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Tailoring Plasmonic Enhanced Upconversion in Single NaYF4:Yb(3+)/Er(3+) Nanocrystals.
Ya-Lan Wang1, Nasim Mohammadi Estakhri2, Amber Johnson3
11] Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA [2] Department of Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, P. R. China.
Silver nanoplatelets significantly enhance upconversion in nanocrystals by tuning localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). This plasmonic enhancement, up to 22-fold, enables rational design for biosensing and light harvesting.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
- Photonics
Background:
- Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) offer unique optical properties for various applications.
- Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) in metallic nanostructures can enhance light-matter interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the plasmonic enhancement of upconversion in NaYF4:Yb(3+)/Er(3+) nanocrystals using silver nanoplatelets.
- To achieve large manipulation of upconversion efficiency at the single-particle level.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing silver nanoplatelets with tunable LSPR.
- Precisely arranging fluorescent nanoparticles and silver nanoplatelets.
- Comparing experimental results with numerical simulations.
Main Results:
- Tuning LSPR to 656 nm (emission wavelength) yielded an enhancement factor of ~5.
- Tuning LSPR to 980 nm (absorption wavelength) resulted in an enhancement factor of ~22.
- Achieved quantitative agreement between experimental and simulation data at the single-particle level.
Conclusions:
- Plasmonic enhancement of UCNP upconversion is highly dependent on the LSPR tuning relative to absorption and emission wavelengths.
- Precise control over nanoparticle arrangement is crucial for maximizing plasmonic effects.
- This work provides a foundation for designing hybrid metal-fluorescent nanocrystals for advanced applications like biosensing and light harvesting.
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