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Photoluminescent Silicon Nanoparticles: Fluorescent Cellular Imaging Applications And Photoluminescence (Pl) Behavior Study, Sheng-Kuei Chiu

Dissertations and Theses

Molecular fluorophores and semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have been used as cellular imaging agents for biomedical research, but each class has challenges associated with their use, including poor photostability or toxicity. Silicon is a semiconductor material that is inexpensive and relatively environmental benign in comparison to heavy metal-containing quantum dots. Thus, red-emitting silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) are desirable to prepare for cellular imaging application to be used in place of more toxic QDs. However, Si NPs currently suffer poorly understood photoinstability, and furthermore, the origin of the PL remains under debate.

This dissertation first describes the use of diatomaceous earth …