Recent progress in efficient organic two-photon dyes for fluorescence imaging and photodynamic therapy

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. C, Materials for optical and electronic devices Vol. 8; no. 19; pp. 6342 - 6349
• Main Authors: Xu, Liang, Zhang, Junzheng, Yin, Lingfeng, Long, Xueting, Zhang, Wenying, Zhang, Qichun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 21.05.2020
• ISSN: 2050-7526; 2050-7534
• DOI: 10.1039/d0tc00563k

Two-photon excitation has important advantages over conventional one-photon excitation due to its charming advantages including longer-wavelength excitation, lower auto-fluorescence, higher 3D resolution and less photobleaching. These advantages have generated a strong demand for efficient two-photon dyes with high two-photon absorption cross-sections and fluorescence quantum yields. For this reason, the emerging structure-property correlations that can serve as guidelines for the enhancement of two-photon absorption cross-sections and fluorescence quantum yields are summarized in detail. In addition, the existing challenges as well as future perspectives are also discussed. The enhancement of two-photon absorption cross-section, fluorescence quantum yield and singlet oxygen generation efficiency for organic dyes and their applications in two-photon excited fluorescence imaging and photodynamic therapy are summarized.