Plasmonic microchip for absolute and calibration-free luminescence quantum yield measurements

ongoing

Quantum yield of luminescence is a critical parameter in both scientific research and industrial applications, providing essential insight into the efficiency of various photophysical and photochemical processes. It represents the ratio of photons emitted to photons absorbed by a substance, typically in the context of fluorescence, phosphorescence, or photochemical reactions. Accurate quantum yield measurements are essential for assessing the performance of molecules, materials, and devices across a wide range of fields. However, conventional quantum yield measurements are often bulky, complex, and prone to errors, particularly when the sample contains non-emissive but absorbing species—an issue commonly encountered in systems such as semiconductor quantum dots, graphene nanoparticles, and organic dyes. The presence of non-luminescent particles can lead to significant underestimation of the quantum yield of the luminescent species. We have developed an absolute and calibration-free method for quantum yield measurement that requires only minimal sample quantities and is based on the modulation of an emitter’s excited-state lifetime by a plasmonic nanocavity. This method is insensitive to non-luminescent species and allows for the precise and reliable measurement of absolute quantum yields in any luminescent system. While this technique offers a highly convenient and accurate tool for calibration-free absolute quantum yield measurements, an easy-to-use version of the method is not yet widely available. The core aim of our project is to develop a compact, affordable, and user-friendly plasmonic microchip for rapid, accurate quantum yield measurements using minimal sample amounts. This solution will have broad applications in biomedicine, materials science, agriculture, and environmental sensing.