Amostras de vidros aluminoboratos de bário contendo impureza de cromo, apresentando proporções de íons Cr POT. 3+, Cr POT 5+ e Cr POT. 6+, determinadas pelas condições oxidantes ou redutoras de fusão, foram preparadas e caracterizadas pelas técnicas de absorção óptica (AO), fluorescência e de ressonância paramagnética eletrônica (RPE). As condições redutoras necessárias para favorecer a obtenção de vidros contendo majoritariamente íons de Cr POT. 3+ foram satisfeitas com a adição de 0,6% em peso de Sb IND. 2 O IND. 3. Nos vidros contendo antimônio, a banda 4 ANTIPOT. T IND. 2 do Cr POT. 3+ aparece ligeiramente deslocada para comprimentos de onda maiores e mais alargada, em relação ao vidro contendo apenas cromo como impureza adicional. O parâmetro de Racah B e a intensidade de campo ligante Ll foram determinados, obtendo-se os valores B = 759 cm-1 e = 15800 cm-1 para o vidro com cromo e antimônio e B = 736 cm-1 e = 16150 cm-1 para o vidro contendo apenas a adição de cromo. Foram observadas antirressonâncias de Fano nos espectros de AO, mais definidas nas amostras sem antimônio. Os espectros de RPE indicam que os íons Cr POT. 3+ isolados estão preferencialmente localizados em sítios distorcidos de simetria octaédrica, apresentando uma linha de absorção em g = 5,15, notando-se também a presença de pares de Cr POT 3+ caracterizados por uma componente da linha em g = 2,0. Com a adição de neodímio, os espectros de AO e de RPE do Cr POT. 3- não sofreram alterações, mas o espectro de fluorescência, com o máximo localizado em 776 nm, foi bastante modificado, mostrando uma diminuição da intensidade em regiões do espectro características da absorção do Nd POT. 3+, indicando a ocorrência de um processo de transferência de energia dos íons Cr POT. 3+ para os íons Nd POT. 3+ nos vidros aluminoboratos de bário, à temperatura ambiente. Os espectros de fluorescência e excitação dos vidros duplamente dopados com cromo e neodímio mostraram o efeito de antiressonâncias de Fano, com o deslocamento de Lamb dos vales associados ao neodímio sobre do Cr POT. 3+. / Barium aluminoborate glass samples containing chromium impurities, presenting Cr3- , Cr5- e Cr6+ íon amounts determined by the oxidizing or reducing melting conditions, have been prepared and characterized by Optical Absorption (OA), fluorescence and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) techniques. The reducing conditions necessary to obtain glasses having mainly Cr3+ íons were satisfied with the addition of 0.6 wt% of Sb2 O3 to the batch. In glasses containing antimony, the 4T2 band is wider and shifted towards the higher wavelengths in relation to glass containing only chromium as additional impurity. The Racah parameter B and the ligand field intensity L1 were determined, yielding B = 759 cm-1 and L1 = 15800 cm-1 for the chromium- and antimony-doped glass, and B = 736 cm-1 and L1 = 16150 cm-1 for glass containing only chromium impurity. Fano antiresonances were observed in the OA spectra, better defined in the samples without antimony. The RPE spectra show that the Cr3- ions are preferentially located at distorted octahedral sites. An absorption line was observed at g = 5. 15 and it has been noted also the presence of Cr3+ pairs characterized by a line component at g = 2.0. With the addition of neodymium, the OA and EPR spectra of Cr3+ did not change, but the fluorescence spectrum observed at 776 nm was considerably modified, indicating the occurrence of an energy transfer process from Cr3+ to Nd3- íons in barium aluminoborate glasses at room temperature. The fluorescence and excitation spectra of glasses doped with chromium and neodymium have shown the Fano antiresonance effect, with the Lamb shift of the valleys associated to neodymium over the emission bands ofCr3+.

Foi estudado o comportamento fotofísico da 9-aminoacridina (9AA) e derivados, safranina O, auramina e 9-vinilantraceno, em partículas de sílica. Inicialmente, partículas de sílica obtidas comercialmente foram modificadas e marcadas com corantes acridínicos, porém sua morfologia tornou inviável o estudo fotofísico, devido à sua irregularidade. Foram preparadas nanoesferas de sílica, pelo método de Stöber, com diâmetro médio de 50 nm, que apresentaram altos sinais de fluorescência. Além disso, para evitar a dessorção dos marcadores nas nanopartículas em suspensão, foram preparadas nanopartículas do tipo cascacaroço, contendo um núcleo rico em marcador, protegido por uma casca de sílica. Estas nanopartículas, com diâmetro médio de 125 nm, mostraram-se excelentes matrizes para o estudo dos corantes, retardando sua difusão para o solvente. Foram ainda preparadas nanopartículas contendo poli(metacrilato de metila) marcado com derivado acridínico. A interação entre grupos silanol na superfície e o grupo N-H do marcador bloqueou o processo de transferência de carga intramolecular, característico do corante. Por fim, foram preparadas nanopartículas marcadas com 9-aminoacridina e safranina O. Na presença de safranina O, o tempo de vida de fluorescência referente à desativação do cromóforo acridina passou de 12,2 ns para 9,71 ns, indicando processos de transferência de energia e supressão de fluorescência, no interior das partículas. / Photophysical behavior of 9-aminoacridine (9AA) and derivatives, safranine O, auramine and 9-vinylanthracene was investigated, in silica particles. Firstly, commercial silica was modified and grafted with acridinic dyes; however, photophysical studies became unviable, due to its morphology. Silica nanospheres were prepared by Stöber method, with mean diameter of 50 nm, presenting high fluorescence emission. Moreover, in order to avoid de desorption of dyes from particles in suspension, systems containing a dye reach nucleus protected by silica shells were prepared (core-shell nanoparticles). The core-shell nanospheres, with mean diameter of 125 nm, are excellent matrixes for fluorescence studies, since it retards dye diffusion to the solvent. It was also prepared nanoparticles containing poly(methylmethacrylate) grafted with 9AA derivative. Interaction between silica silanol groups and dye N-H groups broke the intramolecular charge transfer, a characteristic process occurring in this dye. Finally, nanoparticles grafted with 9AA and safranine O were prepared. In the presence of safranine, fluorescence lifetime related to the deactivation of the chromophore acridine reduced from 12.2 ns to 9.71 ns, suggesting energy transfer and fluorescence quenching processes within the particles.

The use of non-invasive methods to visualise and monitor processes inside living organisms is vital in the understanding and diagnosis of disease. The work in this thesis details the synthesis and applications of a new imaging modality; carbon dots, whose inherent fluorescence and non-toxic nature makes them attractive alternatives to more traditional ‘quantum dots’. In this thesis, different methods of carbon dot synthesis were attempted in order to produce carbon dots of the desired size and morphology. Nitrogen-containing carbon dots generated from 1,4-addition polymers provided the most successful route with optical and structural characteristics studied by TEM, UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy and XPS. The biological behaviour of the carbon dots produced by this method were also evaluated. The ability of these carbon dots to up-convert when excited at long excitation wavelengths was studied. A number of biologically relevant applications of the carbon dots were studied. Using amine-functionalised carbon dots, cell targeting cargoes were conjugated and the effects of the carbon dot-cargo conjugates on cell lines were studied.

Han, Fangyuan. / Thesis submitted in: November 2007. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-72). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Title Page --- p.I / Thesis Committee --- p.II / Acknowledgements --- p.III / Abstract --- p.IV / 摘要 --- p.V / Table of Contents --- p.1 / List of Figures --- p.4 / List of Tables --- p.6 / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.7 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Fourier Transform Spectroscopy --- p.10 / Chapter A. --- The Michelson Interferometer and the Interferogram --- p.10 / Chapter B. --- The Link between the Interferogram and the Spectrum: the Fourier Transform --- p.12 / Chapter C. --- "Resolution, Apodization and Spectral Folding" --- p.13 / Chapter D. --- Advantages and Disadvantages of FTIR Spectroscopy --- p.17 / Chapter E. --- Time-resolved FTIR Spectroscopy --- p.18 / Chapter (1) --- Time-resolved Rapid Scan Scheme --- p.18 / Chapter (2) --- Step-scan Scheme --- p.19 / Chapter F. --- Several Considerations in Step-scan Time-resolved Spectroscopy / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Molecular Fluorescence --- p.24 / Chapter A. --- Transitions Between Electronic States --- p.24 / Chapter B. --- Absorption and Vibrational Relaxation --- p.26 / Chapter C. --- Internal Conversion and Fluorescence --- p.26 / Chapter D. --- Intersystem Crossing and Phosphorescence --- p.27 / Chapter E. --- Fluorescence Lifetime and Quantum Yield --- p.29 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Fourier Transform Spectroscopy of Zinc Phthalocyanine and Derivatives --- p.32 / Chapter A. --- Introduction --- p.32 / Chapter B. --- Apparatus --- p.35 / Chapter (1) --- VERTEX 70 FTIR Spectrometer --- p.35 / Chapter (2) --- Excitation Source --- p.38 / Chapter (3) --- Detectors and the Transient recorder --- p.38 / Chapter (4) --- Samples and Sample Cells --- p.39 / Chapter C. --- Experimental Setup --- p.40 / Chapter (1) --- Absorption Experiments --- p.40 / Chapter (2) --- Emission Experiments --- p.42 / Chapter D. --- Results and Discussion --- p.45 / Chapter (1) --- Absorption and Fluorescence Spectra --- p.45 / Chapter (2) --- Fluorescence Lifetimes and Quantum Yields --- p.51 / Chapter (3) --- Time-resolved Fluorescence Spectra --- p.54 / Chapter E. --- Some Experimental Details --- p.60 / Chapter (1) --- Choice of Windows for Regular Tests of the Instrument Performance --- p.60 / Chapter (2) --- Configurations of the Transient Recorder in OPUS --- p.61 / Chapter (3) --- Configurations of Detectors in OPUS --- p.61 / Chapter (4) --- The Standard Method of Extracting Time Slices --- p.62 / Chapter (5) --- Parameters that Easily Cause Problems --- p.63 / Chapter (6) --- Elimination of Background Noises --- p.64 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Concluding Remarks --- p.66 / Reference --- p.68

Neste trabalho foram estudados os processos de migração e transferência de energia em derivados de polifluoreno, de estrutura totalmente conjugada e de conjugação confinada. A dinâmica de estado excitado dos derivados PF-BNI, PFOPPV e PFPPV foi estudada em solução diluída de diferentes solventes através de espectroscopia eletrônica de alta resolução temporal. O derivado PF-BNI, contendo N-(2-benzotiazol)-1,8-naftalimida (BNI) como terminador da cadeia de poli(9,9\'dioctilfluoreno), foi sintetizado pela rota de Yamamoto. O material apresenta alto rendimento quântico de fluorescência e suas propriedades de emissão são moduladas pela polaridade do solvente. As medidas de fluorescência resolvida no tempo mostraram a migração do exciton singlete ao longo da cadeia polimérica e a formação de um estado excitado de transferência de carga intracadeia (ICCT). Os derivados PFOPPV e PFPPV são copolímeros de fluoreno contendo unidades fluoreno-vinileno-fenileno no segmento cromofórico. No PFOPPV o segmento cromofórico é confinado entre segmentos alifáticos (-(CH2)8-) flexíveis, no PFPPV a cadeia principal é totalmente conjugada. A dinâmica de estado excitado dos derivados, PFOPPV e PFPPV, é caracterizada pela presença de segmentos cromofóricos contendo isômeros cis e trans. No PFOPPV, a sua estrutura segmentada permite a transferência de energia entre os segmentos cromofóricos, via interações dipolo-dipolo. A transferência acarreta a depolarização da emissão de fluorescência. No caso do PFPPV a migração de energia ocorre em menos de 20 ps e o decaimento de fluorescência decorre da emissão de segmentos contendo isômeros cis e trans, já na condição estacionária. / This work reports the study of energy transfer and migration processes in fully conjugated and segmented polyfluorene derivatives. The excited-state dynamics of the derivatives, PF-BNI, PFOPPV and PFPPV was studied in diluted solution of different solvents by means of ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy. Poly(9,9\'-dioctylfluorene) end-capped with N-(2-benzothiazole)-1,8-naphthalimide, named PF-BNI, was prepared via Yamamoto-coupling reaction. This derivative is a highly fluorescence material with emission modulated by solvent polarity. Time-resolved fluorescence measurements showed the singlet exciton migration through the polymer backbone and the formation of an intrachain charge transfer excited-state (ICCT). PFOPPV and PFPPV are both fluorene copolymers containing fluorene-vinylene-phenylene moieties in the backbone. Whereas the PFPPV backbone is fully conjugated, the chromophore segment in PFOPPV backbone is confined between aliphatic (-(CH2)8-) flexible segments. The excited-state dynamics of both copolymers is characterized by the presence of conjugated moieties containing cis and trans isomers. The segmented structure of PFOPPV allows the resonant energy transfer between the chromophores, which is provided by dipole-dipole interactions. The energy transfer process leads to the depolarization of PFOPPV fluorescence emission. For PFPPV the energy migration occurs in less than 20 ps and the fluorescence decay is ascribed to the emission of chromophore segments containing cis and trans, already in a photostationary condition.

O desenvolvimento de técnicas analíticas, espectroscópicas e de imagem baseadas na detecção da fluorescência está associado com a necessidade por marcadores fluorescentes com variadas características e aplicabilidades. Dentre os diversos marcadores fluorescentes disponíveis, os derivados de borodipirrometenos (BODIPY), descobertos no final da década de 1960, passaram a ser amplamente utilizados desde o final da década de 1980. Esta tese de doutorado se trata de um estudo pioneiro no Brasil, envolvendo a síntese, modificação química e caracterização fotofísica de BODIPYs. Na primeira etapa do projeto métodos de obtenção de BODIPYs foram estabelecidos e aplicados na síntese de uma biblioteca de sondas fluorescentes. O estudo fotofísico dessa biblioteca de fluoróforos nos possibilitou identificar e estudar particularidades de alguns fluoróforos, como o solvatocromismo, halocromismo e ionocromismo. A segunda etapa do projeto envolveu o estabelecimento de métodos de modificação química de BODIPYs visando a diversificação fotofísica e estrutural da biblioteca de compostos. Foram sintetizados BODIPYs reativos que foram submetidos a reações de substituição nucleofílica, Suzuki, Sonogashira, Knoevenagel e arilação direta, levando à obtenção de compostos com propriedades ópticas diversas. Por fim, na terceira etapa do projeto, está descrito o desenvolvimento de novos métodos de modificação química de fluoróforos BODIPY. Foi desenvolvido um método simples de tiocianação direta dessa classe de compostos com bons rendimentos, baseado na utilização de tiocianato de amônio e oxone ®. O escopo e as limitações do novo método de tiocianação foi estudado em BODIPYs com propriedades eletrônicas diversas. Foi mostrada ainda a conversão de BODIPYs tiocianados a derivados tioalquilados com características ópticas particulares. Em conclusão, com esta tese de doutorado foi estabelecida uma linha de pesquisa inovadora envolvendo a síntese e modificação química de uma classe de compostos com ampla aplicação tecnológica. / The development of fluorescence-based analytical, spectroscopic and image techniques is associated with the necessity of fluorescent probes with diverse properties and applications. Among the available fluorescent probes, borondipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivatives, discovered in the late 1960`s, became widely applied since the late 1980`s. This PhD thesis is a pioneering study in Brazil, concerning the synthesis, chemical modification and photophysical characterization of BODIPYs. In the first stage of the project some methods for the synthesis of BODIPYs were stablished and then applied in the development of a library of fluorescent probes. The photophysical study of this fluorophore library enabled us to identify and further study particularities of some fluorophores, such as solvatochromism, halochromism and ionochromism. The second stage of the project involved the establishment of methods for the chemical modification BODIPYs, aiming at the photophysical and structural diversification of the library. Reactive BODIPYs were synthesized and subjected to reactions such as nucleophilic substitution, Suzuki, Sonogashira, Knoevenagel and direct arylation, resulting in the obtainment of compounds with diverse optical properties. Finally, in the third stage of the project, it is described the development of new methods for the chemical modification of BODIPY fluorophores. It was developed a simple and high yielding method for the direct thiocyanation of this class of compounds, based on the use of ammonium thiocyanate and oxone ®. The scope and limitations of the new thiocyanation method has been studied in BODIPYs with different electronic properties. It was also shown the conversion of thiocyanated BODIPYs to thioalkylated derivatives bearing particular optical characteristics. In conclusion, in this PhD thesis an innovative research line involving the synthesis and chemical modification of a class of compounds with broad technological application has been established.

The performance of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, ICP-MS, depends on the instrument's ability to transport sample ions through the vacuum interface and focus the ions into a well-defined beam that will eventually reach the mass analyzer. In this study two main experiments were performed on the Perkin Elmer NexION 300S, a commercial ICP-MS. First, planar laser-induced fluorescence images were taken of the ion beam in a working instrument downstream from a unique quadrupole ion deflector. The images showed the ability of the instrument design to focus the ions in the ion beam. Second, laser-induced fluorescence was used to characterize ion flow through the vacuum interface. The interface is unique to the NexION ICP-MS in that there are three extraction cones. The effect of a three-cone interface on ideal skimming is discussed.

Fluorescência é uma técnica bastante utilizada para diagnóstico, análise de materiais e tecidos biológicos, técnicas forenses entre outras. Neste contexto, métodos para detectar sinais de moléculas fluorescentes com maior sensibilidade e especificidade têm sido investigados, principalmente para detecção de moléculas em concentrações extremamente baixas. Dada a importância do tema, o presente trabalho, de caráter inovador, busca gerar nanoestruturas em prata com laser pulsado femtossegundo, capazes de aumentar níveis de fluorescência de moléculas próximas às nanoestruturas. Foi utilizado um laser Libra femtossegundo de 450 mW, 1 KHz de frequência e comprimento de onda de 850 nm da Coherent para a criação de nanoestruturas em prata pura polida. Diferentes parâmetros de marcação resultaram em variados perfis de nanoestruturas, tanto periódicas e regulares, quanto aglomerados caóticos de esferas nanométricas pela superfície marcada, onde as estruturas apresentavam periodicidade de aproximadamente 500 nm e as esferas possuem tamanhos variando de 50 a 500 nm, quando avaliadas por Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura (MEV) e Microscopia de força atômica (AFM). O efeito de proximidade destas nanoestruturas caóticas com a adição de um fluoróforo (Protoporfirina IX à 0,5 μg/ml em etanol) proporcionou um aumento do sinal de fluorescência, quando comparado à uma região não marcada, quando avaliado por microscopia confocal de fluorescêcia. Portanto, este aumento de sinal foi de aproximadamente 25 vezes para excitação de um fóton (405 nm) e cerca de 300 vezes para a excitação de dois fótons (800 nm). / Fluorescence is a widely applied technique in diagnosis, material and biological tissue analysis, forensic sciences and other areas. Tools for enhancing the fluorescence signal with high sensitivity and specificity are needed to detect trace levels of target molecules. This innovative project aims to create nanostructures on pure silver using femtosecond pulsed laser to enhance the fluorescence signal emission from molecules near that interface. It was used a femtosecond Libra laser of 450 mW, 1KHz of frequency and wavelength of 850 nm from Coherent to form the nanostructures on polished pure silver. The nanostructures were obtained on different shapes onto the surfaces, from periodic nanostructures having ~500 nm of periodicity, to chaotic agglomerates of silver spheres with size ranging from 50 to 500 nm, when analyzed with Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy. The effect of proximity between the chaotic structures and the fluorophore (Protoporphyrin IX at 0,5 μg/ml in ethanol) resulted in an increase of 25 times the fluorescence signal when used one photon excitation (405 nm) and enhancement of 300 times using two photon excitation.

This dissertation will focus on the volatile compounds released upon the burning of incense which are numerous and varied. The first part of this dissertation is the gas chromatography-mass spectral (GC-MS) analysis of burning incense collected via solid phase microextraction (SPME) with the aim of developing a library of compounds found in incense as used in the Orthodox church. The second part of this dissertation has the aim of developing a method for forming oleic acid bilayer vesicle membranes and a fluorescence spectroscopy method by which the reactivities of these vesicles can be analyzed. These reactivities include permeability, fluidity, aggregation, and fusion of the membranes. One family of the volatile compounds found in incense are the terpenes and terpenoids. The reactivity of the terpenes and terpenoids found in incense will be analyzed using the oleic acid vesicles with the hypothesis that terpenes of the same structural groups will act similarly on oleic acid vesicle membranes and these reactivities can be related to mechanistic interactions.

As optical microscopy techniques continue to improve, most notably the development of super-resolution optical microscopy which garnered the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2014, renewed emphasis has been placed on the development and use of fluorescence microscopy techniques. Of particular note is a renewed interest in multiphoton excitation due to a number of inherent properties of the technique including simplified optical filtering, increased sample penetration, and inherently confocal operation. With this renewed interest in multiphoton fluorescence microscopy, comes an increased demand for robust non-linear fluorescent markers, and characterization of the associated tool set. These factors have led to an experimental setup to allow a systematized approach for identifying and characterizing properties of fluorescent probes in the hopes that the tool set will provide researchers with additional information to guide their efforts in developing novel fluorophores suitable for use in advanced optical microscopy techniques as well as identifying trends for their synthesis. Hardware was setup around a software control system previously developed [1]. Three experimental tool sets were set up, characterized, and applied over the course of this work. These tools include scanning multiphoton fluorescence microscope with single molecule sensitivity, an interferometric autocorrelator for precise determination of the bandwidth and pulse width of the ultrafast Titanium Sapphire excitation source, and a simplified fluorescence microscope for the measurement of two-photon absorption cross sections. Resulting values for two-photon absorption cross sections and two-photon absorption action cross sections for two standardized fluorophores, four commercially available fluorophores, and ten novel fluorophores are presented as well as absorption and emission spectra.