Efficient Singlet Oxygen Generation in Metal Nanoclusters for Two-Photon Photodynamic Therapy Applications.

The generation of singlet oxygen (O) has been established as the principal mechanism of photodynamic therapy (PDT). Various dyes, metal nanoparticles, and clusters have been shown to sensitize O. However, metal nanoclusters are even more promising candidates as photosensitizers for this purpose.

Linear and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Monolayer-Protected Gold Nanocluster Films.

Gold nanoclusters have been extensively studied in solution for their unique optical properties. However, many applications of nanoclusters involve the use of the material in the solid state such as films. Au25(SR)18 in polymeric hosts was used as the model for studying the optical properties of nanocluster films.

Synthesis of Ladder-Type Thienoacenes and Their Electronic and Optical Properties.

A series of ladder-type thienoacenes based on benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene (BDT) have been synthesized and characterized. They were shown to be p-type semiconductors with wide band gaps and able to support multiple stable cationic states. As the conjugation lengthens, these oligomers become more emissive, showing high quantum yields.

An ultrafast look at Au nanoclusters.

In the past 20 years, researchers studying nanomaterials have uncovered many new and interesting properties not found in bulk materials. Extensive research has focused on metal nanoparticles (>3 nm) because of their potential applications, such as in molecular electronics, image markers, and catalysts. In particular, the discovery of metal nanoclusters (<3 nm) has greatly expanded the horizon of nanomaterial research.

Bright two-photon emission and ultra-fast relaxation dynamics in a DNA-templated nanocluster investigated by ultra-fast spectroscopy.

Metal nanoclusters have interesting steady state fluorescence emission, two-photon excited emission and ultrafast dynamics. A new subclass of fluorescent silver nanoclusters (Ag NCs) are NanoCluster Beacons. NanoCluster Beacons consist of a weakly emissive Ag NC templated on a single stranded DNA ("Ag NC on ssDNA") that becomes highly fluorescent when a DNA enhancer sequence is brought in proximity to the Ag NC by DNA base pairing ("Ag NC on dsDNA").