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Wideband Tuning and Deep-Tissue Spectral Detection of Indium Phosphide Nano-Laser Particles
Sangyeon Cho1, Wonjoon Moon1, Nicola Martino1
1Harvard Medical School and Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|May 28, 2025
Summary
Indium phosphide laser particles (LPs) offer ultrawide spectral ranges for optical barcoding. These near-infrared LPs demonstrate high brightness and narrow linewidths, enabling detection in complex biological tissues.
Area of Science:
- Nanophotonics
- Biomedical Optics
Background:
- Laser particles (LPs) are crucial for high-multiplex optical barcoding in biological applications.
- Existing LPs often face limitations in spectral range and detection sensitivity within biological samples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize indium phosphide (InP) nanodisk LPs for enhanced optical barcoding.
- To achieve ultrawide spectral utilization and narrow linewidths for improved detection.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of size-tuned InP nanodisks operating in the near-infrared (740-970 nm).
- Utilizing low-order whispering gallery resonance modes for spectral tuning.
- Theoretical modeling to predict spectral ranges based on nanodisk size.
- Characterization of polymer-silica-protected InP LPs' brightness and linewidth.
Main Results:
- Achieved an ultrawide color palette with 25% spectral utilization and nanometer-scale linewidths.
- Developed a theoretical model accurately predicting spectral ranges based on particle size.
- Demonstrated spectral detection with high signal-to-background ratios in scattering media (1-cm chicken breast, live mouse blood vessels).
- Minimum laser size determined as 430 nm in air and 560 nm within cells.
Conclusions:
- InP nanodisk LPs provide a promising platform for high-performance optical barcoding.
- The developed LPs exhibit superior spectral properties and detection capabilities in complex biological environments.
- These findings pave the way for advanced cellular barcoding and in vivo imaging applications.
