Shape-controlled assembly of luminescent dumbbell-like CdTe-cystine nanocomposites

A shape perfect luminescent dumbbell with size up to several microns was prepared by incorporating CdTe quantum dots (QDs) into locally created L-cystine matrices, and the photoluminescence of the shaped dumbbells can be easily tailored by reaction time. The growth mechanism was thoroughly investigated. This work not only gives a potential application in optical devices, but also gives a deep insight on the assembly mechanism of nanomaterials into micron-size objects.