Lattice‐Engineered Lanthanide Nanocrystals with Tunable Near‐Infrared‐IIb Lifetime

F Feng Ren F Feng Wu (Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering) S Sisi Ling (CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Organoid Engineering and Precision Medicine, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab) Y Yejun Zhang (CAS Key Laboratory of Nano‐Bio Interface Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Organoid Engineering and Precision Medicine Division of Nanobiomedicine and <i>i</i>‐Lab Suzhou Institute of Nano‐Tech and Nano‐Bionics Chinese Academy of Sciences Suzhou 215123 China) C Chunyan Li J Jiang Jiang (CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Organoid Engineering and Precision Medicine, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab) H Hongchao Yang (CAS Key Laboratory of Nano‐Bio Interface Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Organoid Engineering and Precision Medicine Division of Nanobiomedicine and <i>i</i>‐Lab Suzhou Institute of Nano‐Tech and Nano‐Bionics Chinese Academy of Sciences Suzhou 215123 China) Q Qiangbin Wang (CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Organoid Engineering and Precision Medicine, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab)

Abstract

AbstractLattice engineering in lanthanide nanocrystals (LnNCs) is fundamental for tailoring their versatile optical properties, yet it remains underexplored in manipulating the downconversion characteristics. Here, we engineer the lattices from distorted to strain‐graded in LnNCs by CaF2 deposition on vacancy‐controlled β‐NaxGdF3+x:Yb,A (A = Tm/Er, x = 0.5, 0.75, 1) NCs. We demonstrate that strain‐graded lattices with high phonon energy enhance the multi‐phonon orbit‐lattice relaxation (MPR) in the downconversion process more effectively than distorted lattices, which helps to extend the near‐infrared‐IIb (NIR‐IIb, 1500–1700 nm) lifetime of Er3+/Tm3+ by 2∼4 times. Subsequent epitaxial CaF2 growth further attenuates surface phonon coupling, enabling exponential tunability of NIR‐IIb lifetime (Tm3+: 0.74∼6.28 ms; Er3+: 0.055∼9.2 ms). Finally, we showcase the potential of these LnNCs in time‐resolved multiplexed bioimaging.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 64, Issue 41
Published October 06, 2025
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (8)

F

Feng Ren

F

Feng Wu

Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering

S

Sisi Ling

CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Organoid Engineering and Precision Medicine, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab

Y

Yejun Zhang

CAS Key Laboratory of Nano‐Bio Interface Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Organoid Engineering and Precision Medicine Division of Nanobiomedicine and <i>i</i>‐Lab Suzhou Institute of Nano‐Tech and Nano‐Bionics Chinese Academy of Sciences Suzhou 215123 China

C

Chunyan Li

J

Jiang Jiang

CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Organoid Engineering and Precision Medicine, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab

H

Hongchao Yang

CAS Key Laboratory of Nano‐Bio Interface Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Organoid Engineering and Precision Medicine Division of Nanobiomedicine and <i>i</i>‐Lab Suzhou Institute of Nano‐Tech and Nano‐Bionics Chinese Academy of Sciences Suzhou 215123 China

Q

Qiangbin Wang

CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Organoid Engineering and Precision Medicine, Division of Nanobiomedicine and i-Lab