Neodymium-Doped Nanocrystals for Sensing Cellular Temperature at the Nanoscale

Abstract

Precise temperature monitoring in living cells is crucial for localized hyperthermia in cancer treatment, as heterogeneous heating can limit both efficacy and safety. Sub-micron thermal measurements are therefore essential for effective therapy, but highly challenging. To address this, luminescent nanothermometers such as lanthanide-doped nanocrystals have been investigated for accurate spatiotemporal thermal monitoring in cells. In this study, highly luminescent neodymium-doped sodium yttrium fluoride nanocrystals (Nd-NCs) were synthesized by adjusting dopant concentration and inert shelling to optimize near-infrared photoluminescence (PL). Standard curves for temperature readout were devel..