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Tanmoy Saha, Jayanta Mondal, Sachin Khiste, Hrvoje Lusic, Zhang-Wei Hu, Ruparoshni Jayabalan, Kevin J. Hodgetts, HaeLin Jang, Shiladitya Sengupta, Somin Eunice Lee, Younggeun Park, Luke P. Lee, Aaron Goldman
June 24, 2021
Article number: 000010151520210142
Abstract
Targeted delivery of drugs to tumor cells, which circumvent resistance mechanisms and induce cell killing, is a lingering challenge that requires innovative solutions. Here, we provide two bioengineered strategies in which nanotechnology is blended with cancer medicine to preferentially target distinct mechanisms of drug resistance. In the first ‘case study’, we demonstrate the use of lipid–drug conjugates that target molecular signaling pathways, which result from taxane-induced drug tolerance via cell surface lipid raft accumulations. Through a small molecule drug screen, we identify a kinase inhibitor that optimally destroys drug tolerant cancer cells and conjugate it to a rationally-chosen lipid scaffold, which enhances anticancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo . In the second ‘case study’, we address resistance mechanisms that can occur through exocytosis of nanomedicines. Using adenocarcinoma HeLa and MCF-7 cells, we describe the use of gold nanorod and nanoporous vehicles integrated with an optical antenna for on-demand, photoactivation at ∼650 nm enabling release of payloads into cells including cytotoxic anthracyclines. Together, these provide two approaches, which exploit engineering strategies capable of circumventing distinct resistance barriers and induce killing by multimodal, including nanophotonic mechanisms.
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N. Asger Mortensen
June 24, 2021
Article number: 20210156
Abstract
Plasmonic phenomena in metals are commonly explored within the framework of classical electrodynamics and semiclassical models for the interactions of light with free-electron matter. The more detailed understanding of mesoscopic electrodynamics at metal surfaces is, however, becoming increasingly important for both fundamental developments in quantum plasmonics and potential applications in emerging light-based quantum technologies. The review offers a colloquial introduction to recent mesoscopic formalism, ranging from quantum-corrected hydrodynamics to microscopic surface-response formalism, offering also perspectives on possible future avenues.
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Keegan Guidolin, Lili Ding, Juan Chen, Brian C. Wilson, Gang Zheng
June 22, 2021
Article number: 20210220
Abstract
Porphysomes (PS) are liposome-like nanoparticles comprising pyropheophorbide-conjugated phospholipids that have demonstrated potential as multimodal theranostic agents for applications that include phototherapies, targeted drug delivery and in vivo fluorescence, photoacoustic, magnetic resonance or positron emission imaging. Previous therapeutic applications focused primarily on photothermal therapy (PTT) and suggested that PSs require target-triggered activation for use as photodynamic therapy (PDT) sensitizers. Here, athymic nude mice bearing subcutaneous A549 human lung tumors were randomized into treatment and control groups: PS-PDT at various doses, PS-only and no treatment negative controls, as well as positive controls using the clinical photosensitizer Photofrin. Animals were followed for 30 days post-treatment. PS-PDT at all doses demonstrated a significant tumor ablative effect, with the greatest effect seen with 10 mg/kg PS at a drug-light interval of 24 h. By comparison, negative controls (PS-only, Photofrin-only, and no treatment) showed uncontrolled tumor growth. PDT with Photofrin at 5 mg/kg and PS at 10 mg/kg demonstrated similar tumor growth suppression and complete tumor response rates (15 vs. 25%, p = 0.52). Hence, porphysome nanoparticles are an effective PDT agent and have the additional advantages of multimodal diagnostic and therapeutic applications arising from their intrinsic structure. Porphysomes may also be the first single all-organic agent capable of concurrent PDT and PTT.
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Feifei Liu, Meng Wang, Xinping Zhang
June 22, 2021
Article number: 20210155
Abstract
Great progress in nanophotonics has been demonstrated in tailoring the impinging beams. The physics behind those intriguing effects is to a large extent governed by the parameter of the optical phase. While, simple nanostructures usually suffer from fundamental limitations on their efficiency in wave transformation, especially in the transmission system, associated with their inadequate phase accumulation, challenge their implementation in practical application. Here, we describe a transparent nanostructure built from a pair of partially overlapped gold and aluminum semi-nanoshells that show almost π phase accumulation through material-dependent plasmon resonances. Combined with an optical slab waveguide, the bimetallic metagratings exhibit prominent directional color routing properties in transmission light, which result from switchable Fano resonances between plasmon resonances of bimetallic nanostructures and ±1 order waveguide diffraction modes at two opposite oblique incidences due to sufficient phase shift provided by the asymmetric and bimetallic plasmon resonators. Both theoretical and experimental results show that the Fano-resonance-assisted color routing exhibits a relatively broadband tuning range (∼150 nm with an efficiency of up to 50%) and a color routing efficiency of up to 70% at the central wavelength of λ = 600 nm.
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Giulia Guidetti, Guy Levy, Giusy Matzeu, Joshua M. Finkelstein, Michael Levin, Fiorenzo G. Omenetto
June 18, 2021
Article number: 20210102
Abstract
Cephalopods camouflage abilities arise from highly specialized chromatic elements in their skin, chromatophores, iridophores, and leucophores, that enable them to display complex and rapidly changing color patterns. Despite the extensive study of these chromatic elements in squid and cuttlefish, full characterization of their individual optical response is still elusive in the Octopus species. We present here detailed multispectral analysis and mapping of the Octopus bimaculoides skin that allows to precisely identify the spatial distribution of the animal’s pigmented and structural elements. The mutual interaction of chromatophores and iridophores is also characterized both in terms of spectral response and spatial localization. The spectral information obtained through this analysis helps to understand the complexity and behavior of these natural tissues while continuing to serve as an inspiration for the fabrication of advanced, chromatically adaptable materials.
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Zhe Sun, Taojian Fan, Quan Liu, Luodan Huang, Weibin Hu, Lulin Shi, Zongze Wu, Qinhe Yang, Liping Liu, Han Zhang
June 17, 2021
Article number: 20210229
Abstract
Personalized therapeutic vaccines against immune desert tumors are an increasingly important field in current cancer immunotherapy. However, limitations in neoantigen recognition, impotent immune cells, and a lack of intratumoral infiltrated lymphocytes pose challenges for the cancer vaccines. Resected tumors contain various of patient-specific tumor autoantigens (TA), and its derived photonanovaccines have unique competency to overcome abovementioned barriers. We constructed a novel personalized photonanovaccine (B@TA-R848) with surgically sourced TA modified on two-dimensional boron nanosheets (BNSs) via polydopamine coating and loaded with immune adjuvant R848. B@TA-R848 has good properties of drug delivery and release, photoacoustic imaging, photothermal effect, and biocompatibility. In a mouse triple-negative breast cancer model, B@TA-R848-based photonanovaccine induced effective systemic antitumor immune responses, altered the local tumor microenvironment, and increased the intratumoral infiltration of immune cells. The combined photo immunotherapy could significantly inhibit tumor growth, recurrence, and metastasis. This work develops a novel photonanovaccine for low immunogenicity and high metastatic potential tumors, which is of great significance for exploring the clinical development of personalized tumor vaccines against immune desert tumors.
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Eduardo Martínez Castellano, Julen Tamayo-Arriola, Miguel Montes Bajo, Alicia Gonzalo, Lazar Stanojević, Jose María Ulloa, Oleksii Klymov, Javier Yeste, Said Agouram, Elías Muñoz, Vicente Muñoz-Sanjosé, Adrian Hierro
June 17, 2021
Article number: 20210167
Abstract
Metal-oxides hold promise as superior plasmonic materials in the mid-infrared compared to metals, although their integration over established material technologies still remains challenging. We demonstrate localized surface plasmons in self-assembled, hemispherical CdZnO metal-oxide nanoparticles on GaAs, as a route to enhance the absorption in mid-infrared photodetectors. In this system, two localized surface plasmon modes are identified at 5.3 and 2.7 μm, which yield an enhancement of the light intensity in the underlying GaAs. In the case of the long-wavelength mode the enhancement is as large as 100 near the interface, and persists at depths down to 50 nm. We show numerically that both modes can be coupled to infrared intersubband transitions in GaAs-based multiple quantum wells, yielding an absorbed power gain as high as 5.5, and allowing light absorption at normal incidence. Experimentally, we demonstrate this coupling in a nanoparticle/multiple quantum well structure, where under p -polarization the intersubband absorption is enhanced by a factor of 2.5 and is still observed under s -polarization, forbidden by the usual absorption selection rules. Thus, the integration of CdZnO on GaAs can help improve the figures of merit of quantum well infrared photodetectors, concept that can be extended to other midinfrared detector technologies.
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Zhiyang Wang, Fei Yang, Zhongwen Cheng, Wuyu Zhang, Kedi Xiong, Sihua Yang
June 17, 2021
Article number: 000010151520210198
Abstract
Although photothermal therapy (PTT) has demonstrated its clinical value and adaptability, it still requires imaging guidance to motivate the development of precise and effective treatment. For PTT, high-resolution visualization of tumor microvasculature and accurate location of nanoparticles distribution are crucial for the therapeutic outcome. Here, a wavelength-switchable photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) was developed to noninvasively investigate the tumor microvasculature and the accumulation of nanoparticles for accurately guiding PTT and evaluating the therapeutic effect. In a tumor model, PAM was used to continuously monitor the tumor microenvironment in vivo , and the proportion of microvessels in tumor site was found increased by 10%, and the diameters of the draining veins were doubled on day 7. In addition, quantitative parameters such as tumor volume and vascular density can also be demonstrated by the PAM. Meanwhile, the concentration of Den-RGD/Cy7 at the tumor site reached its maximum at 8 h by PA mapping after intravenous injection, which was used to determine the optimal irradiation timing. After treatment, photoacoustic monitoring showed that PTT can precisely kill the tumors and minimize damage to surrounding normal tissues, which was consistent with the pathological slides. The experimental results proved that PAM can provide an auxiliary means for precision PTT.
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Nanxi Li, Chong Pei Ho, Shiyang Zhu, Yuan Hsing Fu, Yao Zhu, Lennon Yao Ting Lee
June 17, 2021
Article number: 000010151520210130
Abstract
Integrated photonics based on silicon has drawn a lot of interests, since it is able to provide compact solution for functional devices, and its fabrication process is compatible with the mature complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication technology. In the meanwhile, silicon material itself has a few limitations, including an indirect bandgap of 1.1 eV, transparency wavelength of >1.1 μm, and insignificant second-order nonlinear optical property. Aluminum nitride (AlN), as a CMOS-compatible material, can overcome these limitations. It has a wide bandgap of 6.2 eV, a broad transparency window covering from ultraviolet to mid-infrared, and a significant second-order nonlinear optical effect. Furthermore, it also exhibits piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects, which enable it to be utilized for optomechanical devices and pyroelectric photodetectors, respectively. In this review, the recent research works on integrated AlN photonics in the past decade have been reviewed and summarized. The related material properties of AlN have been summarized and presented. After that, the demonstrated functional devices, including linear optical devices, optomechanical devices, emitters, photodetectors, metasurfaces, and nonlinear optical devices, are reviewed and presented. Last but not the least, the summary and future outlook for the AlN-based integrated photonics are provided.
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Vytautas Navikas, Adrien C. Descloux, Kristin S. Grussmayer, Sanjin Marion, Aleksandra Radenovic
June 10, 2021
Article number: 000010151520210108
Abstract
A variety of modern super-resolution microscopy methods provide researchers with previously inconceivable biological sample imaging opportunities at a molecular resolution. All of these techniques excel at imaging samples that are close to the coverslip, however imaging at large depths remains a challenge due to aberrations caused by the sample, diminishing the resolution of the microscope. Originating in astro-imaging, the adaptive optics (AO) approach for wavefront shaping using a deformable mirror is gaining momentum in modern microscopy as a convenient approach for wavefront control. AO has the ability not only to correct aberrations but also enables engineering of the PSF shape, allowing localization of the emitter axial position over several microns. In this study, we demonstrate remote focusing as another AO benefit for super-resolution microscopy. We show the ability to record volumetric data (45 × 45 × 10 µm), while keeping the sample axially stabilized using a standard widefield setup with an adaptive optics addon. We processed the data with single-molecule localization routines and/or computed spatiotemporal correlations, demonstrating subdiffraction resolution.
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Felix Sima, Koji Sugioka
June 10, 2021
Article number: 000010151520210159
Abstract
In the last decades, research and development of microfluidics have made extraordinary progress, since they have revolutionized the biological and chemical fields as a backbone of lab-on-a-chip systems. Further advancement pushes to miniaturize the architectures to nanoscale in terms of both the sizes and the fluid dynamics for some specific applications including investigation of biological sub-cellular aspects and chemical analysis with much improved detection limits. In particular, nano-scale channels offer new opportunities for tests at single cell or even molecular levels. Thus, nanofluidics, which is a microfluidic system involving channels with nanometer dimensions typically smaller than several hundred nm, has been proposed as an ideal platform for investigating fundamental molecular events at the cell-extracellular milieu interface, biological sensing, and more recently for studying cancer cell migration in a space much narrower than the cell size. In addition, nanofluidics can be used for sample manipulation in analytical chemistry, such as sample injections, separation, purifications or for quantitative and qualitative determinations. Among the nanofabrication technologies, ultrafast laser manufacturing is a promising tool for fabrication of nanofluidics due to its flexibility, versatility, high fabrication resolution and three dimensional (3D) fabrication capability. In this paper, we review the technological advancements of nanofluidic systems, with emphasis on fabrication methods, in particular ultrafast laser manufacturing. We present the challenges for issues concerning channel sizes and fluid dynamics, and introduce the applications in physics, biology, chemistry and engineering with future prospects.
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Liuhao Zhu, Miaomiao Tang, Hehe Li, Yuping Tai, Xinzhong Li
June 9, 2021
Article number: 000010151520210139
Abstract
Generally, an optical vortex lattice (OVL) is generated via the superposition of two specific vortex beams. Thus far, OVL has been successfully employed to trap atoms via the dark cores. The topological charge (TC) on each optical vortex (OV) in the lattice is only ±1. Consequently, the orbital angular momentum (OAM) on the lattice is ignored. To expand the potential applications, it is necessary to rediscover and exploit OAM. Here we propose a novel high-order OVL (HO-OVL) that combines the phase multiplication and the arbitrary mode-controllable techniques. TC on each OV in the lattice is up to 51, which generates sufficient OAM to manipulate microparticles. Thereafter, the entire lattice can be modulated to desirable arbitrary modes. Finally, yeast cells are trapped and rotated by the proposed HO-OVL. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first realization of the complex motion of microparticles via OVL. Thus, this work successfully exploits OAM on OVL, thereby revealing potential applications in particle manipulation and optical tweezers.
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Shoushan Sang, Zhipeng Jiang, Ning Xie, Huaxin Rao, Kedan Liao, Qinqin Hu, Ziyong Zhang, Rui Guo, Taojian Fan, Kaixian Deng
June 9, 2021
Article number: 000010151520210089
Abstract
Gastric cancer treatment remains a major challenge because of its aggressiveness and spread. In this study, we developed a hydrogel system for the treatment of gastric cancer, which can kill tumor cells through photothermal action and drug treatment. Based on the formation of Schiff base linkage, the OSA/AHA/BP/PTX hydrogel was prepared by mixing oxidized sodium alginate (OSA), aminated hyaluronic acid (AHA), black phosphorus (BP), and paclitaxel (PTX) under physiological conditions, which exhibited excellent photothermal effect and slow release ability PTX. Moreover, CCK-8 and live/dead fluorescent confirmed that OSA/AHA/BP/PTX hydrogel could obvious inhibition the proliferation of gastric cancer cells (SGC7901). More importantly, in vivo experiments further show that the prepared hydrogel can significantly improve the tumor treatment effect of tumor-bearing mice by inducing tumor cell apoptosis and inhibiting the proliferation of new tumor cells. Compared with chemotherapy alone, photothermal combined chemotherapy had a better antitumor effect. The results of this study indicate that the composite hydrogel with controlled release of paclitaxel can be used as a candidate material for cancer treatment.
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Chao Chen, Wei Qi, Yu Yu, Xinliang Zhang
June 9, 2021
Article number: 000010151520210137
Abstract
Analog optical computing has been an innovation and research interest in last several years, thanks to the ultra-high speed (potential for real-time processing), ultra-low power consumption and capability of parallel processing. Although great efforts have been made recently, no on-chip optical spatial-domain integrator has been experimentally demonstrated, to the best of our knowledge. Based on Fourier optics and metasurface, we design and fabricate an on-chip optical integrator using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. The proposed integrator is able to integrate the electric field in spatial domain. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a representative optical signal is well integrated to the desired distribution. Compared with theoretical expectation, the similarity coefficients of the simulated and experimental results are 83 and 78%, respectively. The proposed scheme has potential of performing more complex and ultra-high-speed computing for artificial intelligence.
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Qiang Zhang, Danjun Liu, Qun Ren, Nicolae C. Panoiu, Li Lin, Jian Ye, Yang Huang, Shao-Ding Liu, Chi Wah Leung, Dangyuan Lei
June 9, 2021
Article number: 000010151520210116
Abstract
Plasmonic core–molecule–shell (CMS) nanojunctions provide a versatile platform for studying electron transport through conductive molecules under light excitation. In general, the impact of electron transport on the near-field response of CMS nanojunctions is more prominent than on the far-field property. In this work, we use two-photon luminescence (TPL) spectroscopy to probe the effect of electron transport on the plasmonic properties of gold CMS nanojunctions. Theoretical calculations show that the TPL response of such nanojunctions is closely related to the near-field enhancement inside the metal regions, and can be strongly affected by the electron transport through the embedded molecules. TPL excitation spectroscopy results for three CMS nanojunctions (0.7, 0.9 and 1.5 nm junction widths) reveal no perceivable contribution from their low-energy plasmon modes. This observation can be well explained by a quantum-corrected model, assuming significant conductance for the molecular layers and thus efficient charge transport through the junctions. Furthermore, we explore the charge transport mechanism by investigating the junction width dependent TPL intensity under a given excitation wavelength. Our study contributes to the field of molecular electronic plasmonics through opening up a new avenue for studying quantum charge transport in molecular junctions by non-linear optical spectroscopy.
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Alexander Palatnik, Markas Sudzius, Stefan Meister, Karl Leo
June 3, 2021
Article number: 20210114
Abstract
Topological interface states are formed when two photonic crystals with overlapping band gaps are brought into contact. In this work, we show a planar binary structure with such an interface state in the visible spectral region. Furthermore, we incorporate a thin layer of an active organic material into the structure, providing gain under optical excitation. We observe a transition from fluorescence to lasing under sufficiently strong pump energy density. These results are the first realization of a planar topological laser, based on a topological interface state instead of a cavity like most of other laser devices. We show that the topological nature of the resonance leads to a so-called “topological protection”, i.e. stability against layer thickness variations as long as inversion symmetry is preserved: even for large changes in thickness of layers next to the interface, the resonant state remains relatively stable, enabling design flexibility superior to conventional planar microcavity devices.
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Jaroslaw Mysliwiec, Alina Szukalska, Adam Szukalski, Lech Sznitko
June 3, 2021
Article number: 000010151520210096
Abstract
The demonstration of the first ruby laser in 1960 led to a revolution in science and technology. The lasers have significantly influenced the development of new approaches to spectroscopy, giving previously undreamed insights into physics, chemistry, and other scientific areas. The search for new materials for light amplification is one of the fundamental subjects of modern photonics and nanotechnology. In this review, we summarize the most appealing progress in developing liquid crystalline (LC) micro and nano-lasers during the last decade, together with their applications and description of perspectives for the future. We will describe the physical background necessary to understand the operation principles of LC lasers, including a description of radiative transition phenomena and LC matter. The article will be divided into separate sections concerning different approaches of LC lasers realization, including; band edge, DFB, DBR, VECSEL, and random cavities utilization. We will also discuss how the LC phases can influence the design of laser devices. Finally, the potential applications, perspectives, and conclusions will be discussed at the end of the article.
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Yu-Wei Lu, Jing-Feng Liu, Renming Liu, Rongbin Su, Xue-Hua Wang
June 3, 2021
Article number: 20210088
Abstract
Exceptional points (EPs) are the singularities of a non-Hermitian system where the eigenenergies and eigenstates simultaneously coalesce, a topological property that gives rise to a plethora of exotic phenomena. Probing the EPs and associated effects requires the system to go through the EPs. However, the ultrahigh sensitivity of an isolated EP to the external disturbances makes accessing the EPs difficult. To overcome this limit, many approaches have been presented to form the exceptional line/ring and surface. Here, we demonstrate that a quantum exceptional chamber, which is a three-dimensional collection of the EPs, can be constructed in the coupled plasmon-quantum dot (QD) systems by the nondipole effect of the QD. For an asymmetric QD adjacent to a plasmonic nanoparticle, it is found that the contributions of multipole transitions to the coupling strength can be larger than that of dipole transition. The orientation-dependent quantum interference between the dipole and multipole transitions can lead to controllable switch between the weak and strong coupling, and provides an extra degree of freedom to form a high-dimension EP space. Our approach provides a robust platform for accessing the quantum EPs and related applications.
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Dong Zhao, Zhelin Lin, Wenqi Zhu, Henri J. Lezec, Ting Xu, Amit Agrawal, Cheng Zhang, Kun Huang
May 21, 2021
Article number: 20210083
Abstract
Nanophotonic devices, composed of metals, dielectrics, or semiconductors, enable precise and high-spatial-resolution manipulation of electromagnetic waves by leveraging diverse light–matter interaction mechanisms at subwavelength length scales. Their compact size, light weight, versatile functionality and unprecedented performance are rapidly revolutionizing how optical devices and systems are constructed across the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet spectra. Here, we review recent advances and future opportunities of nanophotonic elements operating in the ultraviolet spectral region, which include plasmonic devices, optical metamaterials, and optical metasurfaces. We discuss their working principles, material platforms, fabrication, and characterization techniques, followed by representative device applications across various interdisciplinary areas such as imaging, sensing and spectroscopy. We conclude this review by elaborating on future opportunities and challenges for ultraviolet nanophotonic devices.
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Krzysztof Sawicki, Thomas J. Sturges, Maciej Ściesiek, Tomasz Kazimierczuk, Kamil Sobczak, Andrzej Golnik, Wojciech Pacuski, Jan Suffczyński
May 20, 2021
Article number: 20210079
Abstract
Multi-level exciton-polariton systems offer an attractive platform for studies of non-linear optical phenomena. However, studies of such consequential non-linear phenomena as polariton condensation and lasing in planar microcavities have so far been limited to two-level systems, where the condensation takes place in the lowest attainable state. Here, we report non-equilibrium Bose–Einstein condensation of exciton-polaritons and low threshold, dual-wavelength polariton lasing in vertically coupled, double planar microcavities. Moreover, we find that the presence of the non-resonantly driven condensate triggers interbranch exciton-polariton transfer in the form of energy-degenerate parametric scattering. Such an effect has so far been observed only under excitation that is strictly resonant in terms of the energy and incidence angle. We describe theoretically our time-integrated and time-resolved photoluminescence investigations by an open-dissipative Gross–Pitaevskii equation-based model. Our platform’s inherent tunability is promising for construction of planar lattices, enabling three-dimensional polariton hopping and realization of photonic devices, such as all-optical polariton-based logic gates.
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Stijn Jooken, Yovan de Coene, Olivier Deschaume, Dániel Zámbó, Tangi Aubert, Zeger Hens, Dirk Dorfs, Thierry Verbiest, Koen Clays, Geert Callewaert, Carmen Bartic
May 20, 2021
Article number: 000010151520210077
Abstract
The optoelectronic properties of semiconductor nanoparticles make them valuable candidates for the long-term monitoring of transmembrane electric fields in excitable cells. In this work, we show that the electric field sensitivity of the fluorescence intensity of type-I and quasi-type-II quantum dots and quantum rods is enhanced under two-photon excitation compared to single-photon excitation. Based on the superior electric field sensitivity of the two-photon excited fluorescence, we demonstrate the ability of quantum dots and rods to track fast switching E-fields. These findings indicate the potential of semiconductor nanoparticles as cellular voltage probes in multiphoton imaging.
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Yao Zhu, Yingying Liu, Zhongjian Xie, Tianzhen He, Lili Su, Fengjuan Guo, Gulzira Arkin, XiaoShu Lai, Jinfeng Xu, Han Zhang
May 18, 2021
Article number: 000010151520210085
Abstract
Black phosphorus (BP) is attracting more and more interest for the biomedical application. The absorption in a wide spectral range and high photothermal conversion efficiency make BP suitable for photothermal therapy. However, BP alone is hard to realize the targeted therapy, which limits the precision and efficiency of the therapy. Magnetic microbubbles (MBs) are favored drug carriers because they can resist the sheer force of blood flow in a magnetic field, which improves the efficiency of MBs adhesion to the vascular wall for targeted ultrasound diagnosis and therapy. This study first optimized the magnetic MBs configurations through controlling the connecting polyethylene glycol (PEG) chain length. The magnetic MBs with PEG2000 have been chosen for targeted BP nanosheets delivery due to the better stability and magnetic responsiveness. The magnetic black phosphorus microbubbles (MB BPM ) can realize the targeted tumor theranostics in vitro and in vivo . They could be applied for the targeted ultrasound imaging with an enhanced echogenicity by three times when accumulated at the target site where the magnetic field is applied. As the NIR laser irradiation was applied on the accumulated MB BPM , they dynamited and the temperature increased rapidly. It improved the cell membrane permeability, thus accelerating and enhancing a precision photothermal killing effect to the breast cancer cells, compared to BP alone.
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Adi Salomon, Heiko Kollmann, Manfred Mascheck, Slawa Schmidt, Yehiam Prior, Christoph Lienau, Martin Silies
May 11, 2021
Article number: 20210049
Abstract
Localized surface plasmon resonances of individual sub-wavelength cavities milled in metallic films can couple to each other to form a collective behavior. This coupling leads to a delocalization of the plasmon field at the film surface and drastically alters both the linear and nonlinear optical properties of the sample. In periodic arrays of nanocavities, the coupling results in the formation of propagating surface plasmon polaritons (SPP), eigenmodes extending across the array. When artificially introducing dislocations, defects and imperfections, multiple scattering of these SPP modes can lead to hot-spot formation, intense and spatially confined fluctuations of the local plasmonic field within the array. Here, we study the underlying coupling effects by probing plasmonic modes in well-defined individual triangular dimer cavities and in arrays of triangular cavities with and without artificial defects. Nonlinear confocal spectro-microscopy is employed to map the second harmonic (SH) radiation from these systems. Pronounced spatial localization of the SPP field and significant enhancements of the SH intensity in certain, randomly distributed hot spots by more than an order of magnitude are observed from the triangular arrays as compared to a bare silver film by introducing a finite degree of disorder into the array structure. Hot-spot formation and the resulting enhancement of the nonlinear efficiency are correlated with an increase in the lifetime of the localized SPP modes. By using interferometric SH autocorrelation measurements, we reveal lifetimes of hot-spot resonances in disordered arrays that are much longer than the few-femtosecond lifetimes of the localized surface plasmon resonances of individual nanocavity dimers. This suggests that hot spot lifetime engineering provides a path for manipulating the linear and nonlinear optical properties of nanosystems by jointly exploiting coherent couplings and tailored disorder.
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N. Asger Mortensen, P. A. D. Gonçalves, Fedor A. Shuklin, Joel D. Cox, Christos Tserkezis, Masakazu Ichikawa, Christian Wolff
May 6, 2021
Article number: 20210084
Abstract
Surface-response functions are one of the most promising routes for bridging the gap between fully quantum-mechanical calculations and phenomenological models in quantum nanoplasmonics. Among all currently available recipes for obtaining such response functions, the use of ab initio methods remains one of the most conspicuous trends, wherein the surface-response functions are retrieved via the metal’s non-equilibrium response to an external time-dependent perturbation. Here, we present a complementary approach to approximate one of the most appealing surface-response functions, namely the Feibelman d -parameters, yield a finite contribution even when they are calculated solely with the equilibrium properties of the metal, described under the local-response approximation (LRA) but with a spatially varying equilibrium electron density, as input. Using model calculations that mimic both spill-in and spill-out of the equilibrium electron density, we show that the obtained d -parameters are in qualitative agreement with more elaborate, but also more computationally demanding, ab initio methods. The analytical work presented here illustrates how microscopic surface-response functions can emerge out of entirely local electrodynamic considerations.
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Hiroaki Wakiyama, Takuya Kato, Aki Furusawa, Peter L. Choyke, Hisataka Kobayashi
May 6, 2021
Article number: 20210119
Abstract
Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a new cancer treatment that uses an antibody-photo-absorber conjugate (APC) composed of a targeting monoclonal antibody conjugated with a photoactivatable phthalocyanine-derivative dye, IRDye700DX (IR700). APCs injected into the body can bind to cancer cells where they are activated by local exposure to NIR light typically delivered by a NIR laser. NIR light alters the APC chemical conformation inducing damage to cancer cell membranes, resulting in necrotic cell death within minutes of light exposure. NIR-PIT selectivity kills cancer cells by immunogenic cell death (ICD) with minimal damage to adjacent normal cells thus, leading to rapid recovery by the patient. Moreover, since NIR-PIT induces ICD only on cancer cells, NIR-PIT initiates and activates antitumor host immunity that could be further enhanced when combined with immune checkpoint inhibition. NIR-PIT induces dramatic changes in the tumor vascularity causing the super-enhanced permeability and retention (SUPR) effect that dramatically enhances nanodrug delivery to the tumor bed. Currently, a worldwide Phase 3 study of NIR-PIT for recurrent or inoperable head and neck cancer patients is underway. In September 2020, the first APC and accompanying laser system were conditionally approved for clinical use in Japan. In this review, we introduce NIR-PIT and the SUPR effect and summarize possible applications of NIR-PIT in a variety of cancers.