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Fronya AA, Antonenko SV, Karpov NV, Pokryshkin NS, Eremina AS, Yakunin VG, Kharin AY, Syuy AV, Volkov VS, Dombrovska Y, Garmash AA, Kargin NI, Klimentov SM, Timoshenko VY, Kabashin AV. Germanium Nanoparticles Prepared by Laser Ablation in Low Pressure Helium and Nitrogen Atmosphere for Biophotonic Applications. Materials 2022; 15:ma15155308. [PMID: 35955245 PMCID: PMC9369467 DOI: 10.3390/ma15155308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Due to particular physico-chemical characteristics and prominent optical properties, nanostructured germanium (Ge) appears as a promising material for biomedical applications, but its use in biological systems has been limited so far due to the difficulty of preparation of Ge nanostructures in a pure, uncontaminated state. Here, we explored the fabrication of Ge nanoparticles (NPs) using methods of pulsed laser ablation in ambient gas (He or He-N2 mixtures) maintained at low residual pressures (1–5 Torr). We show that the ablated material can be deposited on a substrate (silicon wafer in our case) to form a nanostructured thin film, which can then be ground in ethanol by ultrasound to form a stable suspension of Ge NPs. It was found that these formed NPs have a wide size dispersion, with sizes between a few nm and hundreds of nm, while a subsequent centrifugation step renders possible the selection of one or another NP size fraction. Structural characterization of NPs showed that they are composed of aggregations of Ge crystals, covered by an oxide shell. Solutions of the prepared NPs exhibited largely dominating photoluminescence (PL) around 450 nm, attributed to defects in the germanium oxide shell, while a separated fraction of relatively small (5–10 nm) NPs exhibited a red-shifted PL band around 725 nm under 633 nm excitation, which could be attributed to quantum confinement effects. It was also found that the formed NPs exhibit high absorption in the visible and near-IR spectral ranges and can be strongly heated under photoexcitation in the region of relative tissue transparency, which opens access to phototherapy functionality. Combining imaging and therapy functionalities in the biological transparency window, laser-synthesized Ge NPs present a novel promising object for cancer theranostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiya A. Fronya
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (N.V.K.); (N.S.P.); (A.S.E.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.D.); (A.A.G.); (S.M.K.)
- Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskiy Pr. 53, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey V. Antonenko
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (N.V.K.); (N.S.P.); (A.S.E.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.D.); (A.A.G.); (S.M.K.)
- MEPHI, Institute of Nanoengineering in Electronics, Spintronics and Photonics, Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Nikita V. Karpov
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (N.V.K.); (N.S.P.); (A.S.E.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.D.); (A.A.G.); (S.M.K.)
| | - Nikolay S. Pokryshkin
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (N.V.K.); (N.S.P.); (A.S.E.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.D.); (A.A.G.); (S.M.K.)
- Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Anna S. Eremina
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (N.V.K.); (N.S.P.); (A.S.E.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.D.); (A.A.G.); (S.M.K.)
| | - Valery G. Yakunin
- Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Alexander Yu. Kharin
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (N.V.K.); (N.S.P.); (A.S.E.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.D.); (A.A.G.); (S.M.K.)
| | - Alexander V. Syuy
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), Center for Photonics and 2D Materials, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Russia; (A.V.S.); (V.S.V.)
| | - Valentin S. Volkov
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), Center for Photonics and 2D Materials, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Russia; (A.V.S.); (V.S.V.)
| | - Yaroslava Dombrovska
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (N.V.K.); (N.S.P.); (A.S.E.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.D.); (A.A.G.); (S.M.K.)
| | - Alexander A. Garmash
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (N.V.K.); (N.S.P.); (A.S.E.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.D.); (A.A.G.); (S.M.K.)
| | - Nikolay I. Kargin
- MEPHI, Institute of Nanoengineering in Electronics, Spintronics and Photonics, Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Sergey M. Klimentov
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (N.V.K.); (N.S.P.); (A.S.E.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.D.); (A.A.G.); (S.M.K.)
| | - Victor Yu. Timoshenko
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (N.V.K.); (N.S.P.); (A.S.E.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.D.); (A.A.G.); (S.M.K.)
- Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskiy Pr. 53, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
- Correspondence: (V.Y.T.); (A.V.K.)
| | - Andrei V. Kabashin
- LP3 Laboratory, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, 13288 Marseille, France
- Correspondence: (V.Y.T.); (A.V.K.)
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Fronya AA, Antonenko SV, Kharin AY, Muratov AV, Aleschenko YA, Derzhavin SI, Karpov NV, Dombrovska YI, Garmash AA, Kargin NI, Klimentov SM, Timoshenko VY, Kabashin AV. Tailoring Photoluminescence from Si-Based Nanocrystals Prepared by Pulsed Laser Ablation in He-N 2 Gas Mixtures. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25030440. [PMID: 31973084 PMCID: PMC7037818 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25030440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Using methods of pulsed laser ablation from a silicon target in helium (He)-nitrogen (N2) gas mixtures maintained at reduced pressures (0.5–5 Torr), we fabricated substrate-supported silicon (Si) nanocrystal-based films exhibiting a strong photoluminescence (PL) emission, which depended on the He/N2 ratio. We show that, in the case of ablation in pure He gas, Si nanocrystals exhibit PL bands centered in the “red - near infrared” (maximum at 760 nm) and “green” (centered at 550 nm) spectral regions, which can be attributed to quantum-confined excitonic states in small Si nanocrystals and to local electronic states in amorphous silicon suboxide (a-SiOx) coating, respectively, while the addition of N2 leads to the generation of an intense “green-yellow” PL band centered at 580 nm. The origin of the latter band is attributed to a radiative recombination in amorphous oxynitride (a-SiNxOy) coating of Si nanocrystals. PL transients of Si nanocrystals with SiOx and a-SiNxOy coatings demonstrate nonexponential decays in the micro- and submicrosecond time scales with rates depending on nitrogen content in the mixture. After milling by ultrasound and dispersing in water, Si nanocrystals can be used as efficient non-toxic markers for bioimaging, while the observed spectral tailoring effect makes possible an adjustment of the PL emission of such markers to a concrete bioimaging task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiya A. Fronya
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.A.A.); (S.I.D.); (N.V.K.); (Y.I.D.); (A.A.G.)
- Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Acad. Sci., Leninskiy Pr. 53, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Sergey V. Antonenko
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.A.A.); (S.I.D.); (N.V.K.); (Y.I.D.); (A.A.G.)
- MEPHI, Institute of Nanoengineering in Electronics, Spintronics and Photonics, Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Alexander Yu. Kharin
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.A.A.); (S.I.D.); (N.V.K.); (Y.I.D.); (A.A.G.)
| | - Andrei V. Muratov
- Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Acad. Sci., Leninskiy Pr. 53, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Yury A. Aleschenko
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.A.A.); (S.I.D.); (N.V.K.); (Y.I.D.); (A.A.G.)
- Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Acad. Sci., Leninskiy Pr. 53, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Sergey I. Derzhavin
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.A.A.); (S.I.D.); (N.V.K.); (Y.I.D.); (A.A.G.)
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Acad. Sci., Vavilova St. 38, 117942 Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikita V. Karpov
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.A.A.); (S.I.D.); (N.V.K.); (Y.I.D.); (A.A.G.)
| | - Yaroslava I. Dombrovska
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.A.A.); (S.I.D.); (N.V.K.); (Y.I.D.); (A.A.G.)
| | - Alexander A. Garmash
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.A.A.); (S.I.D.); (N.V.K.); (Y.I.D.); (A.A.G.)
- MEPHI, Institute of Nanoengineering in Electronics, Spintronics and Photonics, Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Nikolay I. Kargin
- MEPHI, Institute of Nanoengineering in Electronics, Spintronics and Photonics, Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Sergey M. Klimentov
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.A.A.); (S.I.D.); (N.V.K.); (Y.I.D.); (A.A.G.)
| | - Victor Yu. Timoshenko
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.A.A.); (S.I.D.); (N.V.K.); (Y.I.D.); (A.A.G.)
- Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Acad. Sci., Leninskiy Pr. 53, 119991 Moscow, Russia;
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Physics Dep., Leninskie Gory 1, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: (V.Y.T.); (A.V.K.)
| | - Andrei V. Kabashin
- MEPHI, Institute of Engineering Physics for Biomedicine (PhysBio), Kashirskoe sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.F.); (S.V.A.); (A.Y.K.); (Y.A.A.); (S.I.D.); (N.V.K.); (Y.I.D.); (A.A.G.)
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LP3, Campus de Luminy, Case 917, 13288 Marseille, France
- Correspondence: (V.Y.T.); (A.V.K.)
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