Department of Optical Spectroscopy Seminar
sala 6 (bud. VIII)
Thermal Enhanced Upconversion Nanoparticles Enable Ultrasensitive Nanothermometry
dr Jiajia Zhou
University of Technology Sydney
Fluorescence nanothermometers measure localized temperature changes at the nanoscale accordingto fluorescence signal changes, e.g. variation in intensity or color. However, they commonly experience the thermal quenching effect as the surrounding temperature rises. A new type of fluorescence nanomaterial, upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), has been recently found to be highly useful for super resolution nanoscopy applications with single molecule sensitivity, opening up a new horizon for far-field imaging of sub-cellular structures and tracking of single molecules. However, in developing this technique we found that upconversion nanomaterials did not escape from thermal quenching. In this talk, I will first summarize the progress and our contribution to the field of fluorescent nanothermometry. I then present our fundamental insights into overcoming thermal quenching, and to create thermal enhanced UCNPs. I will finish with a description of our recent designs to develop the ultra-sensitive nanoparticle-based thermometers using the thermal enhancing technology. The discoveries will advance knowledge of photon energy management and the value of upconversion nanoparticles as cellular stains to probe local temperature variations or temperature-responsive optical-coded security inks.
