Highly fluorescent streptavidin-coated CdSe nanoparticles: preparation in water, characterization, and micropatterning

CdSe quantum dots (QDs) with a high fluorescence quantum yield of 25% and a narrow size distribution were synthesized in a single step in water using glutathione as a stabilizing molecule. The exceptional optical properties enabled for the first time the detection of in-water-prepared single quantum dots at room temperature. For application as fluorescent bioanalytical probes, the QDs were coated with streptavidin. These QDs self-assemble with high contrast on micropatterned biotin while preserving their optical properties and their capability to bind in addition biotinylated molecules, a prerequisite for the development of novel supramolecular structures and bioassays.