A Molecular Thermometer for Nanoparticles for Optical Hyperthermia

We developed an all-optical method to measure the temperature on gold (nanorods and nanostars) and magnetite nanoparticles under near-infrared and radiofrequency excitation by monitoring the excited state lifetime of Rhodamine B that lies within congruent to 2.20 nm from the nanoparticle surface. We reached high temperature sensitivity (0.029 +/- 0.001 ns/degrees C) and low uncertainty (+/- 0.3 degrees C). Gold nanostars are congruent to 3 and congruent to 100 times more efficient than gold nanorods and magnetite nanoparticles in inducing localized hyperthermia.