More recently, the use of QDs as labels in biomedical imaging or in immunoassays has seen several breakthroughs which were analyzed by different authors [8, 12, 13]. Very good reviews have been published on the use of QDs in new sensing strategies, giving either a general overview of the field [14], or a more focused discussion on biosensing applications selleck chem and calcitriol?hormone future trends [15-17]. Other fields of interest such as laser applications or fundamental physical experiments have also been reviewed [18-20].Nevertheless, due to the large research efforts dedicated to this topic, a number of sensing applications has recently appeared and this is currently an expanding field of research.
In particular, Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries the immobilization of nanocrystals in solid membranes and its use in combination with optical fiber or planar platforms has seen some progress.
Such arrangements are a key step towards the development of advanced Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries analytical instrumentation, aiming small scale and multiparameter capability. For this, QDs are very well suited because of their high photostability and multiplexing ability.In this paper, a brief overview on recent progress in QDs sensing applications is described. Particular focus will be given to an emerging area: the application of QDs of II/VI materials as sensing elements while immobilized in a solid host which can be used in combination with optical fiber or integrated optics sensing technology.2.?Quantum dots: a brief overviewQuantum Dots are small particles of a semiconductor material, Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries consisting of a few hundreds to thousands of atoms.
Their Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries small size, ranging for most of the systems from 1 nm to 10 nm, Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries is mostly Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries responsible for their unique optical, electrical and chemical properties.The main procedures by which QDs can be fabricated, attaining 3D confinement of the charge Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries carriers, include diffusion controlled growth, lithography, epitaxy Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries and colloidal chemistry. Combined lithographic patterning and etching is a possible pathway [21], and epitaxial growth over pre-patterned substrates has also been investigated [22]. More recently, techniques exploring self-assembly mechanisms are being successfully explored [20]. Nevertheless they rely on expensive MBE or MOCVD systems.
In all physical deposition approaches the resulting QDs are embedded in a solid matrix and are, therefore, more adapted to integrated optoelectronic devices (QD lasers and detectors).
Other techniques have been explored for applications requiring further chemical manipulation Brefeldin_A and processing.Alternative approaches include the synthesis of QDs using selleck chemicals DZNeP colloidal chemistry techniques which are very often associated to molecular precursor chemistry. Batimastat For these methods the semiconductor nanoparticles Ivacaftor cystic fibrosis are homogeneously generated in a coordinating solvent or in the presence of a chemical stabilizer.