1
|
Yang J, Peng S, Zhao Y, Tang T, Guo J, Cui R, Sun T, Zhang M. Improving Three-Photon Fluorescence of Near-Infrared Quantum Dots for Deep Brain Imaging by Suppressing Biexciton Decay. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:6706-6713. [PMID: 38775232 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Three-photon fluorescence microscopy (3PFM) is a promising brain research tool with submicrometer spatial resolution and high imaging depth. However, only limited materials have been developed for 3PFM owing to the rigorous requirement of the three-photon fluorescence (3PF) process. Herein, under the guidance of a band gap engineering strategy, CdTe/CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) emitting in the near-infrared window are designed for constructing 3PF probes. The formation of type II structure significantly increased the three-photon absorption cross section of QDs and caused the delocalization of electron-hole wave functions. The time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy confirmed that the decay of biexcitons was significantly suppressed due to the appropriate band gap alignment, which further enhanced the 3PF efficiency of QDs. By utilizing QD-based 3PF probes, high-resolution 3PFM imaging of cerebral vasculature was realized excited by a 1600 nm femtosecond laser, indicating the possibility of deep brain imaging with these 3PF probes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junlei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shiyi Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Extreme Photonics and Instrumentation, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics, Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Yunlong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Tao Tang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jian Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ran Cui
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Taolei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine for Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Mingxi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gross N, Kuhs CT, Ostovar B, Chiang WY, Wilson KS, Volek TS, Faitz ZM, Carlin CC, Dionne JA, Zanni MT, Gruebele M, Roberts ST, Link S, Landes CF. Progress and Prospects in Optical Ultrafast Microscopy in the Visible Spectral Region: Transient Absorption and Two-Dimensional Microscopy. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2023; 127:14557-14586. [PMID: 37554548 PMCID: PMC10406104 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c02091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Ultrafast optical microscopy, generally employed by incorporating ultrafast laser pulses into microscopes, can provide spatially resolved mechanistic insight into scientific problems ranging from hot carrier dynamics to biological imaging. This Review discusses the progress in different ultrafast microscopy techniques, with a focus on transient absorption and two-dimensional microscopy. We review the underlying principles of these techniques and discuss their respective advantages and applicability to different scientific questions. We also examine in detail how instrument parameters such as sensitivity, laser power, and temporal and spatial resolution must be addressed. Finally, we comment on future developments and emerging opportunities in the field of ultrafast microscopy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Gross
- Department
of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Christopher T. Kuhs
- Army
Research Laboratory-South, U.S. Army DEVCOM, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Behnaz Ostovar
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Wei-Yi Chiang
- Department
of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Kelly S. Wilson
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Tanner S. Volek
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Zachary M. Faitz
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Claire C. Carlin
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford
University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jennifer A. Dionne
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford
University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department
of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Martin T. Zanni
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin−Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Martin Gruebele
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Illinois at
Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department
of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Center
for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Sean T. Roberts
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Stephan Link
- Department
of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Christy F. Landes
- Department
of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Fersch D, Malý P, Rühe J, Lisinetskii V, Hensen M, Würthner F, Brixner T. Single-Molecule Ultrafast Fluorescence-Detected Pump-Probe Microscopy. J Phys Chem Lett 2023:4923-4932. [PMID: 37207316 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
We introduce fluorescence-detected pump-probe microscopy by combining a wavelength-tunable ultrafast laser with a confocal scanning fluorescence microscope, enabling access to the femtosecond time scale on the micrometer spatial scale. In addition, we obtain spectral information from Fourier transformation over excitation pulse-pair time delays. We demonstrate this new approach on a model system of a terrylene bisimide (TBI) dye embedded in a PMMA matrix and acquire the linear excitation spectrum as well as time-dependent pump-probe spectra simultaneously. We then push the technique toward single TBI molecules and analyze the statistical distribution of their excitation spectra. Furthermore, we demonstrate the ultrafast transient evolution of several individual molecules, highlighting their different behavior in contrast to the ensemble due to their individual local environment. By correlating the linear and nonlinear spectra, we assess the effect of the molecular environment on the excited-state energy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Fersch
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Pavel Malý
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 5, 121 16 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jessica Rühe
- Institut für Organische Chemie, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Victor Lisinetskii
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Hensen
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Frank Würthner
- Institut für Organische Chemie, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Center for Nanosystems Chemistry (CNC), Universität Würzburg, Theodor-Boveri-Weg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Brixner
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Center for Nanosystems Chemistry (CNC), Universität Würzburg, Theodor-Boveri-Weg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Birkmeier K, Hertel T, Hartschuh A. Probing the ultrafast dynamics of excitons in single semiconducting carbon nanotubes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6290. [PMID: 36271091 PMCID: PMC9586955 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33941-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitonic states govern the optical spectra of low-dimensional semiconductor nanomaterials and their dynamics are key for a wide range of applications, such as in solar energy harvesting and lighting. Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes emerged as particularly rich model systems for one-dimensional nanomaterials and as such have been investigated intensively in the past. The exciton decay dynamics in nanotubes has been studied mainly by transient absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. Since different transitions are monitored with these two techniques, developing a comprehensive model to reconcile different data sets, however, turned out to be a challenge and remarkably, a uniform description seems to remain elusive. In this work, we investigate the exciton decay dynamics in single carbon nanotubes using transient interferometric scattering and time-resolved photoluminescence microscopy with few-exciton detection sensitivity and formulate a unified microscopic model by combining unimolecular exciton decay and ultrafast exciton-exciton annihilation on a time-scale down to 200 fs. Excitonic states govern the optical response of low-dimensional nanomaterials and are key for a wide range of applications. Here, the authors investigate the exciton decay dynamics in single carbon nanotubes with few-exciton detection sensitivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Birkmeier
- Department of Chemistry and CeNS, LMU Munich, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377, Munich, Germany.,TOPTICA Photonics AG, Lochhamer Schlag 19, 82166, Gräfelfing, Germany
| | - Tobias Hertel
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Julius-Maximilian University Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Achim Hartschuh
- Department of Chemistry and CeNS, LMU Munich, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377, Munich, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wei Y, Liu S, Li X, Yu Y, Su X, Li S, Shang X, Liu H, Hao H, Ni H, Yu S, Niu Z, Iles-Smith J, Liu J, Wang X. Tailoring solid-state single-photon sources with stimulated emissions. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 17:470-476. [PMID: 35410369 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-022-01092-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The coherent interaction of electromagnetic fields with solid-state two-level systems can yield deterministic quantum light sources for photonic quantum technologies. To date, the performance of semiconductor single-photon sources based on three-level systems is limited mainly due to a lack of high photon indistinguishability. Here we tailor the cavity-enhanced spontaneous emission from a ladder-type three-level system in a single epitaxial quantum dot through stimulated emission. After populating the biexciton (XX) of the quantum dot through two-photon resonant excitation, we use another laser pulse to selectively depopulate the XX state into an exciton (X) state with a predefined polarization. The stimulated XX-X emission modifies the X decay dynamics and improves the characteristics of a polarized single-photon source, such as a source brightness of 0.030(2), a single-photon purity of 0.998(1) and an indistinguishability of 0.926(4). Our method can be readily applied to existing quantum dot single-photon sources and expands the capabilities of three-level systems for advanced quantum photonic functionalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuming Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics, School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shunfa Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics, School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xueshi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics, School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics, School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiangbin Su
- State Key Laboratory for Superlattice and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shulun Li
- State Key Laboratory for Superlattice and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjun Shang
- State Key Laboratory for Superlattice and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hanqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Superlattice and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huiming Hao
- State Key Laboratory for Superlattice and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haiqiao Ni
- State Key Laboratory for Superlattice and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Siyuan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics, School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhichuan Niu
- State Key Laboratory for Superlattice and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jake Iles-Smith
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics, School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Xuehua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics, School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hasham M, Wilson MWB. Sub-Bandgap Optical Modulation of Quantum Dot Blinking Statistics. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:6404-6412. [PMID: 32787286 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c01599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) suffer from pervasive photoluminescence intermittency that frustrates applications and correlates with irreversible photodegradation. In single-QD spectroscopies, blinking manifests as sporadic switching between ON and OFF states without a characteristic time scale, and the longstanding search for mechanisms has been recently accelerated by techniques to controllably modulate the QD environment. Here, we develop an all-optical modulation scheme and demonstrate that sub-bandgap light tuned to the stimulated emission transition perturbs the blinking statistics of individual CdSe/ZnS core/shell QDs. Resonant optical modulation progressively suppresses long-duration ON events, quantified by a power-law slope that is more negative on average (ΔαON = 0.46 ± 0.09), while OFF distributions and truncation times are unaffected. This characteristic effect is robust to choices in background subtraction and statistical analysis but supports mechanistic descriptions beyond first-order kinetics. This demonstration of all-optical perturbation of QD blinking dynamics provides an experimental avenue to disentangle the complex photophysics of photoluminescence intermittency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Minhal Hasham
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3H6 Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark W B Wilson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3H6 Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Schörner C, Lippitz M. Single Molecule Nonlinearity in a Plasmonic Waveguide. NANO LETTERS 2020; 20:2152-2156. [PMID: 32077703 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c00196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Plasmonic waveguides offer the unique possibility to confine light far below the diffraction limit. Past room temperature experiments focused on efficient generation of single waveguide plasmons by a quantum emitter. However, only the simultaneous interaction of the emitter with multiple plasmonic fields would lead to functionality in a plasmonic circuit. Here, we demonstrate the nonlinear optical interaction of a single molecule and propagating plasmons. An individual terrylene diimide (TDI) molecule is placed in the nanogap between two single-crystalline silver nanowires. A visible wavelength pump pulse and a red-shifted depletion pulse travel along the waveguide, leading to stimulated emission depletion (STED) in the observed fluorescence. The efficiency increases by up to a factor of 50 compared to far-field excitation. Our study thus demonstrates remote nonlinear four-wave mixing at a single molecule with propagating plasmons. It paves the way toward functional quantum plasmonic circuits and improved nonlinear single-molecule spectroscopy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Schörner
- Experimental Physics III, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany D-95447
| | - Markus Lippitz
- Experimental Physics III, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany D-95447
| |
Collapse
|