Synthesis of Cadmium Selenide Quantum Dots from a Non-Coordinating Solvent: Growth Kinetics and Particle Size Distribution

Here we report on the synthesis of CdSe quantum dots from a noncoordinating solvent. We show that nucleation and growth is very fast and is completed within 100 s. The subsequent increase in average particle size is due to diffusion limited coarsening. Growth and coarsening can be quenched by injection of dodecanethiol. Finally, we compare the size distribution obtained from analysis of the absorption edge with the size distribution obtained from analysis of transmission electron microscope images.