Light‐Induced Generation of Singlet Oxygen by Naked Gold Nanoparticles and its Implications to Cancer Cell Phototherapy

Abstract

Generation of singlet oxygen by direct irradiation of naked gold nanoparticles is observed using either continuous wave or pulsed laser sources. The underlying mechanism involves plasmon- and hot-electron-mediated reaction pathways and (1) O2 seems to significantly amplify the overall death rates during photothermal treatment of cancer cell lines in vitro.