Luminescent nanoparticle tracers, and systems and methods for fabrication and use thereof

A method, comprising:

• providing a tracer on or in a structure, the tracer comprising a silicate suspension having therein a plurality of tracer particle complexes, the tracer particle complex comprising:
• a photoluminescent substrate encapsulated by a first protective layer;
• and
• a core coupled to the photoluminescent substrate and comprising one or more photoluminescent quantum dots encapsulated by a second protective layer;
• subjecting the structure with the tracer to a harsh environment;
• and
• irradiating the tracer with excitation radiation having a first wavelength and detecting resulting photoluminescence emitted by the tracer.

A method of fabricating a tracer comprising a silicate suspension having therein a plurality of tracer particle complexes, each tracer particle complex comprising:

• a photoluminescent substrate encapsulated by a first protective layer;
• and
• a core coupled to the photoluminescent substrate and comprising one or more photoluminescent quantum dots encapsulated by a second protective layer, the method comprising:
• by a first silication process, forming the first protective layer encapsulating the photoluminescent substrate;
• by a second silication process, forming the second protective layer encapsulating the one or more photoluminescent quantum dots to form the core;
• coupling the core to the photoluminescent substrate via the first and second protective layers to form a tracer particle complex;
• and
• disposing the tracer particle complex in a silicate suspension.