The detection and imaging of singlet oxygen produced by natural processes, or by photochemical and chemical reactions has become an important goal in probe design. The short half-life and solvent sensitive nature of the singlet oxygen makes this detection highly challenging. At the same time, since singlet oxygen can be the precursor of other reactive oxygen species (ROS), it is crucial to have a selective probe for singlet oxygen in the presence of other oxidizing species. The challenge is immense, yet there are already brilliant examples of smart probe design. This review mechanistically classifies and discusses what is being done in order to obtain a selective response and at the same time, push the signalling events towards longer wavelengths of the visible spectrum.

自然过程或光化学和化学反应产生的单线态氧的检测和成像已成为探针设计的重要目标。单线态氧的半衰期短且对溶剂敏感，因此这种检测极具挑战性。同时，由于单重态氧可以是其他活性氧（ROS）的前体，因此在存在其他氧化性物质的情况下，具有针对单重态氧的选择性探针至关重要。挑战是巨大的，但智能探头设计已经有了出色的例子。本综述从机械上进行分类，并讨论了为了获得选择性响应并同时将信号事件推向可见光谱的更长波长而进行的操作。