• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2017

We have investigated the washing method of as-synthesized CdSe/ZnS core/shell structure quantum dots (QDs) and the effective surface passivation method of the washed QDs using PMMA. The quantum yield (QY%) of as-synthesized QDs decreases with time, from 79.3% to 21.1%, owing to surface reaction with residual organics. The decreased QY% is restored to the QY% of as-synthesized QDs by washing. However, the QY% of washed QDs also decreases with time, owing to the absence of surface passivation layer. On the other hand, the PMMA-treated QDs maintained a relatively higher QY% after washing than that of the washed QDs that were kept in toluene solution for 30 days. Formation of the PMMA coating layer on CdSe/ZnS QD surface is confirmed by HR-TEM and FT-IR. It is found that the PMMA surface coating, when combined with washing, is useful to be applied in the storage of QDs, owing to its long-term stability.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.265-265
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• 2011

자발형성법으로 InP (001) 기판에 성장한 InAs/InAlGaAs 양자점(QDs: quantum dots)의 광학적 특성을 PL (photoluminescence)와 TRPL (time-resolved PL)을 이용하여 분석하였다. InAs QDs 시료는 single layer InAs QDs (QD1)과 7-stacked InAs QDs (QD2)를 사용하였다. 두 시료 모두 저온 (10 K)에서 1,320 nm에서 PL 피크가 나타나고, 온도가 증가함에 따라 PL 피크는 적색편이 (red-shift)를 보였다. 양자점의 온도를 10 K에서 300 K까지 증가하였을 때 QD1은 178 nm 적색편이 하였으며, PL 스펙트럼 폭은 온도가 증가함에 따라 증가하였다. 그러나 QD2는 264 nm 적색편이를 보였으며 PL 스펙트럼의 폭은 QD1 시료와 반대로 온도가 증가함에 따라 감소하였다. QD2의 아주 넓은 PL 스펙트럼 폭과 매우 큰 적색편이는 InAs 양자점 크기의 변화가 QD1에 비해 훨씬 크기 때문이다. QD2의 경우 InAs 층수(layer number)가 증가함에 따라 InAs QD의 크기가 점차 증가하므로 QD 크기의 변화가 single layer인 QD1 시료보다 훨씬 크다. QD1의 PL 소멸은 파장이 증가함에 따라 점차 느려지다가 PL 피크 근처에서 가장 느린 소멸 곡선을 보이고, 파장이 더 증가하였을 때 PL 소멸은 점차 빠르게 소멸하였다. 그러나 QD2의 PL 소멸곡선은 파장이 증가함에 따라 점차 빠르게 소멸하였다. 이것은 QD2는 양자점 크기의 변화가 매우 크기 때문에 (lateral size=18~29 nm, height=2.8~5.9 nm) 방출파장이 증가함에 따라 양자점 사이의 파동함수의 겹침이 증가하여 캐리어의 이완이 증가하기 때문으로 설명된다. 온도에 따른 TRPL 결과는 두 시료 모두 10 K에서 150 K 까지는 소멸시간이 증가하였고, 150 K 이후부터는 소멸시간이 감소하였다. 온도가 증가함에 따라 소멸시간이 증가하는 것은 양자점에서 장벽과 WL (wetting layer)로 운반자(carrier)의 이동, 양자점들 사이에 열에 의해 유도된 운반자의 재분배 등으로 인한 발광 재결합으로 설명할 수 있다. 150 K 이상에서 소멸시간이 감소하는 것은 열적효과에 의한 비발광 재결합 과정에 의한 운반자의 소멸이 증가하기 때문이다. 온도에 따른 TRPL 결과는 두 시료 모두 150 K까지는 발광재결합이 우세하고, 150 K 이상에서 비발광재겹합이 우세하게 나타났다.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.143-148
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• 2016

A microfluidic reactor with computer-controlled programmable isocratic pumps and online detectors is employed as a combinatorial synthesis system to synthesize and analyze materials for fabricating CdSe quantum dots for various applications. Four reaction condition parameters, namely, the reaction temperature, reaction time, Cd/Se compositional ratio, and precursor concentration, are combined in synthesis condition sets, and the size of the synthesized CdSe quantum dots is determined for each condition. The average time corresponding to each reaction condition for obtaining the ultraviolet-visible absorbance and photoluminescence spectra is approximately 10 min. Using the data from the combinatorial synthesis system, the effects of the reaction conditions on the synthesized CdSe quantum dots are determined. Further, the data is used to determine the relationships between the reaction conditions and the CdSe particle size. This method should aid in determining and selecting the optimal conditions for synthesizing nanoparticles for diverse applications.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1555-1560
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• 2010

Quantum dots (QDs) are extensively employed for biomedical research as a fluorescence reporter and their use for various labeling applications will continue to increase as they are preferred over conventional labeling methods for various reasons. However, concerns have been raised over the toxicity of these particles in the biological system. Till date no thorough investigation has been carried out to identify the molecular signatures of QD mediated toxicity. In this study we evaluated the toxicity of CdSe, $Cd_{1-x}Zn_xS$/ZnS and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots having different spectral properties (red, blue, green) using human embryonic kidney fibroblast cells (HEK293). Cell viability assay for both short and long duration exposure show concentration material dependent toxicity, in the order of CdSe > $Cd_{1-x}Zn_xS$/ZnS > CdSe/ZnS. Genome wide changes in the expression of genes upon QD exposure was also analyzed by wholegenome microarray. All the three QDs show increase in the expression of genes related to apoptosis, inflammation and response towards stress and wounding. Further comparison of coated versus uncoated CdSe QD-mediated cell death and molecular changes suggests that ZnS coating could reduce QD mediated cytotoxicity to some extent only.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.342-347
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• 2012

The optical properties of InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on a GaAs substrates by migration enhanced molecular beam epitaxy method have been investigated by using photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements. The luminescence properties of InAs/GaAs QDs have been studied as functions of temperature, excitation laser power, and emission wavelength. The PL peak of InAs QDs capped with $In_{0.15}Ga_{0.85}As$ layer (QD2) measured at 10 K is redshifted about 80 nm compared with that of InAs QDs with no InGaAs layer (QD1). This redshift of QD2 is attributed to the increase in dot size due to the diffusion of In from the InGaAs capping layer. The PL decay times of QD1 and QD2 at 10 K are 1.12 and 1.00 ns taken at the PL peak of 1,117 and 1,197 nm, respectively. The reduced decay time of QD2 can be explained by the improved carrier confinement and enhanced wave function overlap due to increased QD size. The PL decay times for both QD1 and QD2 are independent on the emission wavelength, indicating the uniformity of dot size.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.170-177
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• 2018

Colloidally synthesized luminescent nanocrystals (NCs) have attracted tremendous attention due to their unique nanoscale optical and electronic properties. The emission properties of these NCs can be precisely tuned by controlling their size, shape, and composition as well as by introducing appropriate dopant impurities. Nowadays, these NCs are actively utilized for various applications such as optoelectronic devices including light emitting diodes (LEDs), lasers, and solar cells, and bio-medical applications such as imaging agents and bio-sensors. In this review, we classify luminescent nanomaterials into quantum dots (QDs), upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), and perovskite NCs and present their intrinsic emission mechanism. Furthermore, the recently emerging issues of efficiency, toxicity, and durability in these materials are discussed for better understanding of industry demands. As well, the future outlook will be offered for researchers to guide the direction of future research.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.442-448
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• 2011

Self-assembled InAs/InAlGaAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on an InP (001) substrate have been investigated by using photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements. The single layer (QD1) and seven stacks (QD2) of InAs/InAlGaAs QDs grown by the conventional S-K growth mode were used. The PL peak at 10 K was 1,320 nm for both QD1 and QD2. As the temperature increases from 10 to 300 K, the PL peaks for QD1 and QD2 were red-shifted in the amount of 178 and 264 nm, respectively. For QD1, the PL decay increased with increasing emission wavelength from 1,216 to 1,320 nm, reaching a maximum decay time of 1.49 ns at 1,320 nm, and then decreased as the emission wavelength was increased further. However, the PL decay time for QD2 decreased continuously from 1.83 to 1.22 ns as the emission wavelength was increased from 1,130 to 1,600 nm, respectively. These PL and TRPL results for QD2 can be explained by the large variation in the QD size with stacking number caused by the phase separation of InAlGaAs.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.474-480
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• 2009

We have investigated optical properties of InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on GaAs (100) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy, by means of photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL spectroscopy. InAs QDs were grown by using In interruption growth technique, in which the In flux was periodically interrupted by a closed In shutter during InAs QDs growth. The shutter of In source was opened for 1 s and then closed for 0, 9, 19, 29, or 39 s. This growth sequence was repeated 30 times during QDs growth. For each sample, the total amount of In contributing to the growth was the same (30 s) but total growth time was varied during the InAs growth. As the In interruption time is increased from 0 to 19 s, the PL peak position of the QDs is red-shifted from 1096 to 1198 nm, and the PL intensity is increased. However, the PL peak is unchanged and the intensity is decreased as the In interruption time is increased further to 39 s. The PL decay times measured at the PL peak position for all the InAs QDs are independent on the QD growth conditions and showed about 1 ns. The red-shift of PL peak and the increase of PL intensity can be explained due to increased QD size and the enhancement in the migration of In atoms using In interruption technique. These results indicated that the size and shape of InAs QDs can be controlled by using In interruption growth technique. Thus the emission wavelength of the InAs QDs on GaAs substrate can also be controlled.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.194-200
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• 2006

Self-assembled InAs/InAl(Ga)As quantum dots (QDs) were grown on InP substrates by a molecular-beam epiaxy, and their structural and optical properties were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and room-temperature photoluminescence (PL). AFM images indicated that the InAs quantum structures showed various shapes such as quantum dashes, asymmetric and symmetric QDs mainly caused by the initial surface conditions of InAl(Ga)As with the intrinsic phase separation. For the buried InAs QDs in an InAlGaAs matrix, the average lateral size and height of QDs were 23 and 2 nm, respectively. By changing the growth conditions for the QD samples, the emission wavelength of $1.55{\mu}m$ was obtained, which is one of the wavelength windows for fiber optic communications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2009.02a
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• pp.150-150
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• 2009