Solvent dependent optical switching in carbazole-based fluorescent nanoparticles.

Suitably substituted ethynylphenyl carbazoles (PBM and PPM) form stable fluorescent organic nanoparticles. The emission of the nanoparticles can be reversibly switched on/off in the blue-green and orange-red regions by a change in the ratio of the tetrahydrofuran/water system used in their preparation. The size of the nanoparticles was found to be dependent on the solvent ratio, and the emissions were significantly red-shifted compared to those of dilute solutions of PBM and PPM in tetrahydrofuran. This is attributed to the formation of intermolecular charge transfer complexes in the nanoparticle state. The application of the nanoparticles as a chemical vapor sensor has been suggested.