Nonlinear Excitation of Tryptophan Emission Enhanced by Silver Nanoparticles

We measured and analyzed the behavior of the fluorescence of tryptophan water solutions with and without silver nanoparticles, excited by one, two and three photon processes. Two different colloids with silver nanoparticles with distinct diameters (0.65 nm and 9 nm) were used in the experiments. Fluorescence quenching was observed with one and two photon excitation. However, upon three-photon excitation, significant fluorescence enhancement was observed in the colloid. In this case excitation of the amino acid is assisted by the nonlinear absorption of infrared light by the silver nanoparticles. In this paper we are proposing a new way to explore metallic nanoparticles to enhance autofluorescence of biomolecules.     

基于紫外光诱导血浆的三维同步荧光光谱共振能量转移及能量再吸收的分析

利用三维同步荧光光谱技术研究了不同浓度的血浆溶液在紫外光波段的同步荧光光谱.实验结果表明：血浆蛋白的主要的激发峰主要有三个,分别在257 nm、274 nm和280 nm附近,同步荧光光谱峰值大小随着血浆的浓度的变化而有所不同.通过改变Δλ值而获得的同步荧光光谱,表明血浆存在三个同步荧光峰,其Δλ值分别为90 nm、72 nm和44 nm,根据实验数据计算,表明血浆的各个内源荧光团之间存在着荧光共振能量转移以及二次光吸收现象.     

Temperature and excitation wavelength dependencies of 3-pentanone absorption and fluorescence for PLIF applications

The temperature and excitation wavelength dependencies of 3-pentanone absorption and fluorescence were studied in support of planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) imaging of temperature and mixture fraction in flows of practical interest. The temperature dependencies (300–875 K) of absorption and fluorescence were measured for gaseous 3-pentanoneat atmospheric pressure in a nitrogen bath gas using 248, 266, and 308 nm excitation. The results indicate that the fluorescence signal per unit mole fraction using 248 nm excitation is highly temperature-sensitive below 600 K, while the signal from 308 nm excitation is not temperature sensitive below 500 K. For quantitative measurements over a broad range of temperatures, one must choose excitation schemes carefully to balance the trade-off between measurement sensitivity and the amount of signal at the expected conditions. As an example of such a choice and to show the capabilities of ketone PLIF techniques, we include temperature and mixture fraction images of a 300–650 K heated air jet using near-simultaneous 308 and 266 nm excitation. Received: 29 May 2002 / Revised version: 5 November 2002 / Published online: 26 February 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +1-650/723-1748, E-mail: jkoch@stanford.edu RID="**" ID="**"E-mail: hanson@me.stanford.edu     

2(水杨醛缩苯胺)-(1,10-邻菲罗啉)合钙的光谱特性

合成了一种新型的蓝光发射材料2(水杨醛缩苯胺)-(1,10-邻菲罗啉)合钙,并利用红外光谱、X射线衍射谱、DSC热分析、UV-vis吸收谱、荧光激发光谱和荧光发射光谱研究了其结构、晶态、热稳定性以及光学特性,分析了它的能态结构和发光机理。结果表明,2(水杨醛缩苯胺)-(1,10-邻菲罗啉)合钙的热稳定性较高,是一种多晶粉末发光材料,禁带宽度2.93eV,在紫外光的激发下,固态荧光发射峰在449.7nm处,在乙醇溶液体系中的荧光发射峰在491nm处,均为蓝色荧光,色纯度高,荧光量子效率高,其荧光发射主要来源于长波吸收带,最大波长吸收带对荧光发射贡献最大。     

Quantitative Effect of Reducing Body Thickness on Visualizing Murine Deep Abdominal Lymph Nodes by In Vivo Fluorescence Reflectance Imaging

Scattering and absorption in the tissues are major problems for in vivo imaging based on a fluorescence reflectance imaging technique. We evaluated the quantitative relationship between body thickness and fluorescent signals from a deep abdominal source in intact mice. Mice were injected with quantum dots (peak emission, 800 nm) into the right rear footpad, and fluorescent signals from the iliac lymph node located deeply in the abdomen were assessed by fluorescence reflectance imaging. Stepwise compression of the mouse abdomen to reduce the body thickness was attained using a homemade simple device. The iliac node signals were weak and diffuse without compression but became stronger and more localized with decreasing body thickness. Using excitation light of approximately 710 nm wavelength, the lymph node/background contrast increased about 16 times with a 4 mm reduction in body thickness. Contrast enhancement was more evident using shorter wavelength excitation light. Overlying tissues profoundly affect signals from a deep source in fluorescence reflectance imaging. Our simple compression method may contribute to quantitatively assessing deep fluorescent sources.     

Exhaust-gas imaging via planar laser- induced fluorescence of sulfur dioxide

The potential use of planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) for visualization of exhaust-gas distributions is outlined and demonstrated. Strong absorption features in the UV spectral range allow excitation of SO₂ with the fourth harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser at 266 nm. Fluorescence emissions are mostly red-shifted and can be easily detected in single-shot imaging arrangements with a good signal-to-noise ratio. This study uses a premixed methane/air flame that is doped with SO₂ to demonstrate the technique. The signal strength has a pronounced temperature dependence for excitation at 266 nm. Received: 14 January 2002 / Revised version: 30 January 2002 / Published online: 14 March 2002     

一种新型希夫碱锌配合物的合成及光谱学性质

合成了一种希夫碱有机金属配合物2-羟基-1-萘甲醛缩邻苯二胺合锌(ZnL)。通过质谱、元素分析、红外光谱、热重分析对其结构进行了表征;利用紫外-可见光吸收光谱、激发和发射光谱研究了该配合物的光物理性能。结果表明:ZnL的热分解温度为433.2℃,具有很好的热稳定性;在DMF溶液体系中,配合物ZnL的紫外吸收带位于250~500 nm,荧光激发带位于343~493 nm,在紫外光的激发下发射峰在626 nm处,为橙红色光,最佳激发波长为470 nm,禁带宽度2.32 eV。     

Efficient fourth harmonic UV generation of passively Q-switched Nd:GdVO4/Cr:YAG lasers

A coherent UV passively Q-switched diode pumped Nd:GdVO₄ laser source is proposed. During pumping of the β-BBO crystal a stable light with power 0.6 W with wavelength 532 nm and pulse duration 9 ns at frequency repetition 16 kHz was applied. The output UV light has a power about 79 mW at wavelength 266 nm during diode-pumping with 8 W incident light.     

Fluorescence properties of biochemicals in dry NaCl composite aerosol particles and in solutions

Several fluorophores, such as tryptophan, NADH, NADPH, and riboflavin are found in airborne micro-organisms. In this work, the fluorescence properties of these biochemicals were studied both in dry NaCl composite aerosol particles and in saline solutions by means of laser-induced fluorescence. Fluorescence spectra were measured from individual, airborne aerosol particles and from solutions in cuvette. The excitation wavelength was varied in steps from 210 nm to 419 nm and the fluorescence was detected within a wavelength band of 310–670 nm. For each sample, the measured fluorescence emission spectra were combined into fluorescence maps. The fluorescence maximum of riboflavin in a dry NaCl composite particle is 20 nm red-shifted compared with the solution, whereas the maxima are blue-shifted by about 25 nm for tryptophan and 15 nm for NADH and NADPH. The molecular fluorescence cross sections have significant differences between the aerosol particles and the solutions, except for tryptophan. For NADH and NADPH the cross sections are over 20 times larger in the aerosol particles than in the solutions probably as a result of partial quenching of fluorescence in solution caused by the collision or stacking with the adenine moiety. The fluorescence cross section of riboflavin is almost 60 times larger in the solution than in the dry NaCl composite aerosol. This is probably caused by the different microenvironment around the fluorophore molecule and by the concentration quenching in the particles where the fluorescing molecules are relatively close to each other.     

Photoluminescence of erbium in polycrystalline ceramics and in crystalline film of erbium oxide

Structural, optical, and electric properties of Er₂O₃ films obtained from Er₂O₃ ceramic target by the method of vacuum electron-beam deposition on sapphire substrates have been investigated. Optical characteristics of the films are studied in the range from UV up to IR using techniques of absorption, reflection, and emission spectroscopy; specific resistance of the obtained films was also measured. After excitation with the radiation of semiconductor diode laser at 980 nm, IR glow has been obtained at room temperature at the wavelength of approximately 1550 nm from Er³⁺ ions in polycrystalline ceramic target and in crystalline films. In addition, fluorescence was observed, in the visible range of spectrum, from ceramic target; this fluorescence corresponds to two-step mechanism of excitation with frequency up-conversion.     

Photoactivated Green Fluorescence Emission by Femtosecond Oscillator from Indole Solutions

We reported a novel femtosecond-laser-activated fluorescence emission from indole solutions upon excitation by the second harmonic wavelength of a femtosecond oscillator. A new absorption band around 400 nm and corresponding fluorescent band in the green domain were produced after the irradiation of femtosecond laser. This femtosecond-laser-activated luminescence process that allows the use of visible wavelength as a substitute for UV light to excite fluorescence from indole would extend applications based on indole chromophore. Furthermore, the photoactived emission can act as a fluorescence lifetime probe to measure the polarity in complex biological systems since it is polarity-sensitive. High performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLU) and high performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometer (HPLC-MS) analysis demonstrate that the origin of the photoactivated fluorescence is new molecular species that generated in indole solution upon femtosecond laser irradiation.     

Eu3+掺杂BaO-TiO2-3SiO2发光材料的制备与发光性质

采用溶胶-凝胶法在室温下制备了以BaO-TiO₂-3SiO₂为基质的稀土Eu³⁺掺杂的发光材料,各材料的量比为 n(Ba):n(Ti):n(Si):n(Eu)=1:1:3:x。 通过DTA-TG、IR、XRD、激发和发射光谱对材料的结构和发光性能进行了分析。DTA-TG测试表明,样品在50~400 ℃之间出现明显失重现象,说明在此过程中凝胶中的吸附水、乙醇、醋酸等物质发生了脱附释放。IR光谱显示,制备的样品中主要存在Ti-O-Si和O-Si-O键。XRD测试证明,材料属于非晶态。激发和发射光谱图显示,材料制备的最佳退火温度为800 ℃,Eu³⁺的最佳掺杂比例为x(Eu)=5.75×10^-3。在612 nm监测波长下,测得的最佳激发波长为紫外光395 nm 和可见光465 nm,即在395 nm和465 nm光激发下,材料发射的红光单色性好且强度基本相同。     

色氨酸和酪氨酸的三维荧光光谱特征参量提取

氨基酸是维持生命活动的重要物质,而色氨酸和酪氨酸又是天然氨基酸中重要的发光组分,应用荧光光谱法对其进行测量和分辨具有重要的意义。文章用美国Pekin-Elmer LS55型荧光分光光度计,对色氨酸和酪氨酸的三维荧光光谱进行了测量。将测量的数据用激发-发射-荧光强度的三维坐标表示,得到三维荧光谱图,但色氨酸和酪氨酸存在共性峰,通过波峰位置简单地来辨别两种混叠的物质很有难度。以数理统计概念为基础,提取该三维荧光光谱的特征参数,得到两种物质荧光光谱中最相关的信息,可以解决两种物质光谱混叠的分辨问题。结果表明,色氨酸和酪氨酸的三维荧光光谱平均值、标准差、原点矩、混合中心矩等参数差值百分比分别为330.37%, 102.86%, 329.16%, 329.63%,区别较大;而边际分布、相关系数值差值百分比仅为10.61%和2.40%。因而平均值、标准差、原点矩、混合中心矩可作为敏感特征参数,用其分辨谱图混叠的色氨酸和酪氨酸是可行的。这种“数学预提取”的三维光谱分析法可以找出组分之间的敏感特征参量,能够取代传统的三维荧光光谱分析法。     

Photophysics, Photochemistry and Energetics of UV Light Induced Disulphide Bridge Disruption in apo-α-Lactalbumin

Continuous 295 nm excitation of whey protein bovine apo-α-lactalbumin (apo-bLA) results in an increase of tryptophan fluorescence emission intensity, in a progressive red-shift of tryptophan fluorescence emission, and breakage of disulphide bridges (SS), yielding free thiol groups. The increase in fluorescence emission intensity upon continuous UV-excitation is correlated with the increase in concentration of free thiol groups in apo-bLA. UV-excitation and consequent SS breakage induce conformational changes on apo-bLA molecules, which after prolonged illumination display molten globule spectral features. The rate of tryptophan fluorescence emission intensity increase at 340 nm with excitation time increases with temperature in the interval 9.3–29.9°C. The temperature-dependent 340 nm emission kinetic traces were fitted by a 1st order reaction model. Native apo-bLA molecules with intact SS bonds and low tryptophan emission intensity are gradually converted upon excitation into apo-bLA molecules with disrupted SS, molten-globule-like conformation, high tryptophan emission intensity and red-shifted tryptophan emission. Experimental Ahrrenius activation energy was 21.8 ± 2.3 kJ.mol⁻¹. Data suggests that tryptophan photoionization from the S₁ state is the likely pathway leading to photolysis of SS in apo-bLA. Photoionization mechanism(s) of tryptophan in proteins and in solution and the activation energy of tryptophan photoionization from S₁ leading to SS disruption in proteins are discussed. The observations present in this paper raise concern regarding UV-light pasteurization of milk products. Though UV-light pasteurization is a faster and cheaper method than traditional thermal denaturation, it may also lead to loss of structure and functionality of milk proteins.     

Peak Multiphoton Excitation of mCherry Using an Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO)

mCherry is a red fluorescent protein which is bright, photostable, and has a low molecular weight. It is an attractive choice for multiphoton fluorescence imaging; however, the multiphoton excitation spectrum of mCherry is not known. In this paper we report the two photon excitation spectrum of mCherry measured up to 1190 nm in the near infrared (NIR) region. Skin tissues of transgenic mice that express mCherry were used in the experiments. mCherry in the tissues was excited with a Titanium:Sapphire laser and an optical parametric oscillator pumped by the Titanium:Sapphire laser. We found that the peak excitation of mCherry occurs at 1160 nm.     

Two and four photon absorption and nonlinear refraction in undoped,chromium doped and copper doped ZnS quantum dots

The ZnS quantum dots (QDs) with Cr and Cu doping were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method. The nanostructures of the prepared undoped and doped ZnS QDs were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The sizes of QDs were found to be within 3–5 nm range. The nonlinear parameters viz. Two photon absorption coefficient (β₂), nonlinear refractive index (n₂), third order nonlinear susceptibility (χ³) at wavelength 532 nm and Four photon absorption coefficient (β₄) at wavelength 1064 nm have been calculated by Z-scan technique using nanosecond Nd:YAG laser in undoped, Cr doped and Cu doped ZnS QDs. Higher values of nonlinear parameters for doped ZnS infer that they are potential material for the development of photonics devices and sensor protection applications.     

基于密度泛函理论下多肽光谱性质研究

多肽类物质在生物医药等领域是一种重要的生物大分子,而紫外-可见吸收光谱和荧光光谱是研究生物分子精细结构的重要手段。采用密度泛函理论（DFT/RI）计算了生长激素释放肽（GHRP-6）和催产素（Oxytocin）两种多肽的结构模型和分子前线轨道;在含时密度泛函理论（TDDFT）的基础上,引入了TDA等近似,建立了多肽类物质的紫外-可见吸收光谱和荧光光谱的理论模型。结果表明,实验测得到GHRP-6的紫外-可见吸收光谱最大吸收波长为279 nm,计算得到的最大吸收波长为282 nm,误差为3 nm,误差百分比约为1%;Oxytocin紫外-可见吸收光谱的实验值为275 nm,计算值为269 nm,误差百分比约为2%。GHRP-6荧光光谱计算值为368 nm,实验值为360 nm,误差百分比约为2%;Oxytocin荧光光谱计算值为305 nm,实验值为312 nm,误差百分比约为2%。GHRP-6产生荧光的发射波长与色氨酸产生的荧光波长范围相近,说明GHRP-6产生荧光的主要贡献为色氨酸残基上的π→π*轨道跃迁,Oxytocin荧光峰位置与酪氨酸产生的荧光波长范围相近,Oxytocin产生荧光的主要贡献为酪氨酸残基上的π→π*轨道跃迁。根据该模型计算得到的光谱与实验结果吻合度较高,表明该模型能够准确计算多肽类物质紫外-可见吸收光谱和荧光光谱,为实验提供可靠的理论依据。     

Fluorescent probe based on proton transfer in 4′-(diethylamino)-3-hydroxyflavone: Spectral and luminescent characteristics upon selective excitation

The spectral characteristics of acetonitrile solutions of 4′-(diethylamino)-3-hydroxyflavone dye with dual fluorescence are studied under selective excitation. This dye is a structural analog of 3-hydroxyflavone and exhibits excited-state proton transfer, which, in contrast to 3-hydroxyflavone, has a thermodynamic rather than a kinetic character. The fluorescence spectra at different excitation photon energies and the excitation spectra of different fluorescence bands are studied. It is found that the intensity ratio of the normal and tautomeric fluorescence bands lying near 507 and 570 nm, respectively, depends on the excitation wavelength, namely, this ratio is 1.45 and almost does not change in the region of the main absorption band (370–420 nm), while, in the region of the second singlet band (near 280 nm), it decreases to 1.15. This can be explained by an increase in the probability of proton transfer with formation of a tautomeric form in the case of excitation into the second band. Another interesting feature is the existence of a latent third emission band peaked at 535 nm, which was found and reliably recorded upon excitation at wavelengths of 470–500 nm. Addition of water quenches this emission, which indicates that it belongs to the anionic form of the dye.     

Fluorescence Lifetimes of Tryptophan: Structural Origin and Relation with So → 1Lb and So → 1La Transitions

We measured fluorescence lifetimes of L-Tryptophan dissolved in de-ionized water and in ethanol in the absence and the presence of high progesterone concentrations. The hormone absorbs between 220 and 280 with a peak around 250 nm, while its absorption is equal to zero beyond 280 nm. Tryptophan excitation spectrum recorded in presence of progesterone shows that the S_o → ¹L_a transition is completely abolished while the S_o → ¹L_b transition is not affected. Emission of L-tryptophan in water occurs with two fluorescence lifetimes, 0.40 and 2.8 ns. In ethanol, three fluorescence lifetimes equal to around 0.2, 1.8 and 4.8 ns were observed. Addition of progesterone to the medium does not affect any of the fluorescence lifetimes indicating clearly that both transitions could induce tryptophan excitation and that recorded fluorescence lifetimes could be assigned to sub-structures generated in the excited state.