Mercaptosuccinic acid capped cadmium telluride quantum dots as luminescent thermometer over a wide temperature range of-100 to 60°C

Thermal-sensitive photoluminescence (PL) properties of cadmium telluride quantum dots capped with mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA-CdTe QDs) were investigated by collecting QDs' PL steady-state spectra and decay curves from a cryogenic temperature of -100 degrees C to 60 degrees C. These QDs display peak wavelength redshift and shorten fluorescence lifetime with the increase of temperature. In situ XRD patterns showed that the QDs' grain size increases due to thermal expansion induced by the increasement of temperature, which further leads to the redshift of luminescence peak wavelength position. The results prove MSA-CdTe QDs are excellent candidates for luminescence thermometry over a broad temperature range of -100 to 60 degrees C.

Automated summary

This study investigates the thermal-sensitive photoluminescence properties of mercaptosuccinic acid-capped cadmium telluride quantum dots. It is found that the peak wavelength of the quantum dots' photoluminescence redshifts and the fluorescence lifetime shortens with increasing temperature. In situ XRD patterns show that the increase in temperature leads to thermal expansion and an increase in grain size, resulting in the redshift of the luminescence peak wavelength position. The results demonstrate that mercaptosuccinic acid-capped cadmium telluride quantum dots are excellent candidates for luminescence thermometry over a wide temperature range from -100 to 60 degrees C.