Fluorescence decay time of single semiconductor nanocrystals

We present fluorescence decay measurements of single ZnS covered CdSe nanocrystals. It is shown that the fluorescence decay time is fluctuating during the investigation leading to a multiexponential decay even for a single nanocrystal. In combination with measurements of the fluorescence blinking behavior we find that a high fluorescence intensity is correlated with a long fluorescence decay time. This is consistent with a model of fluctuating nonradiative decay channels leading to variable dynamic quenching processes of the excited state.