New Generation of Nanophotonic Oxygen Sensors Developed in Iran for Treatment of Cancer Tumors
“In this research, lanthanide upconversion nanoemitters have been used to develop a new generation of oxygen nanophotonic sensors for subcutaneous applications,” said Esmayeel Heidari, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Physics of Kharazmi University and the founder of the Nanophotonic and Optofluidic Sensors Laboratory.
He explained that the frequency upconversion phenomenon is a nonlinear process in which two or more low-energy near-infrared photons are absorbed and a high-energy photon with a shorter wavelength is emitted.
“High optical stability, non-dependence of radiation spectrum on dimensions of nanoparticles and long radiation lifetime are among the features of this type of nanoemitters which has increased attention to the frequency conversion lanthanide nanoemitters,” Heidari said.
Results of the project are applicable in development of a new generation of nanophotonic oxygen sensors in medical fields, continuous and minimally invasive glucose sensors for diabetic patients, oxygen imaging in treatment of cancer tumors in hypoxic conditions with infrared stimulation, and photodynamic therapy with infrared stimulation.
Iran currently ranks 4th in the world in production of nano-science. This comes as a part of Iran's Nanotechnology Initiative Council’s first development plan, which has sought to advance nano-science in the country.
The second 10-year plan, which started in 2015, seeks to move nano-science from paper to the industry. In the meantime, the Nanotechnology Initiative Council is working on a third plan to trade Iranian nano-products in the global market.
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