Luminescence nanothermometry with alkyl-capped silicon nanoparticles dispersed in nonpolar liquids

• Published in: Nanoscale research letters Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 94
• Main Authors: Hajjaji, Hamza, Alekseev, Sergey, Guillot, Gérard, Blanchard, Nicholas P, Monnier, Virginie, Chevolot, Yann, Brémond, Georges, Querry, Michel, Philippon, David, Vergne, Philippe, Bluet, Jean Marie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer New York 24-02-2014; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen; Springer
• Subjects: Biotechnology; Chemical Sciences; Chemistry and Materials Science; EMN Meeting; Life Sciences; Material chemistry; Materials Science; Molecular Medicine; Nano Express; Nanochemistry; Nanoscale Science and Technology; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Temperature sensing; Silicon nanoparticles; Functionalization; Low-polarity liquids; Photoluminescence
• ISSN: 1931-7573; 1556-276X; 1556-276X
• DOI: 10.1186/1556-276X-9-94

Silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) with a diameter size ranging from 4 to 8 nm were successfully fabricated. They exhibit a visible photoluminescence (PL) due to the quantum confinement effect. Chemical functionalization of these Si NPs with alkyl groups allowed to homogeneously disperse them in nonpolar liquids (NPLs). In comparison to most of literature results for Si NPs, an important PL peak position variation with temperature (almost 1 meV/K) was obtained from 303 to 390 K. The influence of the liquid viscosity on the peak positions is also presented. These variations are discussed considering energy transfer between nanoparticles. The high PL thermal sensitivity of the alkyl-capped Si NPs paves the way for their future application as nanothermometers.