Enhancing Upconversion Luminescence in Lanthanide Nanocrystals by Using Organic Ligands to Inhibit Vibrational Relaxation

¹College of Physics and Energy, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350007, China

²State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials, and Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China

³Fujian College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350116, China

*Corresponding author: Dr. Jin Xu, Associate Professor, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China, Phone: 15880031586, E-mail: [email protected]

Received Date: April 26, 2025

Publication Date: May 08, 2025

Citation: Zhang N, et al. (2025). Enhancing Upconversion Luminescence in Lanthanide Nanocrystals by Using Organic Ligands to Inhibit Vibrational Relaxation. Material Science. 7(1):38.

Copyright: Zhang N, et al. © (2025).

ABSTRACT

Lanthanide nanocrystals are capable of converting low-energy photons into high-energy photons via a multi-photon mechanism, which renders them highly promising for applications in bioimaging/detection and photodynamic therapy. However, the practical bioapplication of lanthanide upconversion nanocrystals is hindered by their low upconversion luminescence efficiency and susceptibility to temperature-induced luminescence quenching. Recent studies have demonstrated that the upconversion luminescence intensity can be significantly enhanced through the coordination of small organic molecules, such as picolinic acid (2PA), on the surface of these nanocrystals. Despite this advancement, the underlying physical mechanism of the enhancement induced by organic ligands remains elusive. In this paper, we state our viewpoints on the phenomenon of ligand-induced upconversion enhancement.

Keywords: Organic Ligand, Surface Coordination, Lanthanide Nanocrystals, Upconversion Luminescence