University of Warsaw photonic researchers have produced a world first, breakthrough discovery. They discovered a novel enhancement effect that boosts the emission of upconverting nanoparticles. Ultrafast Phenomena Lab Ph.D. candidate Paulina Rajchel-Mieldzioć spearheads a novel research study. This study demonstrates that double-exciting FPs-nanoparticles with two near-infrared (NIR) laser beams greatly enhances the emitted light intensity.
From left to right, the research team studied red-emitting YbTm-doped upconverting nanoparticles. They were joined in their research efforts by specialists from the Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research at the Polish Academy of Sciences. Their nanoparticles exhibit nonlinear response under stimulation of NIR light. If you combine two very specific wavelengths—975 nm with either 1213 nm or 1732 nm—the anti-Stokes emission is dramatically amplified.
… and her research team noticed that the intensity of light emitted increases several-fold when further NIR beams are used. This finding improves our fundamental understanding of upconverting nanoparticles. In doing so, it creates new opportunities for the use of such novel methods in other state-of-the-art imaging modalities.
“Furthermore, under specific conditions, visible light emission can be triggered only through the joint action of two NIR beams—neither of which produces the effect on its own,” – Paulina Rajchel-Mieldzioć
The team’s findings were published in ACS Nano with the title “Strong Emission Enhancement via Dual-Wavelength Coexcitation in YbTm-Doped Upconverting Nanoparticles for Near-Infrared and Subdiffraction Imaging.” The study applied a two-dimensional power-law surface to determine the conditions under which the intensity of the 975 nm and NIR beams maximizes the 800 nm emission intensity of YbTm nanoparticles. Conversely, this dividend analysis occurred amidst coexcitation.
To visualize this in their experiments they mapped the excess emission from nanoparticles that were individually excited with a 975 nm beam. They characterized this data in addition to a 1732 nm or 1213 nm excitation beam, comparing the intensity for both excitation beams. These findings demonstrated a 100-fold improvement in emission intensity, further supporting the potential of these nanoparticles in real-world applications.
The impacts of this research go beyond basic science and provides the public with more than just information. These improved light emission capabilities enable new opportunities across a wide variety of applications. Such progress, especially in imaging technologies like near-infrared and subdiffraction technologies, would revolutionize industries from medical diagnostics through to telecommunications.