We synthesized a novel super-multiplexed palette of Raman probes, by engineering conjugated poly-ynes (also called carbon-atom wires). Compared to other carbon materials such as graphene and carbon nanotube, carbon-atom wire is one of the least studied carbon allotropes with 1-D structure. We realized and harnessed the optical tunability of these wires. By meticulously engineering of the conjugation length, isotope doping and end-capping substitutions, we synthesized a library of wires with distinct Raman frequencies. 20 of them are termed as Carbon rainbow (i.e., Carbow).
F. Hu, C. Zeng, R. Long, Y. Miao, L. Wei, Q. Xu and W. Min. Super-multiplexed optical imaging and barcoding with engineered polyynes. Nature Methods (2018) in press.
Z. Chen, D. Paley, L. Wei, A. Weisman, R. Friesner, C. Nuckolls* and W. Min*. “Multicolor live-cell chemical imaging by isotopically edited alkyne vibrational palette”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136, 8027 (2014).
