Search Results
A general approach for all-visible-light switching of diarylethenes through triplet sensitization using semiconducting nanocrystals
2022, Hou, Lili, Larsson, Wera, Hecht, Stefan, Andréasson, Joakim, Albinsson, Bo
Coupling semiconducting nanocrystals (NCs) with organic molecules provides an efficient route to generate and transfer triplet excitons. These excitons can be used to power photochemical transformations such as photoisomerization reactions using low energy radiation. Thus, it is desirable to develop a general approach that can efficiently be used to control photoswitches using all-visible-light aiming at future applications in life- and materials sciences. Here, we demonstrate a simple ‘cocktail’ strategy that can achieve all-visible-light switchable diarylethenes (DAEs) through triplet energy transfer from the hybrid of CdS NCs and phenanthrene-3-carboxylic acid, with high photoisomerization efficiency and improved fatigue resistance. The size-tunable excitation energies of CdS NCs make it possible to precisely match the clear spectral window of the relevant DAE photoswitch. We demonstrate reversible all-visible-light photoisomerization of a series of DAE derivatives both in the liquid and solid state, even in the presence of oxygen. Our general strategy is promising for fabrication of all-visible-light activated optoelectronic devices as well as memories, and should in principle be adaptable to photopharmacology.
Few-cycle 65-µJ pulses at 11.4 µm for ultrafast nonlinear longwave-infrared spectroscopy
2022, Fuertjes, Pia, Bock, Martin, Grafenstein, Lorenz von, Ueberschaer, Dennis, Griebner, Uwe, Elsaesser, Thomas
Low-energy excitations can provide insight into the basic ultrafast nonequilibrium dynamics of condensed matter. High-energy femtosecond pulses in the long-wavelength infrared are required to induce such processes, and can be generated in an optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) system comprising three GaSe stages. A femtosecond Cr:ZnS laser serves as the front-end, providing the seed for the 2.0-µm pump and the 2.4-µm signal pulses without nonlinear conversion processes. The OPCPA system is pumped at 2.05 µm by a picosecond Ho:YLF regenerative amplifier at a 1-kHz repetition rate. The recompressed idler pulses at 11.4 µm have a duration of 185 fs and an unprecedented energy of 65 µJ, corresponding to a pump-to-idler conversion efficiency of 1.2%. Nonlinear transmission experiments in the range of the L2 infrared band of liquid water demonstrate the potential of the pulses for nonlinear vibrational spectroscopy of liquids and solids.
Nanostructured silver substrates with stable and universal sers properties: Application to organic molecules and semiconductor nanoparticles
2010, Chursanova, M.V., Dzhagan, V.M., Yukhymchuk, V.O., Lytvyn, O.S., Valakh, M.Y., Khodasevich, I.A., Lehmann, D., Zahn, D.R.T., Waurisch, C., Hickey, S.G.
Nanostructured silver films have been prepared by thermal deposition on silicon, and their properties as SERS substrates investigated. The optimal conditions of the post-growth annealing of the substrates were established. Atomic force microscopy study revealed that the silver films with relatively dense and homogeneous arrays of 60-80-nm high pyramidal nanoislands are the most efficient for SERS of both organic dye and inorganic nanoparticles analytes. The noticeable enhancement of the Raman signal from colloidal nanoparticles with the help of silver island films is reported for the first time. © 2009 The Author(s).
Facile one-pot hydrothermal synthesis of a zinc oxide/curcumin nanocomposite with enhanced toxic activity against breast cancer cells
2023, Madeo, Lorenzo Francesco, Schirmer, Christine, Cirillo, Giuseppe, Froeschke, Samuel, Hantusch, Martin, Curcio, Manuela, Nicoletta, Fiore Pasquale, Büchner, Bernd, Mertig, Michael, Hampel, Silke
Zinc oxide/Curcumin (Zn(CUR)O) nanocomposites were prepared via hydrothermal treatment of Zn(NO3)2 in the presence of hexamethylenetetramine as a stabilizing agent and CUR as a bioactive element. Three ZnO : CUR ratios were investigated, namely 57 : 43 (Zn(CUR)O-A), 60 : 40 (Zn(CUR)O-B) and 81 : 19 (Zn(CUR)O-C), as assessed by thermogravimetric analyses, with an average hydrodynamic diameter of nanoaggregates in the range of 223 to 361 nm. The interaction of CUR with ZnO via hydroxyl and ketoenol groups (as proved by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses) was found to significantly modify the key properties of ZnO nanoparticles with the obtainment of a bilobed shape (as shown by scanning electron microscopy), and influenced the growth process of the composite nanoparticles as indicated by the varying particle sizes determined by powder X-ray diffraction. The efficacy of Zn(CUR)O as anticancer agents was evaluated on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells, obtaining a synergistic activity with a cell viability depending on the CUR amount within the nanocomposite. Finally, the determination of reactive oxygen species production in the presence of Zn(CUR)O was used as a preliminary evaluation of the mechanism of action of the nanocomposites.
Advances in group-III-nitride photodetectors
2010, Rivera, C., Pereiro, J., Navarro, A., Muñoz, E., Brandt, O., Grahn, H.T.
Group-III nitrides are considered to be a strategic technology for the development of ultraviolet photodetectors due to their remarkable properties in terms of spectral selectivity, radiation hardness, and noise. The potential advantages of these materials were initially obscured by their large density of intrinsic defects. The advances were thus associated in general with improvements in material quality. Although technology still also needs improvement, efforts are being intensified in the fabrication of advanced structures for photodetector applications. In particular, this review discusses the recent progress in group-III-nitride photodetectors, emphasizing the work reported on quantum-well-based photodetectors, the use of novel structures exploiting the effect of piezoelectric polarization-induced fields, and polarization-sensitive photodetectors. Furthermore, some ideas can be generalized to other material systems such as ZnO and their related compounds, which exhibit the same crystal structure as group-III nitrides. © Rivera et al.; Licensee Bentham Open.