Sub-millisecond electric field sensing with an individual rare-earth doped ferroelectric nanocrystal

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel nanosensor using rare-earth doped ferroelectric nanocrystals capable of detecting electric fields with sub-millisecond response time and high sensitivity, advancing neural signal monitoring.

Contribution

The study demonstrates a new optical electric field sensor based on ferroelectric nanocrystals with rapid response and high sensitivity, suitable for neural activity detection.

Findings

Response time of 100 microseconds for electric field detection.

Sensitivity of 4.8 kV/cm/√Hz enabling detection of neuronal signals.

Successful spectral change observation under external electric fields.

Abstract

Understanding the dynamics of electrical signals within neuronal assemblies is crucial to unraveling complex brain function. Despite recent advances in employing optically active nanostructures in transmembrane potential sensing, there remains room for improvement in terms of response time and sensitivity. Here, we report the development of such a nanosensor capable of detecting electric fields with a submillisecond response time at the single particle level. We achieve this by using ferroelectric nanocrystals doped with rare earth ions producing upconversion (UC). When such a nanocrystal experiences a variation of surrounding electric potential, its surface charge density changes, inducing electric polarization modifications that vary, via converse piezoelectric effect, the crystal field around the ions. The latter variation is finally converted into UC spectral changes, enabling optical detection of electric potential. To develop such a sensor, we synthesized erbium and ytterbium-doped barium titanate crystals of size $\approx160$~nm. We observed distinct changes in the UC spectrum when individual nanocrystals were subjected to an external field via a conductive AFM tip, with a response time of 100~$\mu$s. Furthermore, our sensor exhibits a remarkable sensitivity of 4.8~kV/cm/$\sqrt{\rm Hz}$, enabling time-resolved detection of fast changing electric field of amplitude comparable to that generated during a neuron action potential.