The new precursors MAI3+x and FAI3+x exhibit exceptionally high reactivity towards lead precursors and result in high quality lead-halide perovskite films.

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Core/shell Si/SiO x nanoparticles (Si/SiO x -NP) having bright red-infrared photoluminescence were obtained by a three-stage synthesis based on the thermal disproportionation of microdispersed SiO. Transformation patterns of structure and spectroscopic properties of the material during passage through all process stages (starting from initial SiO microparticles and up to the Si/SiO x -NP sols) have been revealed by using Raman, photoluminescence and ESR spectroscopy, XPS, XRD, and electron microscopy. Thermal annealing of SiO microparticles (stage I) results in formation of amorphous-crystalline Si nanophase in the matrix of SiO 2 , as well as generation of paramagnetic P b centres with the concentration up to 4 9 10 18 particles/g. At the annealing temperature, T an [ 900°C, a rapid growth of nanocrystal sizes takes place, and, simultaneously, a rapid growth of paramagnetic P b centre concentration occurs. Elimination of SiO 2 from the annealed sample by etching in HF (stage II) stimulates further crystallization of amorphous-crystalline core, caused by stress relaxation inside the Si core when removing SiO 2 matrix. Functionalization of nanoparticle surface (stage III) allows obtaining core/shell Si/SiO x -NP with a bright red-infrared photoluminescence and their sols. Average size of the crystalline Si core increases from 4.7 to 11.1 nm when T an at the stage I rises from 350 to 1100°C. At relatively low T an = 350°C, the nanoparticles with monocrystalline Si cores are mainly formed, while at T an [ 1100°C, a large number of polycrystalline Si nanoparticles are also observed. Our TEM images have revealed the existence of monocrystalline Si nanoparticles having significantly different contrast even at comparable nanoparticle sizes. We attribute that to the formation of both bulk (with a high TEM contrast) and flat (2D) Si nanocrystals (with a low TEM contrast) in the course of SiO annealing.

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) coupled with cancer-specific targeting ligands are new promising agents for fluorescent visualization of cancer cells. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2/neu (HER2/neu), overexpressed on the surface of many cancer cells, is an important target for cancer diagnostics. Antibody scFv fragments as a targeting agent for direct delivery of fluorophores offer significant advantages over full-size antibodies due to their small size, lower cross-reactivity, and immunogenicity. We have used quantum dots linked to anti-HER2/neu 4D5 scFv antibody to label HER2/neu-overexpressing live cells. Labeling of target cells was shown to have high brightness, photostability, and specificity. The results indicate that construction based on quantum dots and scFv antibody can be successfully used for cancer cell visualization.

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