Toward Ratiometric Nanothermometry via Intrinsic Dual Emission from Semiconductor Nanocrystals.

Semiconductor nanocrystals have been synthesized that support intrinsic dual emission from the excitonic core as well as the surface. By virtue of chemical control of the thermodynamics of the core/surface equilibria, these nanocrystals support ratiometric temperature sensing over a broad temperature scale. This surface-chemistry-based approach for creating intrinsic dual emission enables a completely new strategy for application of these nanocrystals in optical nanothermometry.