Ultrafast photoinduced dynamics of the 3,6-diaminoacridinium derivative ATTO 465 in solution.

The excited state dynamics of the dye ATTO 465, a well-known fluorescence marker for biological applications, have been characterized in various solvents including THF, ethanol, methanol, water and the highly polar protic ionic liquid 2-hydroxyethylammonium formate (2-OH-EAF) by combining results from time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) and ultrafast pump-supercontinuum probe (PSCP) spectroscopy as well as steady-state absorption and fluorescence. In water, 2-OH-EAF and two fluorinated alcohols, there is a pronounced blue-shift and broadening of the S(0) → S(1) absorption band and also a larger Stokes shift than in the other solvents, indicating a particular influence of hydrogen-bonding interactions. S(1) lifetimes from TCSPC at 25 °C range from 3.3 ns to 5.6 ns. An unusual increase in the S(1) lifetime with temperature is observed for ethanol and methanol, however water behaves in the opposite way. The behavior can be tentatively explained by a solvent- and temperature-dependent "proximity effect", where coupling of the close-lying S(1) and S(2) states influences the intramolecular relaxation rate of the dye. In addition, temperature-dependent complex equilibria of ATTO 465 with solvent molecules may influence the measured lifetimes. Several excited-state absorption (ESA) transitions are identified in the PSCP spectra, which are in good agreement with the position of the UV bands in the steady-state absorption spectra. Small shifts of the stimulated emission and ESA bands are consistent with solvation dynamics in the excited electronic state. An additional ~16 ps component in water, visible over the entire spectral range, is tentatively ascribed to a fast IC channel which is accessed by a fraction of ATTO 465 molecules.

Spiropyrans as molecular optical switches.

Optical microscopes use visible light and an arrangement of lenses to provide us with magnified images of small samples. Combined with efficient fluorescent probes and highly sensitive fluorescence detection techniques they allow the non-invasive 3D study of subcellular structures even in living cells or tissue. However, optical microscopes are subject to diffraction of light which limits optical resolution to approximately 200 nm in the imaging plane. In the recent past, powerful methods emerged that enable fluorescence microscopy with subdiffraction optical resolution. Since most of these methods are based on the temporal control of fluorescence emission of fluorophores, photochromic molecules that can be switched reversibly between a fluorescent on- and a non-fluorescent off-state are the key for super-resolution imaging methods. Here, we present our approach to use spiropyran-fluorophore conjugates as efficient molecular optical switches (photoswitches). In these photochromic conjugates fluorescence emission of the fluorophore is controlled by the state of the spiropyran, which can be switched reversibly between a colorless spiropyran and a colored merocyanine form upon irradiation with light. Thus, the efficiency of energy transfer from the fluorophore to the spiropyran can be modulated by the irradiation conditions. We present ensemble data of the switching process of various spiropyrans and spiropyran-fluorophore conjugates and demonstrate photoswitching at the single-molecule level. Our data suggest that spiropyrans have to be immobilized in polymers to stabilize the merocyanine form in order to be useful for super-resolution fluorescence imaging based on precise localization of individual emitters. Special emphasis is put on photobleaching of donor fluorophores due to UV irradiation, i.e. photoswitching of the photochromic acceptor. Furthermore, we present a water soluble switchable spiropyran derivative and demonstrate the first intermolecular single-molecule photoswitching experiments in polymers.

Characterization of new fluorescent labels for ultra-high resolution microscopy.

Photo-induced switching of dyes into dark, long-lived states, such as a triplet state, has recently gained increasing interest, as a means to achieve ultra-high optical resolution. Additionally, these long lived states are often highly environment-sensitive and their photodynamics can thus offer additional independent fluorescence-based information. However, although providing a useful mechanism for photo-induced switching, the triplet state often appears as a precursor state for photobleaching, which potentially can limit its usefulness. In this work, a set of rhodamine and pyronin dyes, modified by substitution of heavy atoms and nitrogen within or close to the central xanthene unit of the dyes, were investigated with respect to their triplet state dynamics and photostabilities, under conditions relevant for ultra-high resolution microscopy. Out of the dyes investigated, in particular the rhodamine and pyronin dyes with a sulfur atom replacing the central oxygen atom in the xanthene unit were found to meet the requirements for ultra-high resolution microscopy, combining a prominent triplet state yield with reasonable photostability.