Graphical Abstract
![](https://wqketang.oss-cn-beijing.aliyuncs.com/zip-unzip/zip-64d1ff15-53a4-4b62-845d-82b2dc867810/nr-11-3-1369/files/nr-11-3-1369-FE1.jpg?Expires=1725755511&OSSAccessKeyId=STS.NUNrx7UMJz4hQQXWC1h3rdYSp&Signature=B2Ziu%2Bqc%2F5c8SecY9PRIp%2BhUuu8%3D&security-token=CAISywJ1q6Ft5B2yfSjIr5b7OcKDuJJrzfaDU3fps0NkZLxei5z4kjz2IHtKenhsBOsbtfk1mG5W5%2FgZlqJ9SptIAEfJa9d99MybfrZDltCT1fau5Jko1beHewHKeTOZsebWZ%2BLmNqC%2FHt6md1HDkAJq3LL%2Bbk%2FMdle5MJqP%2B%2FUFB5ZtKWveVzddA8pMLQZPsdITMWCrVcygKRn3mGHdfiEK00he8TouufTinpHMskGA1Aell7Mvyt6vcsT%2BXa5FJ4xiVtq55utye5fa3TRYgxowr%2Fwo0v0YpGya5YzHXwcPskvdKZbo78UqLQlla6w%2BGqFJqvPxr%2Fp8t%2Fx5fWJKAezhVgs8cVM8JOjIqKOscIsiBmxs7AWPcD1LXoQ6vH1ZZ5%2FAzVZaVWUEMpNqcRxTMldXaQqhSZT8m3upKXzOJeX7ls9%2Fv%2FV7p8MZuo7UTzDnGoABFWkbnwnXWJnbmyet8fNq1LK%2Bo5i19G0TKS1upb2ojPIRD9fHSfEybtjVZCtT%2BRSUSA6dKZUIAhKOwQh2pUKCHaUgDc5z%2Bjvd3U3AGuvCOLDm7ZJ4V6HFro6ZvN2Fh%2Fmy5%2Fxr%2Fpk6MpkaCskP0lGzZTpciR50lVg%2BDl%2FC65RQaBQgAA%3D%3D)
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An anomalous enhancement of fluorescence of carbon dots (CDs) was observed via lanthanum (La) doping. La-doped CDs (La-CDs) were prepared through microwave pyrolysis within 4 min. With La3+ doping, the emission band shifted from blue to green although La3+ is non-fluorescent. The quantum yield and fluorescence lifetime improved by about 20% and 35%, respectively. All experiment results indicate that La3+ doping is an effective way to tune fluorescence and improve the performance of CDs. Another unique attribute of La-CDs is high sensitivity to Fe3+. The La-CD-based fluorescence probe was established and used for sensitive and selective detection of Fe3+ with a limit of detection of 91 nmol/L. The proposed fluorescence probe also was successfully employed to visualize intracellular Fe3+ in live HeLa cells through cell imaging. It was also shown that yttrium exhibited the same fluorescence enhancement effect as La. The results may provide a new route for preparing CDs with special properties.
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