Source: http://aoot.osa.org/boe/abstract.cfm?uri=boe-10-4-1935
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 21:57:29+00:00

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Remotely monitoring and regulating temperature in a small area are of vital importance for hyperthermia therapy. Herein, we report ~11 nm NaErF4 nanocrystal as the ultra-small nanoheater, which is highly safe for biological applications. Under 1530 nm photon excitation, upconversion intensity of NaErF4 is significantly enhanced as compared to the conventionally used 980 nm pumping source. Upconversion mechanisms are discussed on the basis of power dependence measurements. Importantly, light-to-heat transformation efficiency of NaErF4 through 1530 nm pumping is determined as high as 75%. Efficient NIR emission, centered at ~800 nm and thus within the biological window, is used for the temperature feedback. The potential applications of this highly efficient nanoheater for controlled photo-hyperthermia treatments are also demonstrated.
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Fig. 1 TEM photograph of as-prepared NaErF4 nanocrystals, scale bar is 50 nm. Distribution of the particle size is given by measuring 100 particles, and the mean size is calculated to be ~11.3 nm.
Fig. 2 Optical properties of NaErF4. (a) Absorption spectrum of Er3 + in the NIR region; (b) Comparison of upconversion spectra upon 980 nm and 1530 nm excitation; (c) Upconversion power dependence. Linear fitting lines and their slopes are given; (d) Energy levels and upconversion pathways of Er3 + under 980 nm and 1530 nm excitations.
Fig. 3 Calculation of the light-to-heat conversion efficiency. (a) Heating and cooling processes of NaErF4 in cyclohexane; (b) Variation of t vs. T function, from which time constant can be calculated by the linear fitting.
Fig. 4 Sensing calibration and application demonstration of the NaErF4 nanoheater. (a) Normalized spectra (normalized at 825 nm) of NIR emission under lower and higher temperature; (b) Calibration of the temperature feedback in the nanoheater. Fitting function is given; (c) Schematic diagram of the experimental setup of the in ex vivo demonstration, showing the heating effect of the nanoheater through 2 mm thickness pork tissue; (d) Normalized spectra of NIR emission under different laser power excitation; (e) Heating effect under different laser powers, surface temperatures are monitored by the thermal camera and eigen temperatures are calculated from FIR sensing. The inset is the digital photograph of the scattered laser beam after passing through the pork tissue, the radius of the scattered beam is evaluated to be 0.4 cm, which is used for estimating the incident power density.

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