LAUSR

Abstract Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanoparticles showing many advantages for photoluminescence (PL) applications. Since common QDs contain toxic elements such as Cd, Pb, Se, and Te, ZnS-AgInS2 (ZAIS) has been developed as a quantum nanomaterial with low cytotoxicity. In this study, ZAIS@ZnS core-shell QDs coated with carboxyl groups (ZAIS@ZnS-MPA) were prepared as water-soluble nanoparticles. The PL characteristics of ZAIS@ZnS-MPA were studied on a plasmonic chip, which is a substrate with wavelength-scale periodic structures coated with thin metal films, and the PL enhancement of ZAIS by an electromagnetic field derived from grating-coupled surface plasmon resonance (GC-SPR) was also evaluated. The PL spectroscopic characteristics obtained on the grating patterns with a 480 nm-pitch were enhanced in a wider wavelength range. Furthermore, photobleaching, which occurs in conventional fluorescence molecules, was not observed under halogen lamp illumination. The PL and spectroscopic imaging under a microscope indicated the PL characteristics of the ZAIS@ZnS-MPA nanoparticles on the plasmonic chip under appropriate conditions.