Targeting Upconversion Nanoprobes for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Early Colon Cancer

Colon cancer (CC) is one of the most common intestinal malignancies and is difficult to detect in its early stage by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with currently used contrast agents (CAs). The development of targeted CAs contributes to the early diagnosis of CC and thereby enables early intervention and timely therapy. Considering the outstanding performance of upconversion nanoprobes (UCNPs) in high‐performance MR and fluorescence imaging, a new type of nanoprobes with considerably enhanced imaging performance is developed herein. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) antibody is conjugated onto the surface of UCNPs to achieve the targeted imaging of early CC tumors, which overexpress CEA. Both toxicity tests and histological/hematological examinations demonstrate the excellent biocompatibility of these CC‐targeting nanoprobes, which possess great potential for clinical application in the early diagnosis of CC.     

Highly Bright and Photostable Li(Gd,Y)F4:Yb,Er/LiGdF4 Core/Shell Upconversion Nanophosphors for Bioimaging Applications

Intense green‐emitting Li(Gd,Y)F₄:Yb,Er/LiGdF₄ core/shell (C/S) upconversion nanophosphors (UCNPs) with a tetragonal bipyramidal morphology are synthesized. The morphology and UC luminescence of the Li(Gd,Y)F₄:Yb,Er UCNPs are significantly affected by the Li precursors, and bright UC green‐emitting Li(Gd,Y)F₄:Yb,Er UCNPs with a tetragonal bipyramidal shape, i.e., UC tetragonal bipyramids (UCTBs), are synthesized using LiOH·H₂O as a Li precursor. A LiGdF₄ shell is grown on the Li(Gd,Y)F₄:Yb,Er UCTBs, and the C/S UCNPs exhibit 4.7 times higher luminescence intensity than core UCTBs. The C/S UCNPs show a high absolute UC quantum yield of 4.6% under excitation with 980 nm near infrared (NIR) light, and the UC luminescence from the C/S UCNPs is stable under continuous irradiation with the 980 nm NIR laser for 1 h. The hydrophobic surfaces of the as‐synthesized C/S UCNPs are modified to hydrophilic surfaces by using poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) for bioimaging applications. They are applied to human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cell imaging and SK‐MEL‐2 melanoma cell imaging and in vivo imaging, including subcutaneous and intramuscular imaging, and UC luminescence images with high signal‐to‐noise ratio are obtained. Furthermore, sentinel‐lymph‐node imaging is successfully conducted with the PAA‐capped Li(Gd,Y)F₄:Yb,Er/LiGdF₄ C/S UCNPs under illumination with NIR light.     

NIR‐Triggered Release of Nitric Oxide with Upconversion Nanoparticles Inhibits Platelet Aggregation in Blood Samples

There is a great challenge to overcome the limitation of tissue penetration depth, while maximizing the benefit of light‐triggered biochemical cascades in a well‐defined mode simultaneously. Here, a new method of near‐infrared (NIR) light‐triggered release of nitric oxide (NO) by developing upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs)‐based conjugate chemistry is reported. As the key nanotransducer in the design, core–shell‐structured UCNPs are encapsulated with a layer of SiO₂ and then covalently linked with a potent NO‐releasing donor (S‐nitroso‐N‐acetyl‐dl ‐penicillamine, SNAP). It is featured with highly localized breakage of chemical bonds of SNAP molecules by NIR–UV upconversion, enabling simultaneous NO release in a light dosage‐dependent manner. The biological effects of NO releasing are demonstrated by cellular imaging and inhibition of platelet aggregation from blood samples. This work provides a flexible and robust platform to generate cell‐signaling gas molecules trigged by NIR laser with deep tissue penetration.     

Influences of Mg^2＋ ion on dopant occupancy and upconversion luminescence of Ho^3＋ ion in LiNbO3 crystal

The effects of a Mg^2＋ ion on the dopant occupancy and upconversion luminescence of a Ho^3＋ ion in LiNbO3 crystal are reported. The birefringence gradient of the crystal is measured to investigate the optical homogeneity. The X-ray powder diffraction spectrum and the upconversion luminescence are used to investigate defect structure and spectroscopic properties of Mg,Ho：LiNbO3. Under 808-nm excitation, blue, red, and very intense yellow-green bands are observed. Based on the energy levels of Ho^3＋ in LiNbO3, and the pump intensity dependence of the observed emission, an excitation scheme is presented. The upconversion emission spectra reveal an enhancement of upconversion intensity when the Mg^2＋ ions are introduced into Ho：LiNbO3. The main upconversion mechanism is discussed in this work.     

Rare‐Earth Nanoparticles with Enhanced Upconversion Emission and Suppressed Rare‐Earth‐Ion Leakage

Upconversion emissions from rare‐earth nanoparticles have attracted much interest as potential biolabels, for which small particle size and high emission intensity are both desired. Herein we report a facile way to achieve NaYF₄:Yb,Er@CaF₂ nanoparticles (NPs) with a small size (10–13 nm) and highly enhanced (ca. 300 times) upconversion emission compared with the pristine NPs. The CaF₂ shell protects the rare‐earth ions from leaking, when the nanoparticles are exposed to buffer solution, and ensures biological safety for the potential bioprobe applications. With the upconversion emission from NaYF₄:Yb,Er@CaF₂ NPs, HeLa cells were imaged with low background interference.     

沉淀法合成纳米晶上转换发光材料Y_2O_2S:Yb,Er

采用沉淀法在不同温度下合成了纳米上转换发光材料Y2O2S∶Yb,Er,运用XRD、TEM和上转换发光光谱对其进行表征。结果表明,使用该法在700℃即能合成纳米上转换发光材料Y2O2S∶Yb,Er,随着合成温度的升高,产物的粒径从60到120nm逐渐增大。上转换发光光谱显示该材料主要有2个发射带,其中红光发射的中心波长位于668nm,绿光发射的中心波长位于525和550nm。此外,对材料的上转换发光过程进行了探讨。     

Resonance energy transfer: Beyond the limits

In pursuit of a better understanding of how electronic excitation migrates within complex structures, the concept of resonance energy transfer is being extended and deployed in a wide range of applications. Utilizing knowledge of the quantum interactions that operate in natural photosynthetic systems, wide‐ranging molecular and solid‐state materials are explored in the cause of more efficient solar energy harvesting, while advances in theory are paving the way for the development and application of fundamentally new mechanisms. In this review, an introduction to the underlying processes that cause singlet‐singlet and triplet‐triplet energy transfer leads into a discussion of how a new conception of these fundamental processes has emerged over recent years. Illustrative examples relevant to laser science and photonics are described, including photosynthetic light‐harvesting, light‐activated sensors, processes of cooperative and accretive energy pooling and quantum cutting in rare earth‐doped crystals, and incoherent triplet‐triplet energy upconversion in molecular solutions.     

应用于白光显示的Tm3+/Ho3+/Yb3+共掺碲酸盐玻璃上转换发光特性研究

用高温熔融法制备了Tm³⁺/Ho³⁺/Yb³⁺共掺碲酸盐玻璃(TeO₂-ZnO-La₂O₃)样品,测试了玻璃样品的吸收光谱和上转换发光光谱,分析了上转换发光机理.结果发现:在975 nm波长激光二极管(LD)激励下,制备的碲酸盐玻璃样品可以观察到强烈的红光(662 nm)、绿光(546 nm)和蓝光(480 nm)三基色上转换发光,红光对应于Tm³⁺离子 关键词： 碲酸盐玻璃 上转换发光 白光 3+/Ho³⁺/Yb³⁺共掺')" href="#">Tm³⁺/Ho³⁺/Yb³⁺共掺     

GaN/AlGaN双带红外探测及光子频率上转换研究

研究了GaN/AlGaN异质结构中的双带（中、远）红外探测及光子频率上转换特性.通过光致发光光谱确认GaN/AlGaN探测器结构中AlGaN本征层的Al组分,讨论了不同Al组分GaN/AlGaN异质结的导带带阶界面功函数差.在拟合单周期GaN/AlGaN探测器中红外和远红外波段响应谱的基础上,研究多周期GaN/AlGaN探测器与GaN/AlGaN发光二极管集成结构的中红外和远红外光子频率上转换效率与GaN发射层厚度、AlGaN本征层厚度、紫光光子出射效率、内量子效率、空间频率和发射层掺杂浓度间的关系,优化 关键词： 双带红外探测 光子频率上转换 响应谱 GaN/AlGaN