This ‘hybrid glass’ combines the properties of luminescent nanoparticles with those of glass, such as transparency and the ability to be processed into various shapes.
“These novel luminescent nanoparticles – called up conversion nanoparticles – have become promising candidates for a variety of ultra-high tech applications such as 3D volumetric displays,” says researcher Dr Tim Zhao.
"For example," he continued, "neuroscientists currently use dye injected into the brain and lasers to guide a glass pipette to the site they are interested in. If fluorescent nanoparticles were embedded in the glass pipettes, the luminescence of the hybrid glass could act like a torch to guide the pipette directly to the individual neurons of interest."
Although this method was developed using up conversion nanoparticles, the researchers believe their ‘direct doping’ approach can be generalised to other nanoparticles with interesting photonic, electronic and magnetic properties.
Project leader Professor Heike Ebendorff-Heideprem added: “With our direct doping method, which involves synthesising the nanoparticles and glass separately and then combining them using the right conditions, we’ve been able to keep the nanoparticles intact and well dispersed throughout the glass. We are heading towards a whole new world of hybrid glass and devices for light-based technologies.”