this review is to raise awareness of the potential risk for eye damage when singular or combinations of LED illumination are used.

White light emitting device based on single-phase CdS quantum dots.

PubMed

Li, Feng; Nie, Chao; You, Lai; Jin, Xiao; Zhang, Qin; Qin, Yuancheng; Zhao, Feng; Song, Yinglin; Chen, Zhongping; Li, Qinghua

2018-05-18

White light emitting diodes (WLEDs) based on quantum dots (QDs) are emerging as robust candidates for white light sources, however they are suffering from the problem of energy loss resulting from the re-absorption and self-absorption among the employed QDs of different peak wavelengths. It still remains a challenging task to construct WLEDs based on single-phase QD emitters. Here, CdS QDs with short synthesis times are introduced to the fabrication of WLEDs. With a short synthesis time, on one hand, CdS QDs with a small diameter with blue emission can be obtained. On the other hand, surface reconstruction barely has time to occur, and the surface is likely defect-ridden, which enables the existence of a broad emission covering the range of green, yellow and red regions. This is essential for the white light emission of CdS QDs, and is very important for WLED applications. The temporal evolution of the PL spectra for CdS QDs was obtained to investigate the influence of growth time on the luminescent properties. The CdS QDs with a growth time of 0.5 min exhibited a colour rendering index (CRI) of 79.5 and a correlated colour temperature (CCT) of 6238 K. With increasing reaction time, the colour coordinates of the CdS QDs will move away from the white light region in the CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram. By integrating the as prepared white light emission CdS QDs with a violet GaN chip, WLEDs were fabricated. The fabricated WLEDs exhibited a CRI of 87.9 and a CCT of 4619 K, which satisfy the demand of general illumination. The luminous flux and the luminous efficiency of the fabricated WLEDs, being less advanced than current commercial white light sources, can be further improved, meaning there is a need for much more in-depth studies on white light emission CdS QDs.

White light emitting device based on single-phase CdS quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Feng; Nie, Chao; You, Lai; Jin, Xiao; Zhang, Qin; Qin, Yuancheng; Zhao, Feng; Song, Yinglin; Chen, Zhongping; Li, Qinghua

2018-05-01

White light emitting diodes (WLEDs) based on quantum dots (QDs) are emerging as robust candidates for white light sources, however they are suffering from the problem of energy loss resulting from the re-absorption and self-absorption among the employed QDs of different peak wavelengths. It still remains a challenging task to construct WLEDs based on single-phase QD emitters. Here, CdS QDs with short synthesis times are introduced to the fabrication of WLEDs. With a short synthesis time, on one hand, CdS QDs with a small diameter with blue emission can be obtained. On the other hand, surface reconstruction barely has time to occur, and the surface is likely defect-ridden, which enables the existence of a broad emission covering the range of green, yellow and red regions. This is essential for the white light emission of CdS QDs, and is very important for WLED applications. The temporal evolution of the PL spectra for CdS QDs was obtained to investigate the influence of growth time on the luminescent properties. The CdS QDs with a growth time of 0.5 min exhibited a colour rendering index (CRI) of 79.5 and a correlated colour temperature (CCT) of 6238 K. With increasing reaction time, the colour coordinates of the CdS QDs will move away from the white light region in the CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram. By integrating the as prepared white light emission CdS QDs with a violet GaN chip, WLEDs were fabricated. The fabricated WLEDs exhibited a CRI of 87.9 and a CCT of 4619 K, which satisfy the demand of general illumination. The luminous flux and the luminous efficiency of the fabricated WLEDs, being less advanced than current commercial white light sources, can be further improved, meaning there is a need for much more in-depth studies on white light emission CdS QDs.

The Influence of the Environment and Clothing on Human Exposure to Ultraviolet Light

PubMed Central

Liu, Jin; Zhang, Wei

2015-01-01

Objection The aim of this study is to determine the effect of clothing and the environment on human exposure to ultraviolet light. Methods The ultraviolet (ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B) light intensity was measured, and air quality parameters were recorded in 2014 in Beijing, China. Three types of clothing (white polyester cloth, pure cotton white T-shirt, and pure cotton black T-shirt) were individually placed on a mannequin. The ultraviolet (ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B) light intensities were measured above and beneath each article of clothing, and the percentage of ultraviolet light transmission through the clothing was calculated. Results (1) The ultraviolet light transmission was significantly higher through white cloth than through black cloth; the transmission was significantly higher through polyester cloth than through cotton. (2) The weather significantly influenced ultraviolet light transmission through white polyester cloth; transmission was highest on clear days and lowest on overcast days (ultraviolet A: P=0.000; ultraviolet B: P=0.008). (3) Air quality parameters (air quality index and particulate matter 2.5 and 10) were inversely related to the ultraviolet light intensity that reached the earth’s surface. Ultraviolet B transmission through white polyester cloth was greater under conditions of low air pollution compared with high air pollution. Conclusion Clothing color and material and different types of weather affected ultraviolet light transmission; for one particular cloth, the transmission decreased with increasing air pollution. PMID:25923778

The influence of the environment and clothing on human exposure to ultraviolet light.

PubMed

Liu, Jin; Zhang, Wei

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of clothing and the environment on human exposure to ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet (ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B) light intensity was measured, and air quality parameters were recorded in 2014 in Beijing, China. Three types of clothing (white polyester cloth, pure cotton white T-shirt, and pure cotton black T-shirt) were individually placed on a mannequin. The ultraviolet (ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B) light intensities were measured above and beneath each article of clothing, and the percentage of ultraviolet light transmission through the clothing was calculated. (1) The ultraviolet light transmission was significantly higher through white cloth than through black cloth; the transmission was significantly higher through polyester cloth than through cotton. (2) The weather significantly influenced ultraviolet light transmission through white polyester cloth; transmission was highest on clear days and lowest on overcast days (ultraviolet A: P=0.000; ultraviolet B: P=0.008). (3) Air quality parameters (air quality index and particulate matter 2.5 and 10) were inversely related to the ultraviolet light intensity that reached the earth's surface. Ultraviolet B transmission through white polyester cloth was greater under conditions of low air pollution compared with high air pollution. Clothing color and material and different types of weather affected ultraviolet light transmission; for one particular cloth, the transmission decreased with increasing air pollution.

Vacuum-Compatible Wideband White Light and Laser Combiner Source System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Azizi, Alineza; Ryan, Daniel J.; Tang, Hong; Demers, Richard T.; Kadogawa, Hiroshi; An, Xin; Sun, George Y.

2010-01-01

For the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) Spectrum Calibration Development Unit (SCDU) testbed, wideband white light is used to simulate starlight. The white light source mount requires extremely stable pointing accuracy (<3.2 microradians). To meet this and other needs, the laser light from a single-mode fiber was combined, through a beam splitter window with special coating from broadband wavelengths, with light from multimode fiber. Both lights were coupled to a photonic crystal fiber (PCF). In many optical systems, simulating a point star with broadband spectrum with stability of microradians for white light interferometry is a challenge. In this case, the cameras use the white light interference to balance two optical paths, and to maintain close tracking. In order to coarse align the optical paths, a laser light is sent into the system to allow tracking of fringes because a narrow band laser has a great range of interference. The design requirements forced the innovators to use a new type of optical fiber, and to take a large amount of care in aligning the input sources. The testbed required better than 1% throughput, or enough output power on the lowest spectrum to be detectable by the CCD camera (6 nW at camera). The system needed to be vacuum-compatible and to have the capability for combining a visible laser light at any time for calibration purposes. The red laser is a commercially produced 635-nm laser 5-mW diode, and the white light source is a commercially produced tungsten halogen lamp that gives a broad spectrum of about 525 to 800 nm full width at half maximum (FWHM), with about 1.4 mW of power at 630 nm. A custom-made beam splitter window with special coating for broadband wavelengths is used with the white light input via a 50-mm multi-mode fiber. The large mode area PCF is an LMA-8 made by Crystal Fibre (core diameter of 8.5 mm, mode field diameter of 6 mm, and numerical aperture at 625 nm of 0.083). Any science interferometer that needs a tracking laser fringe to assist in alignment can use this system.

Wide color gamut display with white and emerald backlighting.

PubMed

Duan, Lvyin; Lei, Zhichun

2018-02-20

This paper proposes a wide color gamut approach that uses white and emerald lighting units as the backlight of the liquid crystal display. The white and emerald backlights are controlled by the image to be displayed. The mixing ratio of the white and the emerald lighting is analyzed so that the maximal color gamut coverage ratio can be achieved. Experimental results prove the effectiveness of the wide color gamut approach using white and emerald backlights.

Growth of hybrid poplars, white spruce, and jack pine under various artificial lights.

Treesearch

Pamela S. Roberts; J. Zavitkovski

1981-01-01

Describes the energy consumption and biological effects of fluorescent, incandescent, and high pressure sodium lighting on the growth of poplars, white spruce, and jack pine in a greenhouse. At similar light levels the biological effects of all three light sources were similar. The incandescent lamps consumed several times more energy than the other two light...

Broadband mid-infrared measurements for shock induced chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGrane, Shawn; Bowlan, Pamela; Brown, Kathryn; Bolme, Cynthia; Cawkwell, Marc

2017-06-01

Vibrational absorption spectroscopy across the mid-infrared range is a ubiquitous diagnostic of chemical effects due to its sensitivity to small variations in bonding. At the high temperatures and pressures relevant to shock induced chemistry, vibrational spectral peaks become very broad, and accessing as much spectral range as possible with high time resolution can significantly aid in deducing chemical dynamics. Here, we report experiments using broadband (<500 cm-1 to >2000 cm-1) mid-infrared femtosecond supercontinua created by four wave mixing in filaments to perform absorption spectroscopy. These broadband mid-infrared supercontinua are detected through upconversion to visible light. Initial efforts to utilize these methods for measurement of chemical dynamics in shocked nitromethane will be reported.

Two-Photon Absorption in Pentacene Dimers: The Importance of the Spacer Using Upconversion as an Indirect Route to Singlet Fission.

PubMed

Garoni, Eleonora; Zirzlmeier, Johannes; Basel, Bettina S; Hetzer, Constantin; Kamada, Kenji; Guldi, Dirk M; Tykwinski, Rik R

2017-10-11

In this proof of concept study, we show that intramolecular singlet fission (iSF) can be initiated from a singlet excited state accessed by two-photon absorption, rather than through a traditional route of direct one-photon excitation (OPE). Thus, iSF in pentacene dimers 2 and 3 is enabled through NIR irradiation at 775 nm, a wavelength where neither dimer exhibits linear absorption of light. The adamantyl and meta-phenylene spacers 2 and 3, respectively, are designed to feature superimposable geometries, which establishes that the electronic coupling between the two pentacenes is the significant structural feature that dictates iSF efficiency.

High-efficiency second harmonic generation from a single hybrid ZnO nanowire/Au plasmonic nano-oligomer.

PubMed

Grinblat, Gustavo; Rahmani, Mohsen; Cortés, Emiliano; Caldarola, Martín; Comedi, David; Maier, Stefan A; Bragas, Andrea V

2014-11-12

We introduce a plasmonic-semiconductor hybrid nanosystem, consisting of a ZnO nanowire coupled to a gold pentamer oligomer by crossing the hot-spot. It is demonstrated that the hybrid system exhibits a second harmonic (SH) conversion efficiency of ∼3 × 10(-5)%, which is among the highest values for a nanoscale object at optical frequencies reported so far. The SH intensity was found to be ∼1700 times larger than that from the same nanowire excited outside the hot-spot. Placing high nonlinear susceptibility materials precisely in plasmonic confined-field regions to enhance SH generation opens new perspectives for highly efficient light frequency up-conversion on the nanoscale.

Characteristics of white LED transmission through a smoke screen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yunfei; Yang, Aiying; Feng, Lihui; Guo, Peng

2018-01-01

The characteristics of white LED transmission through a smoke screen is critical for visible light communication through a smoke screen. Based on the Mie scattering theory, the Monte Carlo transmission model is established. Based on the probability density function, the white LED sampling model is established according to the measured spectrum of a white LED and the distribution angle of the lambert model. The sampling model of smoke screen particle diameter is also established according to its distribution. We simulate numerically the influence the smoke thickness, the smoke concentration and the angle of irradiance of white LED on transmittance of the white LED. We construct a white LED smoke transmission experiment system. The measured result on the light transmittance and the smoke concentration agreed with the simulated result, and demonstrated the validity of simulation model for visible light transmission channel through a smoke screen.

White light emission and optical gains from a Si nanocrystal thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dong-Chen; Hao, Hong-Chen; Chen, Jia-Rong; Zhang, Chi; Zhou, Jing; Sun, Jian; Lu, Ming

2015-11-01

We report a Si nanocrystal thin film consisting of free-standing Si nanocrystals, which can emit white light and show positive optical gains for its red, green and blue (RGB) components under ultraviolet excitation. Si nanocrystals with ϕ = 2.31 ± 0.35 nm were prepared by chemical etching of Si powder, followed by filtering. After being mixed with SiO2 sol-gel and thermally annealed, a broadband photoluminescence (PL) from the thin film was observed. The RGB ratio of the PL can be tuned by changing the annealing temperature or atmosphere, which is 1.00/3.26/4.59 for the pure white light emission. The origins of the PL components could be due to differences in oxygen-passivation degree for Si nanocrystals. The results may find applications in white-light Si lasing and Si lighting.

Photocontrol of Spirodela intermedia flavonoids 1

PubMed Central

McClure, Jerry W.

1968-01-01

Clone 115 of Spirodela intermedia W. Koch grown in Hutner's medium with sucrose produces the glycoflavones vitexin and orientin in darkness or in light of various wavelengths. The anthocyanin cyanidin-3-monoglucoside was present only after prolonged illumination of the plants with white or blue light. No cyanidin-glucoside was formed under constant red light. The substitution of red, blue, or far-red light for the last 24 hours of culture under constant white light reduced each flavonoid over those maintained in white light or given 24 hours of darkness. Reducing the light intensity from 900 to 400 ft-c of constant cool-white fluorescent light had no appreciable influence on vitexin (4′-hydroxyl) but markedly reduced orientin and cyanidin-glucoside (both 3′4′-hydroxyl). Substituting alternate 12-hour periods of light and darkness for continuous light reduced the glycoflavones approximately 50% while cyanidin-glucoside was reduced about 85%. Most responses to red, blue, or far-red light are consistent with a phytochrome-controlled promotion of vitexin synthesis. The evidence suggests that in S. intermedia: A) Environmental conditions which elicit cyanidin-glucoside and glycoflavone synthesis are different since a prolonged illumination with white light is required for the former but not the latter. B) The availability of a 3′4′-hydroxyl precursor for orientin and anthocyanin probably limits their synthesis in low intensity light. Since vitexin is essentially unaltered under these conditions this also suggests that acetate or malonate units for the A-ring and the deamination products of aromatic amino acids for the B-ring and carbons of the C-ring are not limiting factors. C) Light controls the biosynthesis of flavonols in the same manner as glycoflavones; under all experimental conditions the synthesis of kaempferol paralleled vitexin while quercetin responded in the same manner as crientin. PMID:16656751

Smart Nanostructures for Cargo Delivery: Uncaging and Activating by Light.

PubMed

Karimi, Mahdi; Sahandi Zangabad, Parham; Baghaee-Ravari, Soodeh; Ghazadeh, Mehdi; Mirshekari, Hamid; Hamblin, Michael R

2017-04-05

Nanotechnology has begun to play a remarkable role in various fields of science and technology. In biomedical applications, nanoparticles have opened new horizons, especially for biosensing, targeted delivery of therapeutics, and so forth. Among drug delivery systems (DDSs), smart nanocarriers that respond to specific stimuli in their environment represent a growing field. Nanoplatforms that can be activated by an external application of light can be used for a wide variety of photoactivated therapies, especially light-triggered DDSs, relying on photoisomerization, photo-cross-linking/un-cross-linking, photoreduction, and so forth. In addition, light activation has potential in photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, radiotherapy, protected delivery of bioactive moieties, anticancer drug delivery systems, and theranostics (i.e., real-time monitoring and tracking combined with a therapeutic action to different diseases sites and organs). Combinations of these approaches can lead to enhanced and synergistic therapies, employing light as a trigger or for activation. Nonlinear light absorption mechanisms such as two-photon absorption and photon upconversion have been employed in the design of light-responsive DDSs. The integration of a light stimulus into dual/multiresponsive nanocarriers can provide spatiotemporal controlled delivery and release of therapeutic agents, targeted and controlled nanosystems, combined delivery of two or more agents, their on-demand release under specific conditions, and so forth. Overall, light-activated nanomedicines and DDSs are expected to provide more effective therapies against serious diseases such as cancers, inflammation, infections, and cardiovascular disease with reduced side effects and will open new doors toward the treatment of patients worldwide.

New yellow Ba 0.93Eu 0.07Al 2O 4 phosphor for warm-white light-emitting diodes through single-emitting-center conversion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Xufan; Budai, John D.; Liu, Feng

2013-01-01

Phosphor-converted white light-emitting diodes for indoor illumination need to be warm-white (i.e., correlated color temperature <4000 K) with good color rendition (i.e., color rendering index >80). However, no single-phosphor, single-emitting-center-converted white light-emitting diodes can simultaneously satisfy the color temperature and rendition requirements due to the lack of sufficient red spectral component in the phosphors’ emission spectrum. Here, we report a new yellow Ba 0.93Eu 0.07Al 2O 4 phosphor that has a new orthorhombic lattice structure and exhibits a broad yellow photoluminescence band with sufficient red spectral component. Warm-white emissions with correlated color temperature <4000 K and color rendering index >80more » were readily achieved when combining the Ba 0.93Eu 0.07Al 2O 4 phosphor with a blue light-emitting diode (440–470 nm). This study demonstrates that warm-white light-emitting diodes with high color rendition (i.e., color rendering index >80) can be achieved based on single-phosphor, single-emitting-center conversion.« less

Microfluidic White Organic Light-Emitting Diode Based on Integrated Patterns of Greenish-Blue and Yellow Solvent-Free Liquid Emitters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Naofumi; Kasahara, Takashi; Edura, Tomohiko; Oshima, Juro; Ishimatsu, Ryoichi; Tsuwaki, Miho; Imato, Toshihiko; Shoji, Shuichi; Mizuno, Jun

2015-10-01

We demonstrated a novel microfluidic white organic light-emitting diode (microfluidic WOLED) based on integrated sub-100-μm-wide microchannels. Single-μm-thick SU-8-based microchannels, which were sandwiched between indium tin oxide (ITO) anode and cathode pairs, were fabricated by photolithography and heterogeneous bonding technologies. 1-Pyrenebutyric acid 2-ethylhexyl ester (PLQ) was used as a solvent-free greenish-blue liquid emitter, while 2,8-di-tert-butyl-5,11-bis(4-tert-butylphenyl)-6,12-diphenyltetracene (TBRb)-doped PLQ was applied as a yellow liquid emitter. In order to form the liquid white light-emitting layer, the greenish-blue and yellow liquid emitters were alternately injected into the integrated microchannels. The fabricated electro-microfluidic device successfully exhibited white electroluminescence (EL) emission via simultaneous greenish-blue and yellow emissions under an applied voltage of 100 V. A white emission with Commission Internationale de l’Declairage (CIE) color coordinates of (0.40, 0.42) was also obtained; the emission corresponds to warm-white light. The proposed device has potential applications in subpixels of liquid-based microdisplays and for lighting.

A Unique Blend of 2-Fluorenyl-2-anthracene and 2-Anthryl-2-anthracence Showing White Emission and High Charge Mobility.

PubMed

Chen, Mengyun; Zhao, Yang; Yan, Lijia; Yang, Shuai; Zhu, Yanan; Murtaza, Imran; He, Gufeng; Meng, Hong; Huang, Wei

2017-01-16

White-light-emitting materials with high mobility are necessary for organic white-light-emitting transistors, which can be used for self-driven OLED displays or OLED lighting. In this study, we combined two materials with similar structures-2-fluorenyl-2-anthracene (FlAnt) with blue emission and 2-anthryl-2-anthracence (2A) with greenish-yellow emission-to fabricate OLED devices, which showed unusual solid-state white-light emission with the CIE coordinates (0.33, 0.34) at 10 V. The similar crystal structures ensured that the OTFTs based on mixed FlAnt and 2A showed high mobility of 1.56 cm 2  V -1  s -1 . This simple method provides new insight into the design of high-performance white-emitting transistor materials and structures. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Spectral optimization simulation of white light based on the photopic eye-sensitivity curve

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dai, Qi, E-mail: qidai@tongji.edu.cn; Institute for Advanced Study, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092; Key Laboratory of Ecology and Energy-saving Study of Dense Habitat

Spectral optimization simulation of white light is studied to boost maximum attainable luminous efficacy of radiation at high color-rendering index (CRI) and various color temperatures. The photopic eye-sensitivity curve V(λ) is utilized as the dominant portion of white light spectra. Emission spectra of a blue InGaN light-emitting diode (LED) and a red AlInGaP LED are added to the spectrum of V(λ) to match white color coordinates. It is demonstrated that at the condition of color temperature from 2500 K to 6500 K and CRI above 90, such white sources can achieve spectral efficacy of 330–390 lm/W, which is higher than the previously reportedmore » theoretical maximum values. We show that this eye-sensitivity-based approach also has advantages on component energy conversion efficiency compared with previously reported optimization solutions.« less

Semiconductive 3-D haloplumbate framework hybrids with high color rendering index white-light emission.

PubMed

Wang, Guan-E; Xu, Gang; Wang, Ming-Sheng; Cai, Li-Zhen; Li, Wen-Hua; Guo, Guo-Cong

2015-12-01

Single-component white light materials may create great opportunities for novel conventional lighting applications and display systems; however, their reported color rendering index (CRI) values, one of the key parameters for lighting, are less than 90, which does not satisfy the demand of color-critical upmarket applications, such as photography, cinematography, and art galleries. In this work, two semiconductive chloroplumbate (chloride anion of lead(ii)) hybrids, obtained using a new inorganic-organic hybrid strategy, show unprecedented 3-D inorganic framework structures and white-light-emitting properties with high CRI values around 90, one of which shows the highest value to date.

SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS: White light photoluminescence from ZnS films on porous Si substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caifeng, Wang; Qingshan, Li; Bo, Hu; Weibing, Li

2010-03-01

ZnS films were deposited on porous Si (PS) substrates using a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. White light emission is observed in photoluminescence (PL) spectra, and the white light is the combination of blue and green emission from ZnS and red emission from PS. The white PL spectra are broad, intense in a visible band ranging from 450 to 700 nm. The effects of the excitation wavelength, growth temperature of ZnS films, PS porosity and annealing temperature on the PL spectra of ZnS/PS were also investigated.

Simple process of hybrid white quantum dot/organic light-emitting diodes by using quantum dot plate and fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ho Won; Lee, Ki-Heon; Lee, Jae Woo; Kim, Jong-Hoon; Yang, Heesun; Kim, Young Kwan

2015-02-01

In this work, the simple process of hybrid quantum dot (QD)/organic light-emitting diode (OLED) was proposed to apply a white illumination light by using QD plate and organic fluorescence. Conventional blue fluorescent OLEDs were firstly fabricated and then QD plates of various concentrations, which can be controlled of UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence spectrum, were attached under glass substrate of completed blue devices. The suggested process indicates that we could fabricate the white device through very simple process without any deposition of orange or red organic emitters. Therefore, this work would be demonstrated that the potential simple process for white applications can be applied and also can be extended to additional research on light applications.

Imaging System and Method for Biomedical Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-11

biological particles and items of interest. Broadly, Padmanabhan et al. utilize the diffraction of a laser light source in flow cytometry to count...spread of light from multiple LED devices over the entire sample surface. Preferably, light source 308 projects a full spectrum white light. Light...for example, red blood cells, white blood cells (which may include lymphocytes which are relatively large and easily detectable), T-helper cells

9 CFR 381.156 - Poultry meat content standards for certain poultry products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... specifications for percent light meat and percent dark meat set forth in said table. Table I Label terminology Percent light meat Percent dark meat Natural proportions 50-65 50-35. Light or white meat 100 0. Dark meat 0 100. Light and dark meat 51-65 49-35. Dark and light meat 35-49 65-51. Mostly white meat 66 or...

9 CFR 381.156 - Poultry meat content standards for certain poultry products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... specifications for percent light meat and percent dark meat set forth in said table. Table I Label terminology Percent light meat Percent dark meat Natural proportions 50-65 50-35. Light or white meat 100 0. Dark meat 0 100. Light and dark meat 51-65 49-35. Dark and light meat 35-49 65-51. Mostly white meat 66 or...

9 CFR 381.156 - Poultry meat content standards for certain poultry products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... specifications for percent light meat and percent dark meat set forth in said table. Table I Label terminology Percent light meat Percent dark meat Natural proportions 50-65 50-35. Light or white meat 100 0. Dark meat 0 100. Light and dark meat 51-65 49-35. Dark and light meat 35-49 65-51. Mostly white meat 66 or...

Synchronous and noncollinear infrared upconversion in AgGaS/sub 2/. [JERRY 0999; JERRY 0998; JERRY 1111

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bhar, G.C.; Das, S.; Chatterjee, U.

1989-04-17

Synchronous noncollinear upconversion detection is reported for the first time with a Nd:YAG laser in AgGaS/sub 2/. Q-switched pump laser pulses with a repetition rate up to 50 Hz were synchronized with intracavity chopped continuous wave CO/sub 2/ laser pulses. Results were obtained both by tuning the CO/sub 2/ laser and by varying the angle between the laser beams.

Detection of telomerase on upconversion nanoparticle modified cellulose paper.

PubMed

Wang, Faming; Li, Wen; Wang, Jiasi; Ren, Jinsong; Qu, Xiaogang

2015-07-25

Herein we report a convenient and sensitive method for the detection of telomerase activity based on upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP) modified cellulose paper. Compared with many solution-phase systems, this paper chip is more stable and easily stores the test results. What's more, the low background fluorescence of the UCNPs increases the sensitivity of this method, and the low telomerase levels in different cell lines can clearly be discriminated by the naked eye.

Application of upconversion luminescent-magnetic microbeads with weak background noise and facile separation in ochratoxin A detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Zhenyu; Zhang, Ying; Su, Lin; Chang, Jin; Wang, Hanjie

2017-02-01

Ochratoxin A (OTA), the most harmful and abundant ochratoxin, is chemically stable and commonly existed in foodstuffs. In this work, upconversion luminescent-magnetic microbeads (UCLMMs) -based cytometric bead array for OTA detection with a less reagent consumption and high sensitivity has been established and optimized. In UCLMMs, upconversion nanocrystals (UCNs) for optical code present a weak background noise and no spectral cross talk between the encoding signals and target labels under two excitation conditions to improve detection sensitivity. While the superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) aim for rapid analysis. The results show that the developed method has a sensitivity of 9.553 ppt below HPLC with a 50-μL sample and can be completed in <2 h with good accuracy and high reproducibility. Therefore, different colors of UCLMMs will become a promising assay platform for multiple mycotoxins after further improvement.

Tunable green/red luminescence by infrared upconversion in biocompatible forsterite nanoparticles with high erbium doping uptake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zampiva, Rúbia Young Sun; Acauan, Luiz Henrique; Venturini, Janio; Garcia, Jose Augusto Martins; da Silva, Diego Silverio; Han, Zhaohong; Kassab, Luciana Reyes Pires; Wetter, Niklaus Ursus; Agarwal, Anuradha; Alves, Annelise Kopp; Bergmann, Carlos Pérez

2018-02-01

Nanoparticles represent a promising platform for diagnostics and therapy of human diseases. For biomedical applications, these nanoparticles are usually coated with photosensitizers regularly activated in a spectral window of 530-700 nm. The emissions at 530 nm (green) and 660 nm (red) are of particular interest for imaging and photodynamic therapy, respectively. This work presents the Mg2SiO4:Er3+ system, produced by reverse strike co-precipitation, with up to 10% dopant and no secondary phase formation. These nanoparticles when excited at 985 nm show upconversion emission with peaks around 530 and 660 nm, although excitation at 808 nm leads to only a single emission peak at around 530 nm. The direct upconversion of this biomaterial without a co-dopant, and its tunability by the excitation source, renders Mg2SiO4:Er3+ nanoparticles a promising system for biomedical applications.

Effect of the CTAB concentration on the upconversion emission of ZrO 2:Er 3+ nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Luke, T.; De la Rosa, E.; Sólis, D.; Salas, P.; Angeles-Chavez, C.; Montoya, A.; Díaz-Torres, L. A.; Bribiesca, S.

2006-10-01

Upconversion emission of ZrO 2:Er 3+ (0.2 mol%) nanophosphor were studied as function of surfactant concentration after excitation at 968 nm. The strong green emission was produced by the transition 2H 11/2 + 4S 3/2 → 4I 15/2 and was explained in terms of cooperative energy transfer between neighboring ions. The upconverted signal was enhanced but the fluorescence decay time was reduced as either the surfactant concentration increases or the annealing time reduces. Experimental results show that surfactant concentration controls the particle size and morphology while annealing time control the phase composition and crystallite size. The highest intensity was obtained for a sample composed of a mixture of tetragonal (33 wt.%) and monoclinic (67 wt.%) phase with crystallite size of 31 and 59 nm, respectively. This result suggests that tetragonal crystalline structure and small crystallite size are more favorable for the upconversion emission.

Tuning sputtered gold thickness to enhance absorption and emission in core-shell type erbium doped upconversion nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manurung, R. V.; Wu, C. T.; Chattopadhyay, S.

2018-03-01

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) converts near-infrared excitation to visible emission with advantages e.g. photostable, non-blinking, and background-free probes for bioimaging and biosensor. However, low quantum yield and low efficiency (∼1%) as drawback need to be enhanced. A plasmonic gold nano-structured surface was designed and fabricated to couple with the 980 nm radiation and produce plasmonic enhancement of the upconversion luminescence. The synthesis of the UCNPs was done by thermal decomposition and SiO2 coating prepared by the reverse microemulsion process. Here, we report a novel tunable plasmon-enhanced fluorescence by modulating the thickness and surface roughness of gold island film on Si. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) at 980 nm was obtained, matched with the native excitation of UCNPs resulting in maximum enhancement of 10-fold of green emission band at 540 nm for the Er-doped UCNPs.

Spectroscopy and visible frequency upconversion in Er3+-Yb3+: TeO2-ZnO glass.

PubMed

Mohanty, Deepak Kumar; Rai, Vineet Kumar

2014-01-01

The UV-Vis-NIR absorption studies of the Er(3+)/Er(3+)-Yb(3+) doped/codoped TeO2-ZnO (TZO) glasses fabricated by the melting and quenching method has been performed. The spectroscopic radiative parameters viz. radiative transition probabilities, branching ratios and lifetimes have been determined from the absorption spectrum by using Judd-Ofelt theory. The near infrared (NIR) to visible frequency upconversion (UC) have been monitored by using an excitation of 976 nm wavelength radiation from a CW diode laser. The effect of codoping with Yb(3+) ions on the intensity of the UC emission bands from the Er(3+) ions throughout visible region has been studied. The mechanism responsible for the observed upconversion emissions in the prepared samples have been explained on the basis of excited state absorption and efficient energy transfer processes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the upconversion mechanisms in Ho3+-doped crystals: Experiment and theoretical modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osiac, E.; Sokólska, I.; Kück, S.

2002-06-01

The paper compares the mechanisms that enable the upconverted green emission (5S2-->5I8) of the Ho3+ ion under infrared excitation (700-920 nm) in several crystalline hosts (YAlO3, YLiF4, Y3Sc2Ga3O12, and BaY2F8). Parameters involved in the upconversion such as excited-state absorption and cross-relaxation rates were determined from spectroscopic measurements. A system of differential equation (rate equations) was used to describe the upconversion mechanism and was numerically solved. The results were compared with experimental data. A reduction of this system to a three-level ``simplified system'' is presented, which includes only the ground level, the emitting level, and the intermediate level. The differences between the photon-avalanche mechanism and the looping mechanism are discussed and analyzed according to this simplified system.

Field trial of differential-phase-shift quantum key distribution using polarization independent frequency up-conversion detectors.

PubMed

Honjo, T; Yamamoto, S; Yamamoto, T; Kamada, H; Nishida, Y; Tadanaga, O; Asobe, M; Inoue, K

2007-11-26

We report a field trial of differential phase shift quantum key distribution (QKD) using polarization independent frequency up-conversion detectors. A frequency up-conversion detector is a promising device for achieving a high key generation rate when combined with a high clock rate QKD system. However, its polarization dependence prevents it from being applied to practical QKD systems. In this paper, we employ a modified polarization diversity configuration to eliminate the polarization dependence. Applying this method, we performed a long-term stability test using a 17.6-km installed fiber. We successfully demonstrated stable operation for 6 hours and achieved a sifted key generation rate of 120 kbps and an average quantum bit error rate of 3.14 %. The sifted key generation rate was not the estimated value but the effective value, which means that the sifted key was continuously generated at a rate of 120 kbps for 6 hours.

Upconversion luminescence from Er-N codoped of ZnO nanowires prepared by ion implantation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Kun; Xu, Jie; Su, Jing; Chen, Yu lin

2011-02-01

Nitrogen and erbium co-doped of ZnO nanowires (NWs) are fabricated by ion implantation and subsequent annealing in air. The incorporation of Er3+ and N+ ions is verified by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Raman spectra. The samples exhibit upconversion photoluminescence around ∼550 nm and ∼660 nm under an excitation at 980 nm. It is discovered that the N-doped can drastically increase the upconversion photoluminescence intensity by modifying the local structure around Er3+ in ZnO matrix. The enhancement of the PL intensity by the N-doped is caused by the formation of ErO6-xNx octahedron complexes. With the increase of the annealing temperature (Ta), the Er3+ ions diffuse towards the surface of the NWs, which benefits the red emission and evokes the variation of intensity ratio owing to the existence of some organic groups.

LED lighting increases the ecological impact of light pollution irrespective of color temperature.

PubMed

Pawson, S M; Bader, M K-F

Recognition of the extent and magnitude of night-time light pollution impacts on natural ecosystems is increasing, with pervasive effects observed in both nocturnal and diurnal species. Municipal and industrial lighting is on the cusp of a step change where energy-efficient lighting technology is driving a shift from “yellow” high-pressure sodium vapor lamps (HPS) to new “white” light-emitting diodes (LEDs). We hypothesized that white LEDs would be more attractive and thus have greater ecological impacts than HPS due to the peak UV-green-blue visual sensitivity of nocturnal invertebrates. Our results support this hypothesis; on average LED light traps captured 48% more insects than were captured with light traps fitted with HPS lamps, and this effect was dependent on air temperature (significant light × air temperature interaction). We found no evidence that manipulating the color temperature of white LEDs would minimize the ecological impacts of the adoption of white LED lights. As such, large-scale adoption of energy-efficient white LED lighting for municipal and industrial use may exacerbate ecological impacts and potentially amplify phytosanitary pest infestations. Our findings highlight the urgent need for collaborative research between ecologists and electrical engineers to ensure that future developments in LED technology minimize their potential ecological effects.

Chronic Artificial Blue-Enriched White Light Is an Effective Countermeasure to Delayed Circadian Phase and Neurobehavioral Decrements

PubMed Central

Najjar, Raymond P.; Wolf, Luzian; Taillard, Jacques; Schlangen, Luc J. M.; Salam, Alex

2014-01-01

Studies in Polar Base stations, where personnel have no access to sunlight during winter, have reported circadian misalignment, free-running of the sleep-wake rhythm, and sleep problems. Here we tested light as a countermeasure to circadian misalignment in personnel of the Concordia Polar Base station during the polar winter. We hypothesized that entrainment of the circadian pacemaker to a 24-h light-dark schedule would not occur in all crew members (n = 10) exposed to 100–300 lux of standard fluorescent white (SW) light during the daytime, and that chronic non-time restricted daytime exposure to melanopsin-optimized blue-enriched white (BE) light would establish an a stable circadian phase, in participants, together with increased cognitive performance and mood levels. The lighting schedule consisted of an alternation between SW lighting (2 weeks), followed by a BE lighting (2 weeks) for a total of 9 weeks. Rest-activity cycles assessed by actigraphy showed a stable rest-activity pattern under both SW and BE light. No difference was found between light conditions on the intra-daily stability, variability and amplitude of activity, as assessed by non-parametric circadian analysis. As hypothesized, a significant delay of about 30 minutes in the onset of melatonin secretion occurred with SW, but not with BE light. BE light significantly enhanced well being and alertness compared to SW light. We propose that the superior efficacy of blue-enriched white light versus standard white light involves melanopsin-based mechanisms in the activation of the non-visual functions studied, and that their responses do not dampen with time (over 9-weeks). This work could lead to practical applications of light exposure in working environment where background light intensity is chronically low to moderate (polar base stations, power plants, space missions, etc.), and may help design lighting strategies to maintain health, productivity, and personnel safety. PMID:25072880