Synthesis of CdSe and CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots with Tunable Crystal Structure and Photoluminescent Properties

Mastery over the structure of nanocrystals is a powerful tool for the control of their fluorescence properties and to broaden the range of their applications. In this work, the crystalline structure of CdSe can be tuned by the precursor concentration and the dosage of tributyl phosphine, which is verified by XRD, photoluminescence and UV-vis spectra, TEM observations, and time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) technology. Using a TBP-assisted thermal-cycling technique coupled with the single precursor method, core-shell QDs with different shell thicknesses were then prepared. The addition of TBP improves the isotropic growth of the shell, resulting in a high QY value, up to 91.4%, and a single-channel decay characteristic of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots. This work not only provides a facile synthesis route to precisely control the core-shell structures and fluorescence properties of CdSe nanocrystals but also builds a link between ligand chemistry and crystal growth theory.

Automated summary

In this work, the crystalline structure of CdSe was successfully tuned by adjusting the precursor concentration and the dosage of tributyl phosphine. Core-shell quantum dots with different shell thicknesses were prepared by using TBP-assisted thermal-cycling technique. The addition of TBP improved the isotropic growth of the shell, resulting in high quantum yield and single-channel decay characteristic of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots. This study not only provides a facile synthesis route for controlling the core-shell structures and fluorescence properties of CdSe nanocrystals but also establishes a connection between ligand chemistry and crystal growth theory.