Fabrication of silicon-based nanoparticles for biological imaging

摘要

Fluorescent silicon nanomaterials have initiated great interest for their potential biological applications. In this paper, we report the synthesis of water-soluble, luminescent silicon nanoparticles with high quantum yield. The surfaces of the Si nanoparticles were capped by hydrophobic or hydrophilic organic molecules that passivate and protect the silicon particles from oxidation. The as-synthesized silicon nanoparticles displayed strong photoluminescence in the blue region of the visible spectrum. The attached organic molecules conveyed both water solubility and high stability, and coating had little adverse effect on the optical properties of nanoparticles. These results have major implications towards using colloidal silicon nanoparticles effectively in biological fluorescence imaging.