RT Journal Article
T1 Exploiting negative photochromism to harness a four-photon-like fluorescence response with two-photon excitation
A1 Benítez Martín, Carlos
A1 Rouillon, Jean
A1 Fron, Eduard
A1 De Jong, Flip
A1 Grøtli, Morten
A1 Hofkens, Johan
A1 Pischel, Uwe
A1 Andréasson, Joakim
AB Combining nonlinear optical processes and photoswitching transcends the limitations of conventional and even standalone super-resolution imaging. While photoswitching enables resolution improvement, it is typically constrained by limited imaging depth, potential phototoxicity and the low number of inherently fluorescent photoswitches.Nonlinear excitation, such as twophoton absorption, addresses some of these challenges. Here, we present a molecular design strategy that unites the molecular control of T-type negative photoswitches (PS) and two-photon absorption. In these designs, two-photon absorbing push-pull fluorophores that function as FRET-donors are linked to T-type negative PS FRET-acceptors, e.g., donor-acceptor Stenhouse adducts (DASA) or 1,1′-binaphthyl-bridged imidazole dimers. FRET- sensitized isomerization of PS is delicately balanced by reverse thermal isomerization and results in nonlinearly potentiated fluorescence with a quartic fluorescence response upon two-photon excitation, implying enhanced spatial resolution potential. The use of T-type PS is instrumental to this approach, as it ensures temporally stable photonic responses and recyclability without incurring irreversible saturation effects.
PB Nature Research
SN 2041-1723 (electrónico)
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10272/27685
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10272/27685
LA eng
NO Benítez-Martín, C., Rouillon, J., Fron, E., de Jong, F., Grøtli, M., Hofkens, J., Pischel, U., & Andréasson, J. (2025). Exploiting negative photochromism to harness a four-photon-like fluorescence response with two-photon excitation. Nature Communications, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-66602-1
NO Open access funding provided by Chalmers University of Technology. The authors are indebted to the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) for financial support of the EIC PATHFINDER (project 101098934 − 4for2). J. A. also thanks the Swedish Research Council VR (project 2021-05311).
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
RD 28 may 2026