Labelling of silica microspheres with fluorescent lanthanide-doped LaF3 nanocrystals

Fluorescent microspheres have been demonstrated to be useful in a variety of biological applications. Fluorescent silica or polymer microspheres have been produced by incorporation of chromophores into the microspheres, which usually produces microspheres with nonuniform sizes and reduced fluorescence. Here we present a simple and straightforward method to produce silica microspheres with fluorescent lanthanide-doped LaF3 nanocrystals grown on the surface. LaF3 nanocrystals are in situ grown on silica microspheres of different sizes to form a raspberry-like structure. The microspheres exhibit strong fluorescence and the colour could be altered by changing the lanthanide ions doped in LaF3 nanocrystals.