CRAIC Technologies has developed state-of-the-art UV-Visible-NIR microspectroscopy techniques that offer unmatched capabilities in the analysis of lanthanides. Lanthanides refer to a group of 15 metallic elements ranging from lanthanum to lutetium in the periodic table. These elements are known for their novel electronic properties and diverse applications, ranging from medical imaging and phosphors to catalysis and electronic devices.
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Overview of UV-Visible-NIR Microspectroscopy
UV-Visible-NIR microspectroscopy brings together high spatial resolution of microscopy and the spectral analysis capabilities of spectroscopy, encompassing the ultraviolet (UV), visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions. This technology facilitates comprehensive evaluations and the study of microscopic samples, delivering key insights into their optical and electronic properties.
Key Research Results
1. Enhanced Detection of Lanthanide Emissions
Recent research has shown that the capabilities of CRAIC Technologies' microspectroscopy has the ability to identify and analyze the sharp emission lines of lanthanides with high precision.1 These emission lines, which are a result of electronic transitions within the 4f orbitals of lanthanide ions, are essential for applications, such as phosphor development and fluorescence imaging.
The high-resolution abilities of UV-Visible-NIR microspectroscopy allows for the differentiation of tightly packed spectral lines, which is crucial for identifying and characterizing distinct lanthanide species in complex matrices.2
2. Engineering the Luminescence of Lanthanide Polymer Complexes
Photoluminescence from lanthanide electronic transitions is perhaps considered to be one of the most meaningful features of these materials. These intense optical emissions demonstrate potential in numerous different fields, including lighting, sensing, photonics and displays.
CRAIC Technologies' systems has considerably improved the development of lanthanide polymer complexes. The photoluminescence properties can be modified to acquire color tunable emissions and white light luminescence.3
3. Variable Temperature Absorbance and Luminescence Microspectroscopy
Novel spectroscopic effects are identified when lanthanide complexes are analyzed using CRAIC Technologies' microspectrometers under controlled temperature conditions. With the ability to measure several types of spectra of single crystals, studies of the electronic structures of novel complexes may be easily conducted. This is underscored by a study conducted by Poe et al. to show how the unique potential of spectroscopy properties facilitate variable temperature absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy of single crystals of lanthanide crown ether complexes.4
4. Single Crystal Absorbance and Luminescence Microspectroscopy
The quantitative analysis of single crystals of lanthanide complexes has been improved significantly utilizing CRAIC Technologies' microspectrometers.
With the capacity to measure several different types of spectra of individual crystals, studies of the electronic structures of unique complexes is made possible.5,6
5. Investigation of Lanthanide-Doped Materials
Lanthanide-doped materials, including phosphors and lasers, have been studied on an extensive basis leveraging the power of UV-Visible-NIR microspectroscopy. This technique has allowed for the investigation of dopant distribution, concentration effects, and interaction within the host matrix. For example, lanthanide-doped nanophosphors are showing great potential as anti-counterfeiting materials and for application in security printing scenarios. Microspectrophotometers are applied to determine the optical absorption and emissions of these materials.7
6. Drug Sensing Protein Crystals Doped with Lanthanide Complexes
Readily cultivated protein crystals are being doped with luminescent Lanthanide complexes embedded the crystals themselves. CRAIC Technologies' microspectroscopy is being used to explore the emission properties of these doped protein crystals when exposed to certain drug compounds. The results reveal changes in the optical emissions upon exposure and show that this could be a grounding feature of practical biosensing devices.8
Conclusion
CRAIC Technologies' UV-Visible-NIR microspectroscopy is a powerful tool practical for analyzing lanthanides. Its capacity to deliver high-resolution spectral data, quantitative analysis, spatial mapping, and a comprehensive investigation of lanthanide-doped materials and complexes paves the way toward groundbreaking research and application development. As the understanding of lanthanides continues to expand, these state-of-the-art microspectroscopy techniques will play a key role in driving innovation across a wide range of scientific and industrial fields.
References
- Jiménez, José A. "Photoluminescence of Eu3+-doped glasses with Cu2+ impurities." Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 145 (2015):482-486.
- Jiménez, José A., and Mariana Sendova. "In situ isothermal monitoring of the enhancement andquenching of Sm3+ photoluminescence in Ag co-doped glass." Solid state communications 152, no. 18 (2012): 1786-1790.
- Zheng, Zhaofa, Huangjie Lu, Yumin Wang, Hongliang Bao, Zi-Jian Li, Guo-Ping Xiao, Jian Lin, Yuan Qian, and Jian-Qiang Wang. "Tuning of the network dimensionality and photoluminescent properties in homo-and heteroleptic lanthanide coordination polymers." Inorganic Chemistry 60, no. 3 (2020): 1359-1366.
- Poe, Todd N., Alyssa N. Gaiser, and Thomas E. Albrecht-Schönzart. "Atypical Spectroscopic Behavior in Divalent Lanthanide Dibenzyldiaza-18-crown-6 Complexes (Ln= Sm, Eu, Yb)." Crystal Growth & Design 22, no. 4 (2022): 2670-2678.
- Ball, Tucker J., and Matthew J. Polinski. "Lanthanide Squarate Complexes Containing Mono- and Trivalent Thallium." Inorganic Chemistry 62, no. 24 (2023): 9618-9629.
- Zhang, Yugang, Lanhua Chen, Zhiyong Liu, Wei Liu, Mengjia Yuan, Jie Shu, Ning Wang et al. "Full-range ratiometric detection of D2O in H2O by a heterobimetallic uranyl/lanthanideframework with 4f/5f bimodal emission." ACS applied materials & interfaces 12, no. 14 (2020):16648-16654.
- Liu, Hailong, Jiahui Xu, Hao Wang, Yejing Liu, Qifeng Ruan, Yiming Wu, Xiaogang Liu, and Joel KW Yang. "Tunable resonator‐upconverted emission (TRUE) color printing and applications in optical security." Advanced Materials 31, no. 15 (2019): 1807900.
- Sun, Guotao, Jianguo Tang, Christopher D. Snow, Zhenhua Li, Yu Zhang, Yao Wang, and Laurence A. Belfiore. "Drug sensing protein crystals doped with luminescent lanthanide complexes." Crystal Growth & Design 19, no. 10 (2019): 5658-5664.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by CRAIC Technologies.
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