Enhancing Rechargeable Persistent Luminescence via Organic Dye Sensitization

Owing to their unique afterglow ability, long-wavelength light activatable persistent luminescence (PersL) nanoparticles (PLNPs) have been emerging as an important category of imaging probes. Long-wavelength LED light has been shown to be effective in recharging these nanoparticles. However, finding a simple and effective method to amplify such renewable PersL signals under long-wavelength light is still a key challenge. Herein, we discovered that a dye-sensitization strategy was able to effectively boost the renewable PersL signals of the NIR emitting ZnGa2 O4 :Cr3+ (ZGC)) under long-wavelength LED light. Moreover, as a proof-of-principle tumorectomy demonstration, this new class of dye sensitized ZGC enabled simultaneous intraoperative anatomic tumor navigation and effective microscopic detection of tumor cells in pathological diagnosis.