(CdSe)ZnS Core-Shell Quantum Dots - Synthesis and Characterization of a Size Series of Highly Luminescent Nanocrystallites

TLDR: In this paper, a synthesis of highly luminescent (CdSe)ZnS composite quantum dots with CdSe cores ranging in diameter from 23 to 55 A was reported.

Abstract: We report a synthesis of highly luminescent (CdSe)ZnS composite quantum dots with CdSe cores ranging in diameter from 23 to 55 A. The narrow photoluminescence (fwhm ≤ 40 nm) from these composite dots spans most of the visible spectrum from blue through red with quantum yields of 30−50% at room temperature. We characterize these materials using a range of optical and structural techniques. Optical absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopies probe the effect of ZnS passivation on the electronic structure of the dots. We use a combination of wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, small and wide angle X-ray scattering, and transmission electron microscopy to analyze the composite dots and determine their chemical composition, average size, size distribution, shape, and internal structure. Using a simple effective mass theory, we model the energy shift for the first excited state for (CdSe)ZnS and (CdSe)CdS dots with varying shell thickness. Finally, we characterize the...