Heating efficiency of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in the first and second biological windows.

Quantum dot based-thermometry, in combination with double beam confocal microscopy and infrared thermal imaging, has been used to investigate the heating efficiency of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) under optical excitation within the first (808 nm) and second (1090 nm) biological windows as well as in the spectral region separating them (980 nm). It has been found that for the three excitation wavelengths the heating efficiency of MWCNTs (10 nm in diameter and 1.5 μm in length) is close to 50%.