Dataset Information

Bright long-lived luminescence of silicon nanocrystals sensitized by two-photon absorbing antenna.

ABSTRACT: Silicon nanocrystals of the average diameter of 5 nm, functionalized with 4,7-di(2-thienyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole chromophores (TBT) and dodecyl chains, exhibit near-infrared emission upon one-photon (1P) excitation at 515 nm and two-photon (2P) excitation at 960 nm. By using TBT chromophores as an antenna we were able to enhance both 1P and 2P absorption cross-sections of the silicon nanocrystals to more efficiently excite their long-lived luminescence. These results chart a path to two-photon-excitable imaging probes with long-lived oxygen-independent luminescence - a rare combination of properties that should allow for a substantial increase in imaging contrast.

SUBMITTER: Ravotto L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5619661 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Bright long-lived luminescence of silicon nanocrystals sensitized by two-photon absorbing antenna.

Ravotto Luca L Chen Qi Q Ma Yuguo Y Vinogradov Sergei A SA Locritani Mirko M Bergamini Giacomo G Negri Fabrizia F Yu Yixuan Y Korgel Brian A BA Ceroni Paola P

Chem 20170401 4

Silicon nanocrystals of the average diameter of 5 nm, functionalized with 4,7-di(2-thienyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole chromophores (<b>TBT</b>) and dodecyl chains, exhibit near-infrared emission upon one-photon (1P) excitation at 515 nm and two-photon (2P) excitation at 960 nm. By using <b>TBT</b> chromophores as an antenna we were able to enhance both 1P and 2P absorption cross-sections of the silicon nanocrystals to more efficiently excite their long-lived luminescence. These results chart a path ...[more]

PMID: 28966989

Similar Datasets

Project description:The fluorescence lifetimes of most red emitting organic probes are under 4 nanoseconds, which is a limiting factor in studying interactions and conformational dynamics of macromolecules. In addition, the nanosecond background autofluorescence is a significant interference during fluorescence measurements in cellular environment. Therefore, red fluorophores with longer lifetimes will be immensely helpful. Azaoxa-triangulenium fluorophores ADOTA and DAOTA are red emitting small organic molecules with high quantum yield, long fluorescence lifetime and high limiting anisotropy. In aqueous environment, ADOTA and DAOTA absorption and emission maxima are respectively 540 nm and 556 nm, and 556 nm and 589 nm. Their emission extends beyond 700 nm. Both probes have the limiting anisotropy between 0.36-0.38 at their absorption peak. In both protic and aprotic solvents, their lifetimes are around 20 ns, making them among the longest-lived red emitting organic fluorophores. Upon labeling of avidin, streptavidin and immunoglobulin their absorption and fluorescence are red-shifted. Unlike in free form, the protein-conjugated probes have heterogeneous fluorescence decays, with the presence of both significantly quenched and unquenched populations. Despite the presence of significant local motions due to a flexible trimethylene linker, we successfully measured both intermediate nanosecond intra-protein motions and slower rotational correlation times approaching 100 ns. Their long lifetimes are unaffected by the cell membrane (hexadecyl-ADOTA) and the intra-cellular (DAOTA-Arginine) localization. Their long lifetimes also enabled successful time-gating of the cellular autofluorescence resulting in background-free fluorescence lifetime based images. ADOTA and DAOTA retain a long fluorescence lifetime when free, as protein conjugate, in membranes and inside the cell. Our successful measurements of intermediate nanosecond internal motions and long correlations times of large proteins suggest that these probes will be highly useful to study slower intra-molecular motions and interactions among macromolecules. The fluorescence lifetime facilitated gating of cellular nanosecond autofluorescence should be of considerable help in in vitro and in vivo applications.

Dataset Information

Bright long-lived luminescence of silicon nanocrystals sensitized by two-photon absorbing antenna.

Publications

Bright long-lived luminescence of silicon nanocrystals sensitized by two-photon absorbing antenna.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure