Low-Saturation-Intensity, High-Photostability, and High-Resolution STED Nanoscopy Assisted by CsPbBr3 Quantum Dots

Abstract

Stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy is one of the most promising super-resolution imaging techniques for microstructure imaging. Commercial CdSe@ZnS quantum dots are used as STED probes and ≈50 nm lateral resolution is obtained. Compared with other quantum dots, perovskite CsPbBr₃ nanoparticles (NPs) possess higher photoluminescence quantum yield and larger absorption cross-section, making them a more effective probe for STED nanoscopy. In this study, CsPbBr₃ NPs are used as probes for STED nanoscopy imaging. The fluorescence intensity of the CsPbBr₃ sample is hardly weakened at all after 200 min irradiation with a 39.8 mW depletion laser, indicating excellent photobleaching resistance of the CsPbBr₃ NPs. The saturation intensity of the CsPbBr₃ NPs is extremely low and estimated to be only 0.4 mW (0.126 MW cm^-2 ). Finally, an ultrahigh lateral resolution of 20.6 nm is obtained for a single nanoparticle under 27.5 mW STED laser irradiation in CsPbBr₃ -based STED nanoscopy imaging, which is a tenfold improvement compared with confocal microscopy. Because of its high fluorescence stability and ultrahigh resolution under lower depletion power, CsPbBr₃ -assisted STED nanoscopy has great potential to investigate microstructures that require super-resolution and long-term imaging.

Keywords: CsPbBr3 quantum dots; STED nanoscopy; excellent photobleaching resistance; high resolution.