Ferritin-Templated Quantum-Dots for Quantum Logic Gates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sang H.; Kim, Jae-Woo; Chu, Sang-Hyon; Park, Yeonjoon; King, Glen C.; Lillehei, Peter T.; Kim, Seon-Jeong; Elliott, James R.

2005-01-01

Quantum logic gates (QLGs) or other logic systems are based on quantum-dots (QD) with a stringent requirement of size uniformity. The QD are widely known building units for QLGs. The size control of QD is a critical issue in quantum-dot fabrication. The work presented here offers a new method to develop quantum-dots using a bio-template, called ferritin, that ensures QD production in uniform size of nano-scale proportion. The bio-template for uniform yield of QD is based on a ferritin protein that allows reconstitution of core material through the reduction and chelation processes. One of the biggest challenges for developing QLG is the requirement of ordered and uniform size of QD for arrays on a substrate with nanometer precision. The QD development by bio-template includes the electrochemical/chemical reconsitution of ferritins with different core materials, such as iron, cobalt, manganese, platinum, and nickel. The other bio-template method used in our laboratory is dendrimers, precisely defined chemical structures. With ferritin-templated QD, we fabricated the heptagonshaped patterned array via direct nano manipulation of the ferritin molecules with a tip of atomic force microscope (AFM). We also designed various nanofabrication methods of QD arrays using a wide range manipulation techniques. The precise control of the ferritin-templated QD for a patterned arrangement are offered by various methods, such as a site-specific immobilization of thiolated ferritins through local oxidation using the AFM tip, ferritin arrays induced by gold nanoparticle manipulation, thiolated ferritin positioning by shaving method, etc. In the signal measurements, the current-voltage curve is obtained by measuring the current through the ferritin, between the tip and the substrate for potential sweeping or at constant potential. The measured resistance near zero bias was 1.8 teraohm for single holoferritin and 5.7 teraohm for single apoferritin, respectively.

Highly efficient organic light-emitting diodes with a quantum dot interfacial layer.

PubMed

Ryu, Seung Yoon; Hwang, Byoung Har; Park, Ki Wan; Hwang, Hyeon Seok; Sung, Jin Woo; Baik, Hong Koo; Lee, Chang Ho; Song, Seung Yong; Lee, Jun Yeob

2009-02-11

Advanced organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), based on a multiple structure, were achieved in combination with a quantum dot (QD) interfacial layer. The authors used core/shell CdSe/ZnS QDs passivated with trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) and TOPO-free QDs as interlayers. Multiple-structure OLEDs (MOLEDs) with TOPO-free QDs showed higher device efficiency because of a well-defined interfacial monolayer formation. Additionally, the three-unit MOLED showed high performance for device efficiency with double-structured QD interfacial layers due to the enhanced charge balance and recombination probability.

Light-emitting diodes based on colloidal silicon quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Shuangyi; Liu, Xiangkai; Pi, Xiaodong; Yang, Deren

2018-06-01

Colloidal silicon quantum dots (Si QDs) hold great promise for the development of printed Si electronics. Given their novel electronic and optical properties, colloidal Si QDs have been intensively investigated for optoelectronic applications. Among all kinds of optoelectronic devices based on colloidal Si QDs, QD light-emitting diodes (LEDs) play an important role. It is encouraging that the performance of LEDs based on colloidal Si QDs has been significantly increasing in the past decade. In this review, we discuss the effects of the QD size, QD surface and device structure on the performance of colloidal Si-QD LEDs. The outlook on the further optimization of the device performance is presented at the end.

Time-dependent pH sensing phenomena using CdSe/ZnS quantum dots in EIS structure.

PubMed

Kumar, Pankaj; Maikap, Siddheswar; Prakash, Amit; Tien, Ta-Chang

2014-04-12

Time-dependent pH sensing phenomena of the core-shell CdSe/ZnS quantum dot (QD) sensors in EIS (electrolyte insulator semiconductor) structure have been investigated for the first time. The quantum dots are immobilized by chaperonin GroEL protein, which are observed by both atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscope. The diameter of one QD is approximately 6.5 nm. The QDs are not oxidized over a long time and core-shell CdSe/ZnS are confirmed by X-ray photon spectroscopy. The sensors are studied for sensing of hydrogen ions concentration in different buffer solutions at broad pH range of 2 to 12. The QD sensors show improved sensitivity (38 to 55 mV/pH) as compared to bare SiO2 sensor (36 to 23 mV/pH) with time period of 0 to 24 months, owing to the reduction of defects in the QDs. Therefore, the differential sensitivity of the QD sensors with respect to the bare SiO2 sensors is improved from 2 to 32 mV/pH for the time period of 0 to 24 months. After 24 months, the sensitivity of the QD sensors is close to ideal Nernstian response with good linearity of 99.96%. Stability and repeatability of the QD sensors show low drift (10 mV for 10 cycles) as well as small hysteresis characteristics (<10 mV). This QD sensor is very useful for future human disease diagnostics.

Control of Electronic Structures and Phonon Dynamics in Quantum Dot Superlattices by Manipulation of Interior Nanospace.

PubMed

Chang, I-Ya; Kim, DaeGwi; Hyeon-Deuk, Kim

2016-07-20

Quantum dot (QD) superlattices, periodically ordered array structures of QDs, are expected to provide novel photo-optical functions due to their resonant couplings between adjacent QDs. Here, we computationally demonstrated that electronic structures and phonon dynamics of a QD superlattice can be effectively and selectively controlled by manipulating its interior nanospace, where quantum resonance between neighboring QDs appears, rather than by changing component QD size, shape, compositions, etc. A simple H-passivated Si QD was examined to constitute one-, two-, and three-dimensional QD superlattices, and thermally fluctuating band energies and phonon modes were simulated by finite-temperature ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The QD superlattice exhibited a decrease in the band gap energy enhanced by thermal modulations and also exhibited selective extraction of charge carriers out of the component QD, indicating its advantage as a promising platform for implementation in solar cells. Our dynamical phonon analyses based on the ab initio MD simulations revealed that THz-frequency phonon modes were created by an inter-QD crystalline lattice formed in the QD superlattice, which can contribute to low energy thermoelectric conversion and will be useful for direct observation of the dimension-dependent superlattice. Further, we found that crystalline and ligand-originated phonon modes inside each component QD can be independently controlled by asymmetry of the superlattice and by restriction of the interior nanospace, respectively. Taking into account the thermal effects at the finite temperature, we proposed guiding principles for designing efficient and space-saving QD superlattices to develop functional photovoltaic and thermoelectric devices.

Understanding the electronic structure of CdSe quantum dot-fullerene (C{sub 60}) hybrid nanostructure for photovoltaic applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sarkar, Sunandan; Rajbanshi, Biplab; Sarkar, Pranab, E-mail: pranab.sarkar@visva-bharati.ac.in

2014-09-21

By using the density-functional tight binding method, we studied the electronic structure of CdSe quantum dot(QD)-buckminsterfullerene (C{sub 60}) hybrid systems as a function of both the size of the QD and concentration of the fullerene molecule. Our calculation reveals that the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy level of the hybrid CdSeQD-C{sub 60} systems lies on the fullerene moiety, whereas the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level lies either on the QD or the fullerene depending on size of the CdSe QD. We explored the possibility of engineering the energy level alignment by varying the size of the CdSe QD.more » With increase in size of the QD, the HOMO level is shifted upward and crosses the HOMO level of the C{sub 60}-thiol molecule resulting transition from the type-I to type-II band energy alignment. The density of states and charge density plot support these types of band gap engineering of the CdSe-C{sub 60} hybrid systems. This type II band alignment indicates the possibility of application of this nanohybrid for photovoltaic purpose.« less

Optical properties of InP/ZnS quantum dots deposited into nanoporous anodic alumina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savchenko, S. S.; Vokhmintsev, A. S.; Weinstein, I. A.

2016-08-01

Spectral characteristics of InP/ZnS core/shell colloidal quantum dots of two different sizes (QD-1 and QD-2) were investigated. Absorption and luminescence spectra were analyzed for a series of solutions with a concentration range from 0.04 to 40 g/l. Energies of the optical transitions are evaluated. The obtained values of 2.60 eV (QD-1) and 2.38 eV (QD-2) correspond to the InP first excitonic transitions while 4.06 (QD-2) and 4.70 eV (QD-1, QD-2) are assumed to be caused by the ZnS shell absorption. Structures based on nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) with the QDs were synthesized via an electrochemical oxidation and ultrasonic-assisted deposition. Chromaticity coordinates and correlated color temperatures for all phosphors under study were calculated. The fabrication possibilities of InP/ZnS@AAO nanostructures with tunable emission color (including the border of white region) were shown.

Growth and structure of In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}Sb quantum dots on GaP(001)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sala, E. M.; Stracke, G.; Schlichting, S.

2016-09-05

Stranski-Krastanov (SK) growth of In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}Sb quantum dots (QDs) on GaP(001) by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy is demonstrated. A thin GaAs interlayer prior to QD deposition enables QD nucleation. The impact of a short Sb-flush before supplying InGaSb is investigated. QD growth gets partially suppressed for GaAs interlayer thicknesses below 6 monolayers. QD densities vary from 5 × 10{sup 9} to 2 × 10{sup 11} cm{sup −2} depending on material deposition and Sb-flush time. When In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}Sb growth is carried out without Sb-flush, the QD density is generally decreased, and up to 60% larger QDs are obtained.

Semiconductor Nanocrystals as Light Harvesters in Solar Cells

PubMed Central

Etgar, Lioz

2013-01-01

Photovoltaic cells use semiconductors to convert sunlight into electrical current and are regarded as a key technology for a sustainable energy supply. Quantum dot-based solar cells have shown great potential as next generation, high performance, low-cost photovoltaics due to the outstanding optoelectronic properties of quantum dots and their multiple exciton generation (MEG) capability. This review focuses on QDs as light harvesters in solar cells, including different structures of QD-based solar cells, such as QD heterojunction solar cells, QD-Schottky solar cells, QD-sensitized solar cells and the recent development in organic-inorganic perovskite heterojunction solar cells. Mechanisms, procedures, advantages, disadvantages and the latest results obtained in the field are described. To summarize, a future perspective is offered. PMID:28809318

The polarization response in InAs quantum dots: theoretical correlation between composition and electronic properties.

PubMed

Usman, Muhammad; Tasco, Vittorianna; Todaro, Maria Teresa; De Giorgi, Milena; O'Reilly, Eoin P; Klimeck, Gerhard; Passaseo, Adriana

2012-04-27

III-V growth and surface conditions strongly influence the physical structure and resulting optical properties of self-assembled quantum dots (QDs). Beyond the design of a desired active optical wavelength, the polarization response of QDs is of particular interest for optical communications and quantum information science. Previous theoretical studies based on a pure InAs QD model failed to reproduce experimentally observed polarization properties. In this work, multi-million atom simulations are performed in an effort to understand the correlation between chemical composition and polarization properties of QDs. A systematic analysis of QD structural parameters leads us to propose a two-layer composition model, mimicking In segregation and In-Ga intermixing effects. This model, consistent with mostly accepted compositional findings, allows us to accurately fit the experimental PL spectra. The detailed study of QD morphology parameters presented here serves as a tool for using growth dynamics to engineer the strain field inside and around the QD structures, allowing tuning of the polarization response.

Toward the in vivo study of captopril-conjugated quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manabe, Noriyoshi; Hoshino, Akiyoshi; Liang, Yi-qiang; Goto, Tomomasa; Kato, Norihiro; Yamamoto, Kenji

2005-04-01

Photo-luminescent semiconductor quantum dots are nanometer-size probes that have the potential to be applied to the fields of the bio-imaging and the study of the cell mobility inside the body. At the same time, on the other hand, quantum dots are expected to carry some kind of molecules to the local organ inside of the animal body, which leads to the expectation that they can be used as a medicine-carrier. For this purpose, we conjugate (2S)-1-[(2s)-2-Methyl-3-sulfanylpropionyl]pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid (cap) with the quantum dot. Cap has the effect as an anti-hypertension drug, which inhibits angiotensin 1 converting enzyme. We conjugated the quantum dot with cap by the exchange reaction avoiding the regions which holds medicinal effect. Quantum dot conjugated with cap (QD-cap) were 3-times brighter than thioglycerol-coated quantum dots (QD-OH). The particle size of cap was 1.1nm and that of QD-cap was 12nm. QD-cap was permeated into the HeLa cells, while QD-MUA were taken into the HeLa cells by endocytosis. In addition, no apoptosis was detected against the cells that permeated QD-cap, because there was no damage to DNA. These results indicated that QD-conjugated medicines (QD-medicine) could be safe in the experiment on the level of the cell. More over, when QD-cap was intravenously injected into Stroke-prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHRSP), they reduced blood pressure at systole. Therefore, the anti-hypertension effect of cap remained after conjugated with the quantum dot. These results suggested that QD-medicine were effective on the animal level.

‘One-pot’ synthesis of multifunctional GSH-CdTe quantum dots for targeted drug delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiaoqin; Tang, Yajun; Cai, Bing; Fan, Hongsong

2014-06-01

A novel quantum dots-based multifunctional nanovehicle (DOX-QD-PEG-FA) was designed for targeted drug delivery, fluorescent imaging, tracking, and cancer therapy, in which the GSH-CdTe quantum dots play a key role in imaging and drug delivery. To exert curative effects, the antineoplastic drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) was loaded on the GSH-CdTe quantum dots through a condensation reaction. Meanwhile, a polyethylene glycol (PEG) shell was introduced to wrap the DOX-QD, thus stabilizing the structure and preventing clearance and drug release during systemic circulation. To actively target cancer cells and prevent the nanovehicles from being absorbed by normal cells, the nanoparticles were further decorated with folic acid (FA), allowing them to target HeLa cells that express the FA receptor. The multifunctional DOX-QD-PEG-FA conjugates were simply prepared using the ‘one pot’ method. In vitro study demonstrated that this simple, multifunctional nanovehicle can deliver DOX to the targeted cancer cells and localize the nanoparticles. After reaching the tumor cells, the FA on the DOX-QD-PEG surface allowed folate receptor recognition and increased the drug concentration to realize a higher curative effect. This novel, multifunctional DOX-QD-PEG-FA system shows great potential for tumor imaging, targeting, and therapy.

Time-dependent pH sensing phenomena using CdSe/ZnS quantum dots in EIS structure

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Time-dependent pH sensing phenomena of the core-shell CdSe/ZnS quantum dot (QD) sensors in EIS (electrolyte insulator semiconductor) structure have been investigated for the first time. The quantum dots are immobilized by chaperonin GroEL protein, which are observed by both atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscope. The diameter of one QD is approximately 6.5 nm. The QDs are not oxidized over a long time and core-shell CdSe/ZnS are confirmed by X-ray photon spectroscopy. The sensors are studied for sensing of hydrogen ions concentration in different buffer solutions at broad pH range of 2 to 12. The QD sensors show improved sensitivity (38 to 55 mV/pH) as compared to bare SiO2 sensor (36 to 23 mV/pH) with time period of 0 to 24 months, owing to the reduction of defects in the QDs. Therefore, the differential sensitivity of the QD sensors with respect to the bare SiO2 sensors is improved from 2 to 32 mV/pH for the time period of 0 to 24 months. After 24 months, the sensitivity of the QD sensors is close to ideal Nernstian response with good linearity of 99.96%. Stability and repeatability of the QD sensors show low drift (10 mV for 10 cycles) as well as small hysteresis characteristics (<10 mV). This QD sensor is very useful for future human disease diagnostics. PMID:24725352

Photovoltaic devices based on quantum dot functionalized nanowire arrays embedded in an organic matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kung, Patrick; Harris, Nicholas; Shen, Gang; Wilbert, David S.; Baughman, William; Balci, Soner; Dawahre, Nabil; Butler, Lee; Rivera, Elmer; Nikles, David; Kim, Seongsin M.

2012-01-01

Quantum dot (QD) functionalized nanowire arrays are attractive structures for low cost high efficiency solar cells. QDs have the potential for higher quantum efficiency, increased stability and lifetime compared to traditional dyes, as well as the potential for multiple electron generation per photon. Nanowire array scaffolds constitute efficient, low resistance electron transport pathways which minimize the hopping mechanism in the charge transport process of quantum dot solar cells. However, the use of liquid electrolytes as a hole transport medium within such scaffold device structures have led to significant degradation of the QDs. In this work, we first present the synthesis uniform single crystalline ZnO nanowire arrays and their functionalization with InP/ZnS core-shell quantum dots. The structures are characterized using electron microscopy, optical absorption, photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy. Complementing photoluminescence, transmission electron microanalysis is used to reveal the successful QD attachment process and the atomistic interface between the ZnO and the QD. Energy dispersive spectroscopy reveals the co-localized presence of indium, phosphorus, and sulphur, suggestive of the core-shell nature of the QDs. The functionalized nanowire arrays are subsequently embedded in a poly-3(hexylthiophene) hole transport matrix with a high degree of polymer infiltration to complete the device structure prior to measurement.

Revealing energy level structure of individual quantum dots by tunneling rate measured by single-electron sensitive electrostatic force spectroscopy.

PubMed

Roy-Gobeil, Antoine; Miyahara, Yoichi; Grutter, Peter

2015-04-08

We present theoretical and experimental studies of the effect of the density of states of a quantum dot (QD) on the rate of single-electron tunneling that can be directly measured by electrostatic force microscopy (e-EFM) experiments. In e-EFM, the motion of a biased atomic force microscope cantilever tip modulates the charge state of a QD in the Coulomb blockade regime. The charge dynamics of the dot, which is detected through its back-action on the capacitavely coupled cantilever, depends on the tunneling rate of the QD to a back-electrode. The density of states of the QD can therefore be measured through its effect on the energy dependence of tunneling rate. We present experimental data on individual 5 nm colloidal gold nanoparticles that exhibit a near continuous density of state at 77 K. In contrast, our analysis of already published data on self-assembled InAs QDs at 4 K clearly reveals discrete degenerate energy levels.

Structure of Colloidal Quantum Dots from Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Surface Enhanced NMR Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Piveteau, Laura; Ong, Ta-Chung; Rossini, Aaron J; Emsley, Lyndon; Copéret, Christophe; Kovalenko, Maksym V

2015-11-04

Understanding the chemistry of colloidal quantum dots (QDs) is primarily hampered by the lack of analytical methods to selectively and discriminately probe the QD core, QD surface and capping ligands. Here, we present a general concept for studying a broad range of QDs such as CdSe, CdTe, InP, PbSe, PbTe, CsPbBr3, etc., capped with both organic and inorganic surface capping ligands, through dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) surface enhanced NMR spectroscopy. DNP can enhance NMR signals by factors of 10-100, thereby reducing the measurement times by 2-4 orders of magnitude. 1D DNP enhanced spectra acquired in this way are shown to clearly distinguish QD surface atoms from those of the QD core, and environmental effects such as oxidation. Furthermore, 2D NMR correlation experiments, which were previously inconceivable for QD surfaces, are demonstrated to be readily performed with DNP and provide the bonding motifs between the QD surfaces and the capping ligands.

Annealing effect of the InAs dot-in-well structure grown by MBE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xuyi; Wang, Peng; Cao, Chunfang; Yan, Jinyi; Zha, Fangxing; Wang, Hailong; Gong, Qian

2017-12-01

We have demonstrated that in situ annealing effect has to be taken into account in order to realize the 1.31 μm InAs quantum dot (QD) lasers with the dot-in-well (DWELL) structure. The photoluminescence (PL) properties have been investigated for the InAs DWELL samples annealed at different temperatures in situ, simulating the annealing process during the growth of the top cladding AlGaAs layer in the laser structure. The QDs with large size in the DWELL structure are vulnerable to the annealing process at temperatures above 550 °C, revealed by the drastic change in the PL spectra. However, the DWELL structure is stable during the annealing process at 540 °C for three hours. The thermal stability of the QDs in the DWELL structure has to be considered in the growth of QD lasers for long wavelength operation.

Stacking InAs quantum dots over ErAs semimetal nanoparticles on GaAs (0 0 1) using molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yuanchang; Eyink, Kurt G.; Grazulis, Lawrence; Hill, Madelyn; Peoples, Joseph; Mahalingam, Krishnamurthy

2017-11-01

Hybrid nanostructures are known to elicit an enhanced optical response. We study the directed alignment of ErAs metal nanoparticle (NP) and InAs quantum dot (QD) using molecular beam eptaxy (MBE) in a GaAs matrix. Due to high surface free energy caused by the crystal structure difference, overgrowth of an ErAs NP with GaAs forms a depression that condenses subsequent InAs adatoms to form an inverted QD self-aligned to the underlying ErAs NP. The ErAs NP growth, GaAs overgrowth, and InAs QD deposition were carefully controlled and studied with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate their effects on the QD-NP alignment.

Carrier transfer in vertically stacked quantum ring-quantum dot chains

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mazur, Yu. I., E-mail: ymazur@uark.edu; Dorogan, V. G.; Benamara, M.

2015-04-21

The interplay between structural properties and charge transfer in self-assembled quantum ring (QR) chains grown by molecular beam epitaxy on top of an InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot (QD) superlattice template is analyzed and characterized. The QDs and QRs are vertically stacked and laterally coupled as well as aligned within each layer due to the strain field distributions that governs the ordering. The strong interdot coupling influences the carrier transfer both along as well as between chains in the ring layer and dot template structures. A qualitative contrast between different dynamic models has been developed. By combining temperature and excitation intensity effects,more » the tuning of the photoluminescence gain for either the QR or the QD mode is attained. The information obtained here about relaxation parameters, energy scheme, interlayer and interdot coupling resulting in creation of 1D structures is very important for the usage of such specific QR–QD systems for applied purposes such as lasing, detection, and energy-harvesting technology of future solar panels.« less

Ligand-dependent exciton dynamics and photovoltaic properties of PbS quantum dot heterojunction solar cells.

PubMed

Chang, Jin; Ogomi, Yuhei; Ding, Chao; Zhang, Yao Hong; Toyoda, Taro; Hayase, Shuzi; Katayama, Kenji; Shen, Qing

2017-03-01

The surface chemistry of colloidal quantum dots (QDs) plays an important role in determining the photoelectric properties of QD films and the corresponding quantum dot heterojunction solar cells (QDHSCs). To investigate the effects of the ligand structure on the photovoltaic performance and exciton dynamics of QDHSCs, PbS QDHSCs were fabricated by the solid state ligand exchange method with mercaptoalkanoic acid as the cross-linking ligand. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence and ultrafast transient absorption spectra show that the electronic coupling and charge transfer rate within QD ensembles were monotonically enhanced as the ligand length decreased. However, in practical QDHSCs, the second shortest ligand 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) showed higher power conversion efficiency than the shortest ligand thioglycolic acid (TGA). This could be attributed to the difference in their surface trap states, supported by thermally stimulated current measurements. Moreover, compared with the non-conjugated ligand MPA, the conjugated ligand 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) introduces less trap states and has a similar charge transfer rate in QD ensembles, but has poor photovoltaic properties. This unexpected result could be contributed by the QD-ligand orbital mixing, leading to the charge transfer from QDs to ligands instead of charge transfer between adjacent QDs. This work highlights the significant effects of ligand structures on the photovoltaic properties and exciton dynamics of QDHSCs, which would shed light on the further development of QD-based photoelectric devices.

Atmospheric pressure-MOVPE growth of GaSb/GaAs quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tile, Ngcali; Ahia, Chinedu C.; Olivier, Jaco; Botha, Johannes Reinhardt

2018-04-01

This study focuses on the growth of GaSb/GaAs quantum dots (QD) using an atmospheric pressure MOVPE system. For the best uncapped dots, the average dot height, base diameter and density are 5 nm, 45 nm and 4.5×1010 cm-2, respectively. Capping of GaSb QDs at high temperatures caused flattening and formation of thin inhomogeneous GaSb layer inside GaAs resulting in no obvious QD PL peak. Capping at low temperatures lead to the formation of dot-like features and a wetting layer (WL) with distinct PL peaks for QD and WL at 1097 nm and 983 nm respectively. Some of the dot-like features had voids. An increase in excitation power caused the QD and WL peaks to shift to higher energies. This is attributed to electrostatic band bending leading to triangular potential wells, typical of type-II alignment between GaAs and strained GaSb. Variable temperature PL measurements of the QD sample showed the decrease in the intensity of the WL peak to be faster than that of the QD peak as the temperature increased.

Spatially resolved In and As distributions in InGaAs/GaP and InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot systems.

PubMed

Shen, J; Song, Y; Lee, M L; Cha, J J

2014-11-21

InGaAs quantum dots (QDs) on GaP are promising for monolithic integration of optoelectronics with Si technology. To understand and improve the optical properties of InGaAs/GaP QD systems, detailed measurements of the QD atomic structure as well as the spatial distributions of each element at high resolution are crucial. This is because the QD band structure, band alignment, and optical properties are determined by the atomic structure and elemental composition. Here, we directly measure the inhomogeneous distributions of In and As in InGaAs QDs grown on GaAs and GaP substrates at the nanoscale using energy dispersive x-ray spectral mapping in a scanning transmission electron microscope. We find that the In distribution is broader on GaP than on GaAs, and as a result, the QDs appear to be In-poor using a GaP matrix. Our findings challenge some of the assumptions made for the concentrations and distributions of In within InGaAs/GaAs or InGaAs/GaP QD systems and provide detailed structural and elemental information to modify the current band structure understanding. In particular, the findings of In deficiency and inhomogeneous distribution in InGaAs/GaP QD systems help to explain photoluminescence spectral differences between InGaAs/GaAs and InGaAs/GaP QD systems.

Design of hybrid laser structures with QD-RSOA and silicon photonic mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gioannini, Mariangela; Benedetti, Alessio; Bardella, Paolo; Bovington, Jock; Traverso, Matt; Siriani, Dominic; Gothoskar, Prakash

2018-02-01

We compare the design of three different single mode laser structures consisting in a Reflective Semiconductor Optical Amplifier coupled to a silicon photonic external cavity mirror. The three designs differ for the mirror structure and are compared in terms of SOA power consumption and side mode suppression ratio (SMSR). Assuming then a Quantum Dot active material, we simulate the best laser design using a numerical model that includes the peculiar physical characteristics of the QD gain medium. The simulated QD laser CW characteristics are shown and discussed.

Excitonic enhancement of nonradiative energy transfer to bulk silicon with the hybridization of cascaded quantum dots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yeltik, Aydan; Guzelturk, Burak; Akhavan, Shahab

2013-12-23

We report enhanced sensitization of silicon through nonradiative energy transfer (NRET) of the excitons in an energy-gradient structure composed of a cascaded bilayer of green- and red-emitting CdTe quantum dots (QDs) on bulk silicon. Here NRET dynamics were systematically investigated comparatively for the cascaded energy-gradient and mono-dispersed QD structures at room temperature. We show experimentally that NRET from the QD layer into silicon is enhanced by 40% in the case of an energy-gradient cascaded structure as compared to the mono-dispersed structures, which is in agreement with the theoretical analysis based on the excited state population-depopulation dynamics of the QDs.

1.55 µm InAs/GaAs Quantum Dots and High Repetition Rate Quantum Dot SESAM Mode-locked Laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Z. Y.; Oehler, A. E. H.; Resan, B.; Kurmulis, S.; Zhou, K. J.; Wang, Q.; Mangold, M.; Süedmeyer, T.; Keller, U.; Weingarten, K. J.; Hogg, R. A.

2012-06-01

High pulse repetition rate (>=10 GHz) diode-pumped solid-state lasers, modelocked using semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) are emerging as an enabling technology for high data rate coherent communication systems owing to their low noise and pulse-to-pulse optical phase-coherence. Quantum dot (QD) based SESAMs offer potential advantages to such laser systems in terms of reduced saturation fluence, broader bandwidth, and wavelength flexibility. Here, we describe the development of an epitaxial process for the realization of high optical quality 1.55 µm In(Ga)As QDs on GaAs substrates, their incorporation into a SESAM, and the realization of the first 10 GHz repetition rate QD-SESAM modelocked laser at 1.55 µm, exhibiting ~2 ps pulse width from an Er-doped glass oscillator (ERGO). With a high areal dot density and strong light emission, this QD structure is a very promising candidate for many other applications, such as laser diodes, optical amplifiers, non-linear and photonic crystal based devices.

Tuning and Switching a Plasmonic Quantum Dot "Sandwich" in a Nematic Line Defect.

PubMed

Mundoor, Haridas; Sheetah, Ghadah H; Park, Sungoh; Ackerman, Paul J; Smalyukh, Ivan I; van de Lagemaat, Jao

2018-03-27

We study the quantum-mechanical effects arising in a single semiconductor core/shell quantum dot (QD) controllably sandwiched between two plasmonic nanorods. Control over the position and the "sandwich" confinement structure is achieved by the use of a linear-trap liquid crystal (LC) line defect and laser tweezers that "push" the sandwich together. This arrangement allows for the study of exciton-plasmon interactions in a single structure, unaltered by ensemble effects or the complexity of dielectric interfaces. We demonstrate the effect of plasmonic confinement on the photon antibunching behavior of the QD and its luminescence lifetime. The QD behaves as a single emitter when nanorods are far away from the QD but shows possible multiexciton emission and a significantly decreased lifetime when tightly confined in a plasmonic "sandwich". These findings demonstrate that LC defects, combined with laser tweezers, enable a versatile platform to study plasmonic coupling phenomena in a nanoscale laboratory, where all elements can be arranged almost at will.

Tuning and Switching a Plasmonic Quantum Dot “Sandwich” in a Nematic Line Defect

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mundoor, Haridas; Sheetah, Ghadah H.; Park, Sungoh

We study the quantum-mechanical effects arising in a single semiconductor core/shell quantum dot (QD) controllably sandwiched between two plasmonic nanorods. Control over the position and the 'sandwich' confinement structure is achieved by the use of a linear-trap liquid crystal (LC) line defect and laser tweezers that 'push' the sandwich together. This arrangement allows for the study of exciton-plasmon interactions in a single structure, unaltered by ensemble effects or the complexity of dielectric interfaces. We demonstrate the effect of plasmonic confinement on the photon antibunching behavior of the QD and its luminescence lifetime. The QD behaves as a single emitter whenmore » nanorods are far away from the QD but shows possible multiexciton emission and a significantly decreased lifetime when tightly confined in a plasmonic 'sandwich'. These findings demonstrate that LC defects, combined with laser tweezers, enable a versatile platform to study plasmonic coupling phenomena in a nanoscale laboratory, where all elements can be arranged almost at will.« less

Tuning and Switching a Plasmonic Quantum Dot “Sandwich” in a Nematic Line Defect

DOE PAGES

Mundoor, Haridas; Sheetah, Ghadah H.; Park, Sungoh; ...

2018-02-28

We study the quantum-mechanical effects arising in a single semiconductor core/shell quantum dot (QD) controllably sandwiched between two plasmonic nanorods. Control over the position and the 'sandwich' confinement structure is achieved by the use of a linear-trap liquid crystal (LC) line defect and laser tweezers that 'push' the sandwich together. This arrangement allows for the study of exciton-plasmon interactions in a single structure, unaltered by ensemble effects or the complexity of dielectric interfaces. We demonstrate the effect of plasmonic confinement on the photon antibunching behavior of the QD and its luminescence lifetime. The QD behaves as a single emitter whenmore » nanorods are far away from the QD but shows possible multiexciton emission and a significantly decreased lifetime when tightly confined in a plasmonic 'sandwich'. These findings demonstrate that LC defects, combined with laser tweezers, enable a versatile platform to study plasmonic coupling phenomena in a nanoscale laboratory, where all elements can be arranged almost at will.« less

Low-density InP-based quantum dots emitting around the 1.5 μm telecom wavelength range

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yacob, M.; Reithmaier, J. P.; Benyoucef, M., E-mail: m.benyoucef@physik.uni-kassel.de

The authors report on low-density InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on AlGaInAs surfaces lattice matched to InP using post-growth annealing by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy. Clearly spatially separated QDs with a dot density of about 5 × 10{sup 8} cm{sup −2} are obtained by using a special capping technique after the dot formation process. High-resolution micro-photoluminescence performed on optimized QD structures grown on distributed Bragg reflector exhibits single QD emissions around 1.5 μm with narrow excitonic linewidth below 50 μeV, which can be used as single photon source in the telecom wavelength range.

Complementary Barrier Infrared Detector (CBIRD) with Double Tunnel Junction Contact and Quantum Dot Barrier Infrared Detector (QD-BIRD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ting, David Z.-Y; Soibel, Alexander; Khoshakhlagh, Arezou; Keo, Sam A.; Nguyen, Jean; Hoglund, Linda; Mumolo, Jason M.; Liu, John K.; Rafol, Sir B.; Hill, Cory J.;

Core/shell colloidal quantum dot exciplex states for the development of highly efficient quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Wang, Jin; Mora-Seró, Iván; Pan, Zhenxiao; Zhao, Ke; Zhang, Hua; Feng, Yaoyu; Yang, Guang; Zhong, Xinhua; Bisquert, Juan

2013-10-23

Searching suitable panchromatic QD sensitizers for expanding the light-harvesting range, accelerating charge separation, and retarding charge recombination is an effective way to improve power conversion efficiency (PCE) of quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). One possible way to obtain a wide absorption range is to use the exciplex state of a type-II core/shell-structured QDs. In addition, this system could also provide a fast charge separation and low charge-recombination rate. Herein, we report on using a CdTe/CdSe type-II core/shell QD sensitizer with an absorption range extending into the infrared region because of its exciplex state, which is covalently linked to TiO2 mesoporous electrodes by dropping a bifunctional linker molecule mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-capped QD aqueous solution onto the film electrode. High loading and a uniform distribution of QD sensitizer throughout the film electrode thickness have been confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) elemental mapping. The accelerated electron injection and retarded charge-recombination pathway in the built CdTe/CdSe QD cells in comparison with reference CdSe QD-based cells have been confirmed by impedance spectroscopy, fluorescence decay, and intensity-modulated photocurrent/photovoltage spectroscopy (IMPS/IMVS) analysis. With the combination of the high QD loading and intrinsically superior optoelectronic properties of type-II core/shell QD (wide absorption range, fast charge separation, and slow charge recombination), the resulting CdTe/CdSe QD-based regenerative sandwich solar cells exhibit a record PCE of 6.76% (J(sc) = 19.59 mA cm(-2), V(oc) = 0.606 V, and FF = 0.569) with a mask around the active film under a full 1 sun illumination (simulated AM 1.5), which is the highest reported to date for liquid-junction QDSCs.

Realization of 95% of the Rec. 2020 color gamut in a highly efficient LCD using a patterned quantum dot film.

PubMed

Kim, Hyo-Jun; Shin, Min-Ho; Lee, Jae-Yong; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Kim, Young-Joo

2017-05-15

An optically efficient liquid-crystal display (LCD) structure using a patterned quantum dot (QD) film and a short-pass filter (SPF) was proposed and fabricated. The patterned QD film contributed to the generation of 95% in the area ratio (or 90% in the coverage ratio) of the Rec. 2020 color gamut. This was achieved by avoiding the problem of interaction between white backlight and broad transmittance spectra of color filters (CFs) as seen in a conventional LCD with a mixed QD film as a reference. The patterned QD film can maintain the narrow bandwidth of the green and the red QD colors before passing through the CFs. Additionally, the optical intensities of the red, green, and blue spectra were enhanced to 1.63, 1.72, and 2.16 times the reference LCD values, respectively. This was a result of separated emission of the red and green patterned QD film and reflection of the red and green light to the forward direction by the SPF.

First principles DFT study of dye-sensitized CdS quantum dots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jain, Kalpna; Singh, Kh. S.; Kishor, Shyam, E-mail: shyam387@gmail.com

2014-04-24

Dye-sensitized quantum dots (QDs) are considered promising candidates for dye-sensitized solar cells. In order to maximize their efficiency, detailed theoretical studies are important. Here, we report a first principles density functional theory (DFT) investigation of experimentally realized dye - sensitized QD / ligand systems, viz., Cd{sub 16}S{sub 16}, capped with acetate molecules and a coumarin dye. The hybrid B3LYP functional and a 6−311+G(d,p)/LANL2dz basis set are used to study the geometric, energetic and electronic properties of these clusters. There is significant structural rearrangement in all the clusters studied - on the surface for the bare QD, and in the positionsmore » of the acetate / dye ligands for the ligated QDs. The density of states (DOS) of the bare QD shows states in the band gap, which disappear on surface passivation with the acetate molecules. Interestingly, in the dye-sensitised QD, the HOMO is found to be localized mainly on the dye molecule, while the LUMO is on the QD, as required for photo-induced electron injection from the dye to the QD.« less

Submonolayer Quantum Dot Infrared Photodetector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ting, David Z.; Bandara, Sumith V.; Gunapala, Sarath D.; Chang, Yia-Chang

2010-01-01

A method has been developed for inserting submonolayer (SML) quantum dots (QDs) or SML QD stacks, instead of conventional Stranski-Krastanov (S-K) QDs, into the active region of intersubband photodetectors. A typical configuration would be InAs SML QDs embedded in thin layers of GaAs, surrounded by AlGaAs barriers. Here, the GaAs and the AlGaAs have nearly the same lattice constant, while InAs has a larger lattice constant. In QD infrared photodetector, the important quantization directions are in the plane perpendicular to the normal incidence radiation. In-plane quantization is what enables the absorption of normal incidence radiation. The height of the S-K QD controls the positions of the quantized energy levels, but is not critically important to the desired normal incidence absorption properties. The SML QD or SML QD stack configurations give more control of the structure grown, retains normal incidence absorption properties, and decreases the strain build-up to allow thicker active layers for higher quantum efficiency.

Chip-scale white flip-chip light-emitting diode containing indium phosphide/zinc selenide quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Bingfeng; Yan, Linchao; Lao, Yuqin; Ma, Yanfei; Chen, Zimin; Ma, Xuejin; Zhuo, Yi; Pei, Yanli; Wang, Gang

2017-08-01

A method for preparing a quantum dot (QD)-white light-emitting diode (WLED) is reported. Holes were etched in the SiO2 layer deposited on the sapphire substrate of the flip-chip LED by inductively coupled plasma, and these holes were then filled with QDs. An ultraviolet-curable resin was then spin-coated on top of the QD-containing SiO2 layer, and the resin was cured to act as a protecting layer. The reflective sidewall structure minimized sidelight leakage. The fabrication of the QD-WLED is simple in preparation and compatible with traditional LED processes, which was the minimum size of the WLED chip-scale integrated package. InP/ZnS core-shell QDs were used as the converter in the WLED. A blue light-emitting diode with a flip-chip structure was used as the excitation source. The QD-WLED exhibited color temperatures from 5900 to 6400 K and Commission Internationale De L'Elcairage color coordinates from (0.315, 0.325) to (0.325, 0.317), under drive currents from 100 to 400 mA. The QD-WLED exhibited stable optoelectronic properties.

Enhancing the thermal dissipation of a light-converting composite for quantum dot-based white light-emitting diodes through electrospinning nanofibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Huai; Lei, Xiang; Cheng, Ting; Liu, Sheng; Zeng, Xiaoliang; Sun, Rong

2017-06-01

Quantum dots (QDs) have been developed as one of the most promising light-converting materials for white light-emitting diodes (LEDs). In current QD-based LED packaging structures, composites of QDs and polymers are used as light-converting layers. However, the ultralow thermal conductivity of such composites seriously hinders the dissipation of QD-generating heat. In this paper, we demonstrate a method to enhance the thermal dissipation of QD-polymer composites through electrospinning polymer nanofibers. QD-polymer films embedded by electrospun nanofibers were prepared. Benefitting from aligned polymer chains in the electrospun nanofibers, the through-panel and in-panel thermal conductivities of the proposed QD-polymer film increased by 39.9% and 423.1%, respectively, compared to traditional QD-polymer film. The proposed and traditional QD-polymer films were both packaged on chip on board (CoB) LEDs for experimental comparison. Compared to traditional QD-polymer film, the luminous flux and luminous efficiency of the LEDs were increased by up to 51.8% and 42.9% by the proposed QD-polymer film under a current of 800 mA, respectively. With an increase in the driving current from 20-800 mA, the correlated color temperature (CCT) variation decreased by 72.7%. The maximum temperatures in the QD-polymer films were reduced from 419 K-411 K under a driving current of 200 mA.

Structural properties of templated Ge quantum dot arrays: impact of growth and pre-pattern parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tempeler, J.; Danylyuk, S.; Brose, S.; Loosen, P.; Juschkin, L.

2018-07-01

In this study we analyze the impact of process and growth parameters on the structural properties of germanium (Ge) quantum dot (QD) arrays. The arrays were deposited by molecular-beam epitaxy on pre-patterned silicon (Si) substrates. Periodic arrays of pits with diameters between 120 and 20 nm and pitches ranging from 200 nm down to 40 nm were etched into the substrate prior to growth. The structural perfection of the two-dimensional QD arrays was evaluated based on SEM images. The impact of two processing steps on the directed self-assembly of Ge QD arrays is investigated. First, a thin Si buffer layer grown on a pre-patterned substrate reshapes the pre-pattern pits and determines the nucleation and initial shape of the QDs. Subsequently, the deposition parameters of the Ge define the overall shape and uniformity of the QDs. In particular, the growth temperature and the deposition rate are relevant and need to be optimized according to the design of the pre-pattern. Applying this knowledge, we are able to fabricate regular arrays of pyramid shaped QDs with dot densities up to 7.2 × 1010 cm‑2.

Structural properties of templated Ge quantum dot arrays: impact of growth and pre-pattern parameters.

PubMed

Tempeler, J; Danylyuk, S; Brose, S; Loosen, P; Juschkin, L

2018-07-06

In this study we analyze the impact of process and growth parameters on the structural properties of germanium (Ge) quantum dot (QD) arrays. The arrays were deposited by molecular-beam epitaxy on pre-patterned silicon (Si) substrates. Periodic arrays of pits with diameters between 120 and 20 nm and pitches ranging from 200 nm down to 40 nm were etched into the substrate prior to growth. The structural perfection of the two-dimensional QD arrays was evaluated based on SEM images. The impact of two processing steps on the directed self-assembly of Ge QD arrays is investigated. First, a thin Si buffer layer grown on a pre-patterned substrate reshapes the pre-pattern pits and determines the nucleation and initial shape of the QDs. Subsequently, the deposition parameters of the Ge define the overall shape and uniformity of the QDs. In particular, the growth temperature and the deposition rate are relevant and need to be optimized according to the design of the pre-pattern. Applying this knowledge, we are able to fabricate regular arrays of pyramid shaped QDs with dot densities up to 7.2 × 10 10 cm -2 .

InGaN/GaN multilayer quantum dots yellow-green light-emitting diode with optimized GaN barriers.

PubMed

Lv, Wenbin; Wang, Lai; Wang, Jiaxing; Hao, Zhibiao; Luo, Yi

2012-11-07

InGaN/GaN multilayer quantum dot (QD) structure is a potential type of active regions for yellow-green light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The surface morphologies and crystalline quality of GaN barriers are critical to the uniformity of InGaN QD layers. While GaN barriers were grown in multi-QD layers, we used improved growth parameters by increasing the growth temperature and switching the carrier gas from N2 to H2 in the metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. As a result, a 10-layer InGaN/GaN QD LED is demonstrated successfully. The transmission electron microscopy image shows the uniform multilayer InGaN QDs clearly. As the injection current increases from 5 to 50 mA, the electroluminescence peak wavelength shifts from 574 to 537 nm.

InGaN/GaN multilayer quantum dots yellow-green light-emitting diode with optimized GaN barriers

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

InGaN/GaN multilayer quantum dot (QD) structure is a potential type of active regions for yellow-green light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The surface morphologies and crystalline quality of GaN barriers are critical to the uniformity of InGaN QD layers. While GaN barriers were grown in multi-QD layers, we used improved growth parameters by increasing the growth temperature and switching the carrier gas from N2 to H2 in the metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. As a result, a 10-layer InGaN/GaN QD LED is demonstrated successfully. The transmission electron microscopy image shows the uniform multilayer InGaN QDs clearly. As the injection current increases from 5 to 50 mA, the electroluminescence peak wavelength shifts from 574 to 537 nm. PMID:23134721

Efficient photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine 6G with a quantum dot-metal organic framework nanocomposite.

PubMed

Kaur, Rajnish; Vellingiri, Kowsalya; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Paul, A K; Deep, Akash

2016-07-01

The hybrid structures of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and nanoparticles may offer the realization of effective photocatalytic materials due to combined benefits of the porous and molecular sieving properties of MOF matrix and the functional characteristics of encapsulated nanoparticles. In this study, cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum dots (QD) are conjugated with a europium-MOF for the synthesis of a novel nanocomposite material with photocatalytic properties. Successful synthesis of a QD/Eu-MOF nanocomposite was characterized with various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. This QD/Eu-MOF is found to be an effective catalyst to complete the degradation of Rhodamine 6G dye within 50 min. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Signatures of single-photon interaction between two quantum dots located in different cavities of a weakly coupled double microdisk structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seyfferle, S.; Hargart, F.; Jetter, M.; Hu, E.; Michler, P.

2018-01-01

We report on the radiative interaction of two single quantum dots (QDs) each in a separate InP/GaInP-based microdisk cavity via resonant whispering gallery modes. The investigations are based on as-fabricated coupled disk modes. We apply optical spectroscopy involving a 4 f setup, as well as mode-selective real-space imaging and photoluminescence mapping to discern single QDs coupled to a resonant microdisk mode. Excitation of one disk of the double cavity structure and detecting photoluminescence from the other yields proof of single-photon emission of a QD excited by incoherent energy transfer from one disk to the other via a mode in the weak-coupling regime. Finally, we present evidence of photons emitted by a QD in one disk that are transferred to the other disk by a resonant mode and are subsequently resonantly scattered by another QD.

High-power 1.25 µm InAs QD VECSEL based on resonant periodic gain structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albrecht, Alexander R.; Rotter, Thomas J.; Hains, Christopher P.; Stintz, Andreas; Xin, Guofeng; Wang, Tsuei-Lian; Kaneda, Yushi; Moloney, Jerome V.; Malloy, Kevin J.; Balakrishnan, Ganesh

2011-03-01

We compare an InAs quantum dot (QD) vertical external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) design consisting of 4 groups of 3 closely spaced QD layers with a resonant periodic gain (RPG) structure, where each of the 12 QD layers is placed at a separate field antinode. This increased the spacing between the QDs, reducing strain and greatly improving device performance. For thermal management, the GaAs substrate was thinned and indium bonded to CVD diamond. A fiber-coupled 808 nm diode laser was used as pump source, a 1% transmission output coupler completed the cavity. CW output powers over 4.5 W at 1250 nm were achieved.

A fluorescence resonance energy transfer-derived structure of a quantum dot-protein bioconjugate nanoassembly

PubMed Central

Medintz, I. L.; Konnert, J. H.; Clapp, A. R.; Stanish, I.; Twigg, M. E.; Mattoussi, H.; Mauro, J. M.; Deschamps, J. R.

2004-01-01

The first generation of luminescent semiconductor quantum dot (QD)-based hybrid inorganic biomaterials and sensors is now being developed. It is crucial to understand how bioreceptors, especially proteins, interact with these inorganic nanomaterials. As a model system for study, we use Rhodamine red-labeled engineered variants of Escherichia coli maltose-binding protein (MBP) coordinated to the surface of 555-nm emitting CdSe-ZnS core–shell QDs. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer studies were performed to determine the distance from each of six unique MBP-Rhodamine red dye-acceptor locations to the center of the energy-donating QD. In a strategy analogous to a nanoscale global positioning system determination, we use the intraassembly distances determined from the fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements, the MBP crystallographic coordinates, and a least-squares approach to determine the orientation of the MBP relative to the QD surface. Results indicate that MBP has a preferred orientation on the QD surface. The refined model is in agreement with other evidence, which indicates coordination of the protein to the QD occurs by means of its C-terminal pentahistidine tail, and the size of the QD estimated from the model is in good agreement with physical measurements of QD size. The approach detailed here may be useful in determining the orientation of proteins in other hybrid protein–nanoparticle materials. To our knowledge, this is the first structural model of a hybrid luminescent QD-protein receptor assembly elucidated by using spectroscopic measurements in conjunction with crystallographic and other data. PMID:15210939

Optical efficiency enhancement in white organic light-emitting diode display with high color gamut using patterned quantum dot film and long pass filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyo-Jun; Shin, Min-Ho; Kim, Young-Joo

2016-08-01

A new structure for white organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays with a patterned quantum dot (QD) film and a long pass filter (LPF) was proposed and evaluated to realize both a high color gamut and high optical efficiency. Since optical efficiency is a critical parameter in white OLED displays with a high color gamut, a red or green QD film as a color-converting component and an LPF as a light-recycling component are introduced to be adjusted via the characteristics of a color filter (CF). Compared with a conventional white OLED without both a QD film and the LPF, it was confirmed experimentally that the optical powers of red and green light in a new white OLED display were increased by 54.1 and 24.7% using a 30 wt % red QD film and a 20 wt % green QD film with the LPF, respectively. In addition, the white OLED with both a QD film and the LPF resulted in an increase in the color gamut from 98 to 107% (NTSC x,y ratio) due to the narrow emission linewidth of the QDs.

Influence of the heterostructure design on the optical properties of GaN and Al0.1Ga0.9N quantum dots for ultraviolet emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matta, S.; Brault, J.; Ngo, T. H.; Damilano, B.; Korytov, M.; Vennéguès, P.; Nemoz, M.; Massies, J.; Leroux, M.; Gil, B.

2017-08-01

The optical properties of AlyGa1-yN quantum dots (QDs), with y = 0 or y = 0.1, in an AlxGa1-xN matrix are studied. The influence of the QD layer design is investigated pointing out the correlations between the QD structural and optical properties. In a first part, the role of the epitaxial strain in the dot self-assembling process is studied by fabricating GaN QD layers on different AlxGa1-xN layers with 0.5 ≤ x ≤ 0.7. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements show the main influence of the increase of the internal electric field (Fint) on the QD optical response inducing a strong red shift in the emission energy as x increases. Time resolved combined with temperature dependent PL measurements enabled the estimation of the QD internal quantum efficiencies at low temperature showing values around 50%. In addition, a PL integrated intensity ratio up to 74% is shown, between 300 and 9 K. In the second part, the design of Al0.1Ga0.9N QDs was investigated, by varying the Al0.1Ga0.9N amount deposited. An increase of the transition energy (from 3.65 eV up to 3.83 eV) is obtained while decreasing the deposited amount. Calculations of the ground state transition energies as a function of the Al0.1Ga0.9N dot height give a value of Fint around 2.0 ± 0.5 MV/cm. Therefore, the propensity of Al0.1Ga0.9N dots to emit at much higher energies than GaN dots (a PL shift of ˜1 eV using a low excitation power) is seen as the consequence of the reduced Fint together with their smaller sizes.

Hybrid nanostructures of well-organized arrays of colloidal quantum dots and a self-assembled monolayer of gold nanoparticles for enhanced fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaoying; McBride, Sean P.; Jaeger, Heinrich M.; Nealey, Paul F.

2016-07-01

Hybrid nanomaterials comprised of well-organized arrays of colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) in close proximity to metal nanoparticles (NPs) represent an appealing system for high-performance, spectrum-tunable photon sources with controlled photoluminescence. Experimental realization of such materials requires well-defined QD arrays and precisely controlled QD-metal interspacing. This long-standing challenge is tackled through a strategy that synergistically combines lateral confinement and vertical stacking. Lithographically generated nanoscale patterns with tailored surface chemistry confine the QDs into well-organized arrays with high selectivity through chemical pattern directed assembly, while subsequent coating with a monolayer of close-packed Au NPs introduces the plasmonic component for fluorescence enhancement. The results show uniform fluorescence emission in large-area ordered arrays for the fabricated QD structures and demonstrate five-fold fluorescence amplification for red, yellow, and green QDs in the presence of the Au NP monolayer. Encapsulation of QDs with a silica shell is shown to extend the design space for reliable QD/metal coupling with stronger enhancement of 11 times through the tuning of QD-metal spatial separation. This approach provides new opportunities for designing hybrid nanomaterials with tailored array structures and multiple functionalities for applications such as multiplexed optical coding, color display, and quantum transduction.

Impedance analysis of PbS colloidal quantum dot solar cells with different ZnO nanowire lengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukuda, Takeshi; Takahashi, Akihiro; Wang, Haibin; Takahira, Kazuya; Kubo, Takaya; Segawa, Hiroshi

2018-03-01

The photoconversion efficiency of colloidal quantum dot (QD) solar cells has been markedly improved by optimizing the surface passivation and device structure, and details of device physics are now under investigation. In this study, we investigated the resistance and capacitance components at the ZnO/PbS-QD interface and inside a PbS-QD layer by measuring the impedance spectrum while the interface area was controlled by changing the ZnO nanowire length. By evaluating the dependence of optical intensity and DC bias voltage on the ZnO nanowire length, only the capacitance was observed to be influenced by the interface area, and this indicates that photoinduced carriers are generated at the surface of PbS-QD. In addition, since the capacitance is proportional to the surface area of the QD, the interface area can be evaluated from the capacitance. Finally, photovoltaic performance was observed to increase with increasing ZnO nanowire length owing to the large interface area, and this result is in good agreement with the capacitance measurement.

Non-volatile spin bistability based on ferromagnet-semiconductor quantum dot hybrid nanostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semenov, Yuriy; Enaya, Hani; Zavada, John; Kim, Ki Wook

2008-03-01

Electrical manipulation of a memory cell based on bistability effect in a nanostructure consisting of a semiconductor quantum dot (QD) adjoining on opposite sides with a dielectric ferromagnetic layer (DFL) and a reservoir of itinerant holes is investigated theoretically. The operating principle is based on the interplay between the exchange field of the holes Bh acting on the magnetization vector of the DFL M perpendicular to structure plane and the anisotropy field Ba which aligns M along the plane. At low hole population of the QD (Bh<Ba), the subsequent M rotation will decrease the hole energy in the QD; hence the high hole population state is sustained (second stable state ``1'') under a fixed electro-chemical potential set by the reservoir even after bias is removed. The analysis of bit retention time of the proposed memory demonstrates the feasibility of the device with lateral QD size at least 30 nm under room temperature operation. Another advantage is the extremely small dissipative energy for Write/Erase operations.

Construction of RNA-Quantum Dot Chimera for Nanoscale Resistive Biomemory Application.

PubMed

Lee, Taek; Yagati, Ajay Kumar; Pi, Fengmei; Sharma, Ashwani; Choi, Jeong-Woo; Guo, Peixuan

2015-07-28

RNA nanotechnology offers advantages to construct thermally and chemically stable nanoparticles with well-defined shape and structure. Here we report the development of an RNA-QD (quantum dot) chimera for resistive biomolecular memory application. Each QD holds two copies of the pRNA three-way junction (pRNA-3WJ) of the bacteriophage phi29 DNA packaging motor. The fixed quantity of two RNAs per QD was achieved by immobilizing the pRNA-3WJ with a Sephadex aptamer for resin binding. Two thiolated pRNA-3WJ serve as two feet of the chimera that stand on the gold plate. The RNA nanostructure served as both an insulator and a mediator to provide defined distance between the QD and gold. Immobilization of the chimera nanoparticle was confirmed with scanning tunneling microscopy. As revealed by scanning tunneling spectroscopy, the conjugated pRNA-3WJ-QD chimera exhibited an excellent electrical bistability signal for biomolecular memory function, demonstrating great potential for the development of resistive biomolecular memory and a nano-bio-inspired electronic device for information processing and computing.

Construction of RNA-Quantum Dot Chimera for Nanoscale Resistive Biomemory Application

PubMed Central

Lee, Taek; Yagati, Ajay Kumar; Pi, Fengmei; Sharma, Ashwani; Choi, Jeong-Woo; Guo, Peixuan

2015-01-01

RNA nanotechnology offer advantages to construct thermally and chemically stable nanoparticles with well-defined shape and structure. Here we report the development of an RNA-Qd (quantum dot) chimera for resistive biomolecular memory application. Each Qd holds two copies of the pRNA three-way junction (pRNA-3WJ) of bacteriophage phi29 DNA-packaging motor. The fixed quantity of two RNA per Qd was achieved by immobilizing pRNA-3WJ harboring Sephadex aptamer for resin binding. Two thiolated pRNA-3WJ serves as two feet of the chimera to stand on the gold plate. The RNA nanostructure served as both an insulator and a mediator to provide defined distance between Qd and gold. Immobilization of chimera nanoparticle was confirmed through scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). As revealed by scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), the conjugated pRNA-3WJ-Qd chimera exhibited excellent electrical bi-stability signal for biomolecular memory function, demonstrating great potential for the development of resistive biomolecular memory and nanobio-inspired electronic device for information processing and computing. PMID:26135474

Properties of POPC/POPE supported lipid bilayers modified with hydrophobic quantum dots on polyelectrolyte cushions.

PubMed

Kolasinska-Sojka, Marta; Wlodek, Magdalena; Szuwarzynski, Michal; Kereiche, Sami; Kovacik, Lubomir; Warszynski, Piotr

2017-10-01

The formation and properties of supported lipid bilayers (SLB) containing hydrophobic nanoparticles (NP) was studied in relation to underlying cushion obtained from selected polyelectrolyte multilayers. Lipid vesicles were formed from zwitterionic 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and negatively charged 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (POPE) in phosphate buffer (PBS). As hydrophobic nanoparticles - quantum dots (QD) with size of 3.8nm (emission wavelength of 420nm) were used. Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEM) were constructed by the sequential, i.e., layer-by-layer (LbL) adsorption of alternately charged polyelectrolytes from their solutions. Liposomes and Liposome-QDs complexes were studied with Transmission Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-TEM) to verify the quality of vesicles and the position of QD within lipid bilayer. Deposition of liposomes and liposomes with quantum dots on polyelectrolyte films was studied in situ using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) technique. The fluorescence emission spectra were analyzed for both: suspension of liposomes with nanoparticles and for supported lipid bilayers containing QD on PEM. It was demonstrated that quantum dots are located in the hydrophobic part of lipid bilayer. Moreover, we proved that such QD-modified liposomes formed supported lipid bilayers and their final structure depended on the type of underlying cushion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication and performance study of light guide plate for LCD backlight based on quantum-dot scattering microstructure array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Hongxing; Huang, Jiamin; Ye, Yun; Chen, Enguo; Xu, Sheng

2017-10-01

Light Guide Plate (LGP) plays an irreplaceable role in Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) backlight. LGP with quantum-dot (QD) shows promise in the development of next-generation displays because of QDs' beneficial characteristics. In this paper, we present a novel QD LGP for LCD backlight based on QD scattering microstructure array (SMA), in which the QD net dots are located discretely and arranged in arrays on the bottom surface of LGP. The paper first introduces the QD backlight briefly, then discusses the preparation and fabrication process of the proposed prototype, and finally presents a systematic photometric approach to reveal the remarkable advantages of QD backlight. The white-balance is achieved by adjusting the proportion of the QDs in the mixture and optimizing the R-QD / G-QD ratio. The apparent morphology of QD SMA is characterized by OLYMPUS laser microscope, while the optical properties of QD backlight are investigated by F-4600 fluorescence spectrophotometer and SRC-200M spectrum color luminance meter, respectively. Experimental results show that the white balance can be achieved when the QDs account for a certain proportion about 7% within the mixture, and the ratio of R-QD / G-QD is optimized to about 1:12. The proposed system offers an alternative and feasible method for fabricating QD backlight, which may have great application prospects in the future.

Zn-Cu-In-Se Quantum Dot Solar Cells with a Certified Power Conversion Efficiency of 11.6%.

PubMed

Du, Jun; Du, Zhonglin; Hu, Jin-Song; Pan, Zhenxiao; Shen, Qing; Sun, Jiankun; Long, Donghui; Dong, Hui; Sun, Litao; Zhong, Xinhua; Wan, Li-Jun

2016-03-30

The enhancement of power conversion efficiency (PCE) and the development of toxic Cd-, Pb-free quantum dots (QDs) are critical for the prosperity of QD-based solar cells. It is known that the properties (such as light harvesting range, band gap alignment, density of trap state defects, etc.) of QD light harvesters play a crucial effect on the photovoltaic performance of QD based solar cells. Herein, high quality ∼4 nm Cd-, Pb-free Zn-Cu-In-Se alloyed QDs with an absorption onset extending to ∼1000 nm were developed as effective light harvesters to construct quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). Due to the small particle size, the developed QD sensitizer can be efficiently immobilized on TiO2 film electrode in less than 0.5 h. An average PCE of 11.66% and a certified PCE of 11.61% have been demonstrated in the QDSCs based on these Zn-Cu-In-Se QDs. The remarkably improved photovoltaic performance for Zn-Cu-In-Se QDSCs vs Cu-In-Se QDSCs (11.66% vs 9.54% in PCE) is mainly derived from the higher conduction band edge, which favors the photogenerated electron extraction and results in higher photocurrent, and the alloyed structure of Zn-Cu-In-Se QD light harvester, which benefits the suppression of charge recombination at photoanode/electrolyte interfaces and thus improves the photovoltage.

Alumina/polymer-coated nanocrystals with extremely high stability used as a color conversion material in LEDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, Ju Yeon; Lee, Jongsoo; Han, Chang-Soo

2013-12-01

The long-term stability of quantum dot (QD)-based devices under harsh environmental conditions has been a critical bottleneck to be resolved for commercial use. Here, we demonstrate an extremely stable QD/alumina/polymer hybrid structure by combining internal atomic layer deposition (ALD) infilling with polymer encapsulation. ALD infilling and polymer encapsulation of QDs synergistically prohibit the degradation of QDs in terms of optical, thermal and humid attacks. Our hybrid QD/alumina/polymer film structure showed no noticeable reduction in photoluminescence even in a commercial grade test (85% humidity at 85 ° C) over 28 days. In addition, we successfully fabricated a QD-based light-emitting device with excellent long-term stability by incorporating hybrid QD/alumina/polymer film as a color conversion material on light-emitting diode chips.

A Fluorescence Displacement Assay for Antidepressant Drug Discovery Based on Ligand-Conjugated Quantum Dots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, Jerry; Tomlinson, Ian; Warnement, Michael

2011-01-01

The serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) transporter (SERT) protein plays a central role in terminating 5-HT neurotransmission and is the most important therapeutic target for the treatment of major depression and anxiety disorders. We report an innovative, versatile, and target-selective quantum dot (QD) labeling approach for SERT in single Xenopus oocytes that can be adopted as a drug-screening platform. Our labeling approach employs a custom-made, QD-tagged indoleamine derivative ligand, IDT318, that is structurally similar to 5-HT and accesses the primary binding site with enhanced human SERT selectivity. Incubating QD-labeled oocytes with paroxetine (Paxil), a high-affinity SERT-specific inhibitor, showed a concentration- and time-dependentmore » decrease in QD fluorescence, demonstrating the utility of our approach for the identification of SERT modulators. Furthermore, with the development of ligands aimed at other pharmacologically relevant targets, our approach may potentially form the basis for a multitarget drug discovery platform.« less

Charge-transfer channel in quantum dot-graphene hybrid materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Shuo; Wang, Jingang; Ma, Fengcai; Sun, Mengtao

2018-04-01

The energy band theory of a classical semiconductor can qualitatively explain the charge-transfer process in low-dimensional hybrid colloidal quantum dot (QD)-graphene (GR) materials; however, the definite charge-transfer channels are not clear. Using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT, we simulate the hybrid QD-GR nanostructure, and by constructing its orbital interaction diagram, we show the quantitative coupling characteristics of the molecular orbitals (MOs) of the hybrid structure. The main MOs are derived from the fragment MOs (FOs) of GR, and the Cd13Se13 QD FOs merge with the GR FOs in a certain proportion to afford the hybrid system. Upon photoexcitation, electrons in the GR FOs jump to the QD FOs, leaving holes in the GR FOs, and the definite charge-transfer channels can be found by analyzing the complex MOs coupling. The excited electrons and remaining holes can also be localized in the GR or the QD or transfer between the QD and GR with different absorption energies. The charge-transfer process for the selected excited states of the hybrid QD-GR structure are testified by the charge difference density isosurface. The natural transition orbitals, charge-transfer length analysis and 2D site representation of the transition density matrix also verify the electron-hole delocalization, localization, or coherence chacracteristics of the selected excited states. Therefore, our research enhances understanding of the coupling mechanism of low-dimensional hybrid materials and will aid in the design and manipulation of hybrid photoelectric devices for practical application in many fields.

Charge-transfer channel in quantum dot-graphene hybrid materials.

PubMed

Cao, Shuo; Wang, Jingang; Ma, Fengcai; Sun, Mengtao

2018-04-06

The energy band theory of a classical semiconductor can qualitatively explain the charge-transfer process in low-dimensional hybrid colloidal quantum dot (QD)-graphene (GR) materials; however, the definite charge-transfer channels are not clear. Using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT, we simulate the hybrid QD-GR nanostructure, and by constructing its orbital interaction diagram, we show the quantitative coupling characteristics of the molecular orbitals (MOs) of the hybrid structure. The main MOs are derived from the fragment MOs (FOs) of GR, and the Cd 13 Se 13 QD FOs merge with the GR FOs in a certain proportion to afford the hybrid system. Upon photoexcitation, electrons in the GR FOs jump to the QD FOs, leaving holes in the GR FOs, and the definite charge-transfer channels can be found by analyzing the complex MOs coupling. The excited electrons and remaining holes can also be localized in the GR or the QD or transfer between the QD and GR with different absorption energies. The charge-transfer process for the selected excited states of the hybrid QD-GR structure are testified by the charge difference density isosurface. The natural transition orbitals, charge-transfer length analysis and 2D site representation of the transition density matrix also verify the electron-hole delocalization, localization, or coherence chacracteristics of the selected excited states. Therefore, our research enhances understanding of the coupling mechanism of low-dimensional hybrid materials and will aid in the design and manipulation of hybrid photoelectric devices for practical application in many fields.

Phonons in self-assembled Ge/Si structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milekhin, A. G.; Nikiforov, A. I.; Pchelyakov, O. P.; Schulze, S.; Zahn, D. R. T.

2002-03-01

We present the results of an investigation dealing with fundamental vibrations in periodical Ge/Si structures with small-size Ge quantum dots (QDs) performed using macro- and micro-Raman spectroscopy under resonant and off-resonant conditions. Samples with different number of repetition of Ge and Si layers contain Ge QDs with an average dot base size of 15 nm and a QD height of 2 nm. Periodic oscillations observed in the low-frequency region of the Raman spectra are assigned to folded LA phonons in the Ge QD superlattices. The measured phonon frequencies are in a good agreement with those calculated using the Rytov model. These oscillations are superimposed with a broad continuous emission originating from the whole acoustic dispersion branch due to a breaking up of translational invariance. The Raman spectra of the structure with single Ge QD layer reveal a series of peaks corresponding to LA phonons localized in the Si layer. Using the measured phonon frequencies and corresponding wave vectors the dispersion of the LA phonons in the Si is obtained. The longitudinal-acoustic wave velocity determined from the dispersion is 8365 ms-1 and in excellent agreement with that derived from the Brillouin study. In the optical phonon range, the LO and TO phonons localized in Ge QDs are observed. The position of the LO Ge phonons shifts downwards with increasing excitation energy (from 2.5 to 2.7 eV) indicating the presence of a QD size distribution in Ge dot superlattices. Raman scattering from Ge QDs is size-selectively enhanced by the resonance of the exciting laser energy and the confined excitonic states.

In(1-x)Ga(x)N@ZnO: a rationally designed and quantum dot integrated material for water splitting and solar harvesting applications.

PubMed

Rajaambal, Sivaraman; Mapa, Maitri; Gopinath, Chinnakonda S

2014-09-07

The highly desirable combination of the visible light absorption properties of In1-xGaxN Quantum dots (QD) along with the multifunctionality of ZnO into a single integrated material was prepared for solar harvesting. This is the first report on InGaN QD integrated with ZnO (InGaN@ZnO), synthesized by a highly reproducible, simple combustion method in 15 min. Structural, microstructural and electronic integration of the nitride and oxide components of InGaN@ZnO was demonstrated by appropriate characterization methods. Self-assembly of InGaN QD is induced in growing nascent zinc oxo nanoclusters taking advantage of the common wurtzite structure and nitrogen incorporation at the expense of oxygen vacancies. Direct integration brings about a single phase structure exhibiting extensive visible light absorption and high photostability. InGaN@ZnO suggests synergistic operation of light harvesting and charge conducting components for solar H2 generation without using any co-catalyst or sacrificial agent, and a promising photocurrent generation at 0 V under visible light illumination. The present study suggests a direct integration of QD with the host matrix and is a potential method to realize the advantages of QDs.

High efficient OLED displays prepared with the air-gapped bridges on quantum dot patterns for optical recycling

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyo-Jun; Shin, Min-Ho; Kim, Joo-Suc; Kim, Se-Eun; Kim, Young-Joo

2017-01-01

An optically efficient structure was proposed and fabricated to realize high brightness organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays based on a white OLED prepared with the air-gapped bridges on the quantum dot (QD) patterns. Compared with a conventional white OLED display, in our experiments, the optical intensity of the proposed OLED display shows the enhancement of 58.2% in the red color and 16.8% in the green color after applying the air-gapped bridge structure on QD patterns of 20 wt% concentration. This enhancement comes from the two facts that the QD patterns downconvert unnecessary blue or blue/green light to the required green or red light and the air-gapped bridges increase the color conversion efficiency of QDs by optical recycling using total internal reflection (TIR) at the interface. In addition, the color gamut of the proposed OLED display increases from 65.5 to 75.9% (NTSC x, y ratio) due to the narrow emission spectra of QDs. PMID:28211516

High efficient OLED displays prepared with the air-gapped bridges on quantum dot patterns for optical recycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyo-Jun; Shin, Min-Ho; Kim, Joo-Suc; Kim, Se-Eun; Kim, Young-Joo

2017-02-01

An optically efficient structure was proposed and fabricated to realize high brightness organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays based on a white OLED prepared with the air-gapped bridges on the quantum dot (QD) patterns. Compared with a conventional white OLED display, in our experiments, the optical intensity of the proposed OLED display shows the enhancement of 58.2% in the red color and 16.8% in the green color after applying the air-gapped bridge structure on QD patterns of 20 wt% concentration. This enhancement comes from the two facts that the QD patterns downconvert unnecessary blue or blue/green light to the required green or red light and the air-gapped bridges increase the color conversion efficiency of QDs by optical recycling using total internal reflection (TIR) at the interface. In addition, the color gamut of the proposed OLED display increases from 65.5 to 75.9% (NTSC x, y ratio) due to the narrow emission spectra of QDs.

High efficient OLED displays prepared with the air-gapped bridges on quantum dot patterns for optical recycling.

PubMed

Kim, Hyo-Jun; Shin, Min-Ho; Kim, Joo-Suc; Kim, Se-Eun; Kim, Young-Joo

2017-02-17

An optically efficient structure was proposed and fabricated to realize high brightness organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays based on a white OLED prepared with the air-gapped bridges on the quantum dot (QD) patterns. Compared with a conventional white OLED display, in our experiments, the optical intensity of the proposed OLED display shows the enhancement of 58.2% in the red color and 16.8% in the green color after applying the air-gapped bridge structure on QD patterns of 20 wt% concentration. This enhancement comes from the two facts that the QD patterns downconvert unnecessary blue or blue/green light to the required green or red light and the air-gapped bridges increase the color conversion efficiency of QDs by optical recycling using total internal reflection (TIR) at the interface. In addition, the color gamut of the proposed OLED display increases from 65.5 to 75.9% (NTSC x, y ratio) due to the narrow emission spectra of QDs.

Enhanced Electron Injection and Exciton Confinement for Pure Blue Quantum-Dot Light-Emitting Diodes by Introducing Partially Oxidized Aluminum Cathode.

PubMed

Wang, Zhibin; Cheng, Tai; Wang, Fuzhi; Bai, Yiming; Bian, Xingming; Zhang, Bing; Hayat, Tasawar; Alsaedi, Ahmed; Tan, Zhan'ao

2018-05-31

Stable and efficient red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light sources based on solution-processed quantum dots (QDs) play important roles in next-generation displays and solid-state lighting technologies. The brightness and efficiency of blue QDs-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) remain inferior to their red and green counterparts, due to the inherently unfavorable energy levels of different colors of light. To solve these problems, a device structure should be designed to balance the injection holes and electrons into the emissive QD layer. Herein, through a simple autoxidation strategy, pure blue QD-LEDs which are highly bright and efficient are demonstrated, with a structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/Poly-TPD/QDs/Al:Al2O3. The autoxidized Al:Al2O3 cathode can effectively balance the injected charges and enhance radiative recombination without introducing an additional electron transport layer (ETL). As a result, high color-saturated blue QD-LEDs are achieved with a maximum luminance over 13,000 cd m -2 , and a maximum current efficiency of 1.15 cd A -1 . The easily controlled autoxidation procedure paves the way for achieving high-performance blue QD-LEDs.

Charge transport in strongly coupled quantum dot solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kagan, Cherie R.; Murray, Christopher B.

2015-12-01

The emergence of high-mobility, colloidal semiconductor quantum dot (QD) solids has triggered fundamental studies that map the evolution from carrier hopping through localized quantum-confined states to band-like charge transport in delocalized and hybridized states of strongly coupled QD solids, in analogy with the construction of solids from atoms. Increased coupling in QD solids has led to record-breaking performance in QD devices, such as electronic transistors and circuitry, optoelectronic light-emitting diodes, photovoltaic devices and photodetectors, and thermoelectric devices. Here, we review the advances in synthesis, assembly, ligand treatments and doping that have enabled high-mobility QD solids, as well as the experiments and theory that depict band-like transport in the QD solid state. We also present recent QD devices and discuss future prospects for QD materials and device design.

Charge transport in strongly coupled quantum dot solids.

PubMed

Kagan, Cherie R; Murray, Christopher B

2015-12-01

The emergence of high-mobility, colloidal semiconductor quantum dot (QD) solids has triggered fundamental studies that map the evolution from carrier hopping through localized quantum-confined states to band-like charge transport in delocalized and hybridized states of strongly coupled QD solids, in analogy with the construction of solids from atoms. Increased coupling in QD solids has led to record-breaking performance in QD devices, such as electronic transistors and circuitry, optoelectronic light-emitting diodes, photovoltaic devices and photodetectors, and thermoelectric devices. Here, we review the advances in synthesis, assembly, ligand treatments and doping that have enabled high-mobility QD solids, as well as the experiments and theory that depict band-like transport in the QD solid state. We also present recent QD devices and discuss future prospects for QD materials and device design.

Tunable Emission Wavelength Stacked InAs/GaAs Quantum Dots by Chemical Beam Epitaxy for Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Ilahi, Bouraoui; Zribi, Jihene; Guillotte, Maxime; Arès, Richard; Aimez, Vincent; Morris, Denis

2016-01-01

We report on Chemical Beam Epitaxy (CBE) growth of wavelength tunable InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QD) based superluminescent diode’s active layer suitable for Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). The In-flush technique has been employed to fabricate QD with controllable heights, from 5 nm down to 2 nm, allowing a tunable emission band over 160 nm. The emission wavelength blueshift has been ensured by reducing both dots’ height and composition. A structure containing four vertically stacked height-engineered QDs have been fabricated, showing a room temperature broad emission band centered at 1.1 µm. The buried QD layers remain insensitive to the In-flush process of the subsequent layers, testifying the reliability of the process for broadband light sources required for high axial resolution OCT imaging. PMID:28773633

Observation of infrared absorption of InAs quantum dot structures in AlGaAs matrix toward high-efficiency solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshikawa, Hirofumi; Watanabe, Katsuyuki; Kotani, Teruhisa; Izumi, Makoto; Iwamoto, Satoshi; Arakawa, Yasuhiko

2018-06-01

In accordance with the detailed balance limit model of single-intermediate-band solar cells (IBSCs), the optimum matrix bandgap and IB–conduction band (CB) energy gap are ∼1.9 and 0.7 eV, respectively. We present the room-temperature polarized infrared absorption of 20 stacked InAs quantum dot (QD) structures in the Al0.32Ga0.68As matrix with a bandgap of ∼1.9 eV for the design of high-efficiency IBSCs by using a multipass waveguide geometry. We find that the IB–CB absorption is almost independent of the light polarization, and estimate the magnitude of the absorption per QD layer to be ∼0.01%. We also find that the IB–CB absorption edge of QD structures with a wide-gap matrix is ∼0.41 eV. These results indicate that both the significant increase in the magnitude of IB–CB absorption and the lower energy of the IB state for the higher IB–CB energy gap are necessary toward the realization of high-efficiency IBSCs.

Quantum Yield Heterogeneity among Single Nonblinking Quantum Dots Revealed by Atomic Structure-Quantum Optics Correlation

DOE PAGES

Orfield, Noah J.; McBride, James R.; Wang, Feng; ...

2016-02-05

Physical variations in colloidal nanostructures give rise to heterogeneity in expressed optical behavior. This correlation between nanoscale structure and function demands interrogation of both atomic structure and photophysics at the level of single nanostructures to be fully understood. In this paper, by conducting detailed analyses of fine atomic structure, chemical composition, and time-resolved single-photon photoluminescence data for the same individual nanocrystals, we reveal inhomogeneity in the quantum yields of single nonblinking “giant” CdSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots (g-QDs). We find that each g-QD possesses distinctive single exciton and biexciton quantum yields that result mainly from variations in the degree of charging,more » rather than from volume or structure inhomogeneity. We further establish that there is a very limited nonemissive “dark” fraction (<2%) among the studied g-QDs and present direct evidence that the g-QD core must lack inorganic passivation for the g-QD to be “dark”. Finally and therefore, in contrast to conventional QDs, ensemble photoluminescence quantum yield is principally defined by charging processes rather than the existence of dark g-QDs.« less

Interplay between structure, stoichiometry, and electron transfer dynamics in SILAR-based quantum dot-sensitized oxides.

PubMed

Wang, Hai; Barceló, Irene; Lana-Villarreal, Teresa; Gómez, Roberto; Bonn, Mischa; Cánovas, Enrique

2014-10-08

We quantify the rate and efficiency of picosecond electron transfer (ET) from PbS nanocrystals, grown by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR), into a mesoporous SnO2 support. Successive SILAR deposition steps allow for stoichiometry- and size-variation of the QDs, characterized using transmission electron microscopy. Whereas for sulfur-rich (p-type) QD surfaces substantial electron trapping at the QD surface occurs, for lead-rich (n-type) QD surfaces, the QD trapping channel is suppressed and the ET efficiency is boosted. The ET efficiency increase achieved by lead-rich QD surfaces is found to be QD-size dependent, increasing linearly with QD surface area. On the other hand, ET rates are found to be independent of both QD size and surface stoichiometry, suggesting that the donor-acceptor energetics (constituting the driving force for ET) are fixed due to Fermi level pinning at the QD/oxide interface. Implications of our results for QD-sensitized solar cell design are discussed.

Enchanced methods of hydrophilized CdSe quantum dots synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potapkin, D. V.; Zharkova, I. S.; Goryacheva, I. Y.

2015-03-01

Quantum dots are bright and stable fluorescence signal sources, but for most of applications they need an additional hydrophilization step. Unfortunately, most of existing approaches lead to QD's fluorescence quenching, so there is a need for additional enhancing of hydrophilized QD's brightness like UV irradiation, which can be used both on water insoluble QD's with oleic acid ligands (in toluene) and on hydrophilized QD's covered with UV-stable polymer (in aqueous solution). For synthesis of bright water-soluble fluorescent labels CdSe/CdS/ZnS colloidal quantum dots were covered with PAMAM dendrimer and irradiated with UV lamp in quartz cuvettes for 3 hours at the room temperature and then compared with control sample.

Quantum-dot size and thin-film dielectric constant: precision measurement and disparity with simple models.

PubMed

Grinolds, Darcy D W; Brown, Patrick R; Harris, Daniel K; Bulovic, Vladimir; Bawendi, Moungi G

2015-01-14

We study the dielectric constant of lead sulfide quantum dot (QD) films as a function of the volume fraction of QDs by varying the QD size and keeping the ligand constant. We create a reliable QD sizing curve using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), thin-film SAXS to extract a pair-distribution function for QD spacing, and a stacked-capacitor geometry to measure the capacitance of the thin film. Our data support a reduced dielectric constant in nanoparticles.

Novel Quantum Dot Gate FETs and Nonvolatile Memories Using Lattice-Matched II-VI Gate Insulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, F. C.; Suarez, E.; Gogna, M.; Alamoody, F.; Butkiewicus, D.; Hohner, R.; Liaskas, T.; Karmakar, S.; Chan, P.-Y.; Miller, B.; Chandy, J.; Heller, E.

2009-08-01

This paper presents the successful use of ZnS/ZnMgS and other II-VI layers (lattice-matched or pseudomorphic) as high- k gate dielectrics in the fabrication of quantum dot (QD) gate Si field-effect transistors (FETs) and nonvolatile memory structures. Quantum dot gate FETs and nonvolatile memories have been fabricated in two basic configurations: (1) monodispersed cladded Ge nanocrystals (e.g., GeO x -cladded-Ge quantum dots) site-specifically self-assembled over the lattice-matched ZnMgS gate insulator in the channel region, and (2) ZnTe-ZnMgTe quantum dots formed by self-organization, using metalorganic chemical vapor-phase deposition (MOCVD), on ZnS-ZnMgS gate insulator layers grown epitaxially on Si substrates. Self-assembled GeO x -cladded Ge QD gate FETs, exhibiting three-state behavior, are also described. Preliminary results on InGaAs-on-InP FETs, using ZnMgSeTe/ZnSe gate insulator layers, are presented.

Secondary treatment of films of colloidal quantum dots for optoelectronics and devices produced thereby

DOEpatents

Semonin, Octavi Escala; Luther, Joseph M; Beard, Matthew C; Chen, Hsiang-Yu

2014-04-01

A method of forming an optoelectronic device. The method includes providing a deposition surface and contacting the deposition surface with a ligand exchange chemical and contacting the deposition surface with a quantum dot (QD) colloid. This initial process is repeated over one or more cycles to form an initial QD film on the deposition surface. The method further includes subsequently contacting the QD film with a secondary treatment chemical and optionally contacting the surface with additional QDs to form an enhanced QD layer exhibiting multiple exciton generation (MEG) upon absorption of high energy photons by the QD active layer. Devices having an enhanced QD active layer as described above are also disclosed.

Strategy for synthesizing quantum dot-layered double hydroxide nanocomposites and their enhanced photoluminescence and photostability.

PubMed

Cho, Seungho; Jung, Sungwook; Jeong, Sanghwa; Bang, Jiwon; Park, Joonhyuck; Park, Youngrong; Kim, Sungjee

2013-01-08

Layered double hydroxide-quantum dot (LDH-QD) composites are synthesized via a room temperature LDH formation reaction in the presence of QDs. InP/ZnS (core/shell) QD, a heavy metal free QD, is used as a model constituent. Interactions between QDs (with negative zeta potentials), decorated with dihydrolipoic acids, and inherently positively charged metal hydroxide layers of LDH during the LDH formations are induced to form the LDH-QD composites. The formation of the LDH-QD composites affords significantly enhanced photoluminescence quantum yields and thermal- and photostabilities compared to their QD counterparts. In addition, the fluorescence from the solid LDH-QD composite preserved the initial optical properties of the QD colloid solution without noticeable deteriorations such as red-shift or deep trap emission. Based on their advantageous optical properties, we also demonstrate the pseudo white light emitting diode, down-converted by the LDH-QD composites.

Investigation of colloidal PbS quantum dot-based solar cells with near infrared emission.

PubMed

Lim, Sungoh; Kim, Yohan; Lee, Jeongno; Han, Chul Jong; Kang, Jungwon; Kim, Jiwan

2014-12-01

Colloidal quantum dots (QD)-based solar cells with near infrared (NIR) emission have been investigated. Lead sulfide (PbS) QDs, which have narrow band-gap and maximize the absorption of NIR spectrum, were chosen as active materials for efficient solar cells. The inverted structure of indium tin oxide/titanium dioxide/PbS QDs/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate)/silver (ITO/TiO2/PbS QDs/ PSS/Ag) was applied for favorable electron and hole seperation from the PbS QD. Through the ligand exchange by 1,2-Ethanedithiol (EDT), the interparticle distance of the PbS QDs in thin film became closer and the performance of the PbS QD-based solar cells was improved. Our PbS QD-based inverted solar cells showed open circuit voltages (V(oc)) of 0.33 V, short circuit current density (J(sc)) of 10.89 mA/cm2, fill factor (FF) of 30%, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 1.11%. In our PbS QD-based multifunctional solar cell, the NIR light emission intensity was simply detected with photodiode system, which implies the potential of multi-functional diode device for various applications.

Changes in luminescence emission induced by proton irradiation: InGaAs/GaAs quantum wells and quantum dots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leon, R.; Swift, G. M.; Magness, B.; Taylor, W. A.; Tang, Y. S.; Wang, K. L.; Dowd, P.; Zhang, Y. H.

2000-01-01

The photoluminescence emission from InGaAs/GaAs quantum-well and quantum-dot (QD) structures are compared after controlled irradiation with 1.5 MeV proton fluxes. Results presented here show a significant enhancement in radiation tolerance with three-dimensional quantum confinement.

Interband Photoconductivity of Metamorphic InAs/InGaAs Quantum Dots in the 1.3-1.55-μm Window

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golovynskyi, Sergii; Datsenko, Oleksandr I.; Seravalli, Luca; Trevisi, Giovanna; Frigeri, Paola; Babichuk, Ivan S.; Golovynska, Iuliia; Qu, Junle

2018-04-01

Photoelectric properties of the metamorphic InAs/In x Ga1 - x As quantum dot (QD) nanostructures were studied at room temperature, employing photoconductivity (PC) and photoluminescence spectroscopies, electrical measurements, and theoretical modeling. Four samples with different stoichiometry of In x Ga1 - x As cladding layer have been grown: indium content x was 0.15, 0.24, 0.28, and 0.31. InAs/In0.15Ga0.85As QD structure was found to be photosensitive in the telecom range at 1.3 μm. As x increases, a redshift was observed for all the samples, the structure with x = 0.31 was found to be sensitive near 1.55 μm, i.e., at the third telecommunication window. Simultaneously, only a slight decrease in the QD PC was recorded for increasing x, thus confirming a good photoresponse comparable with the one of In0.15Ga0.75As structures and of GaAs-based QD nanostructures. Also, the PC reduction correlate with the similar reduction of photoluminescence intensity. By simulating theoretically the quantum energy system and carrier localization in QDs, we gained insight into the PC mechanism and were able to suggest reasons for the photocurrent reduction, by associating them with peculiar behavior of defects in such a type of structures. All this implies that metamorphic QDs with a high x are valid structures for optoelectronic infrared light-sensitive devices.

Monolithically integrated quantum dot optical gain modulator with semiconductor optical amplifier for 10-Gb/s photonic transmission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Naokatsu; Akahane, Kouichi; Umezawa, Toshimasa; Kawanishi, Tetsuya

2015-03-01

Short-range interconnection and/or data center networks require high capacity and a large number of channels in order to support numerous connections. Solutions employed to meet these requirements involve the use of alternative wavebands to increase the usable optical frequency range. We recently proposed the use of the T- and O-bands (Thousand band: 1000-1260 nm, Original band: 1260-1360 nm) as alternative wavebands because large optical frequency resources (>60 THz) can be easily employed. In addition, a simple and compact Gb/s-order high-speed optical modulator is a critical photonic device for short-range communications. Therefore, to develop an optical modulator that acts as a highfunctional photonic device, we focused on the use of self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) as a three-dimensional (3D) confined structure because QD structures are highly suitable for realizing broadband optical gain media in the T+O bands. In this study, we use the high-quality broadband QD optical gain to develop a monolithically integrated QD optical gain modulator (QD-OGM) device that has a semiconductor optical amplifier (QD-SOA) for Gb/s-order highspeed optical data generation in the 1.3-μm waveband. The insertion loss of the device can be compensated through the SOA, and we obtained an optical gain change of up to ~7 dB in the OGM section. Further, we successfully demonstrate a 10-Gb/s clear eye opening using the QD-OGM/SOA device with a clock-data recovery sequence at the receiver end. These results suggest that the monolithic QD-EOM/SOA is suitable for increasing the number of wavelength channels for smart short-range communications.

Size and shape tunability of self-assembled InAs/GaAs nanostructures through the capping rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utrilla, Antonio D.; Grossi, Davide F.; Reyes, Daniel F.; Gonzalo, Alicia; Braza, Verónica; Ben, Teresa; González, David; Guzman, Alvaro; Hierro, Adrian; Koenraad, Paul M.; Ulloa, Jose M.

2018-06-01

The practical realization of epitaxial quantum dot (QD) nanocrystals led before long to impressive experimental advances in optoelectronic devices, as well as to the emergence of new technological fields. However, the necessary capping process is well-known to hinder a precise control of the QD morphology and therefore of the possible electronic structure required for certain applications. A straightforward approach is shown to tune the structural and optical properties of InAs/GaAs QDs without the need for any capping material different from GaAs or annealing process. The mere adjust of the capping rate allows controlling kinetically the QD dissolution process induced by the surface In-Ga intermixing taking place during overgrowth, determining the final metastable structure. While low capping rates make QDs evolve into more thermodynamically favorable quantum ring structures, increasing capping rates help preserve the QD height and shape, simultaneously improving the luminescence properties. Indeed, a linear relationship between capping rate and QD height is found, resulting in a complete preservation of the original QD geometry for rates above ∼2.0 ML s-1. In addition, the inhibition of In diffusion from the QDs top to the areas in between them yields thinner WLs, what could improve the performance of several QD-based optoelectronic devices.

Quantum Dot Nanotoxicity Assessment Using the Zebrafish Embryo

PubMed Central

King-Heiden, Tisha C.; Wiecinski, Paige N.; Mangham, Andrew N.; Metz, Kevin M.; Nesbit, Dorothy; Pedersen, Joel A.; Hamers, Robert J.; Heideman, Warren; Peterson, Richard E.

2009-01-01

Quantum dots (QDs) hold promise for several biomedical, life sciences and photovoltaic applications. Substantial production volumes and environmental release are anticipated. QD toxicity may be intrinsic to their physicochemical properties, or result from the release of toxic components during breakdown. We hypothesized that developing zebrafish could be used to identify and distinguish these different types of toxicity. Embryos were exposed to aqueous suspensions of CdSecore/ZnSshell QDs functionalized with either poly-L-lysine or poly(ethylene glycol) terminated with methoxy, carboxylate, or amine groups. Toxicity was influenced by the QD coating, which also contributed to the QD suspension stability. At sublethal concentrations, many QD preparations produced characteristic signs of Cd toxicity that weakly correlated with metallothionein expression, indicating that QDs are only slightly degraded in vivo. QDs also produced distinctly different toxicity that could not be explained by Cd release. Using the zebrafish model, we were able to distinguish toxicity intrinsic to QDs from that caused by released metal ions. We conclude that developing zebrafish provide a rapid, low- cost approach for assessing structure-toxicity relationships of nanoparticles. PMID:19350942

Structure and optical properties of Ge/Si quantum dots formed by driving the evolution of Ge thin films via thermal annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Qijiang; Yang, Jie; Chi, Qingbin; Sun, Tao; Wang, Chong; Yang, Yu

2018-04-01

Ge/Si quantum dots (QDs) are fabricated by driving the transformation of a Ge thin film-deposited using the direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering technique by controlling the subsequent in situ annealing processes. The experimental results indicate that, with the increase in annealing temperature, the volume of Ge QDs increases monotonically, while the QD density initially increases then decreases. The maximal QD density can reach 1.1 × 1011 cm‑2 after a 10 min annealing at 650 °C. The Ge–Ge peak of Ge QDs obtained by Raman spectroscopy initially undergoes a blue shift and then a red shift with increasing annealing temperature. This behavior results from the competition between the dislocation and the strain relaxation in QDs. Concurrently, a series of photoelectric detectors are fabricated to evaluate the photoelectric performance of these annealed Ge QD samples. A high-photoelectricity response is demonstrated in the QD sample annealed at 650 °C. Our results pave a promising way for whole-silicon-material optical-electronic integration based on a simple and practicable fabrication method.

Effects of two-photon absorption on all optical logic operation based on quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiang; Dutta, Niloy K.

2018-01-01

We investigate all-optical logic operation in quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier (QD-SOA) based Mach-Zehnder interferometer considering the effects of two-photon absorption (TPA). TPA occurs during the propagation of sub-picosecond pulses in QD-SOA, which leads to a change in carrier recovery dynamics in quantum-dots. We utilize a rate equation model to take into account carrier refill through TPA and nonlinear dynamics including carrier heating and spectral hole burning in the QD-SOA. The simulation results show the TPA-induced pumping in the QD-SOA can reduce the pattern effect and increase the output quality of the all-optical logic operation. With TPA, this scheme is suitable for high-speed Boolean logic operation at 320 Gb/s.

Nanosensing of Pesticides by Zinc Oxide Quantum Dot: An Optical and Electrochemical Approach for the Detection of Pesticides in Water.

PubMed

Sahoo, Dibakar; Mandal, Abhishek; Mitra, Tapas; Chakraborty, Kaushik; Bardhan, Munmun; Dasgupta, Anjan Kumar

2018-01-17

Present study reveals the low concentrations (∼4 ppm) of pesticide sensing vis-à-vis degradation of pesticides with the help of nontoxic zinc oxide quantum dots (QD). In our study, we have taken four different pesticides viz., aldrin, tetradifon, glyphosate, and atrazine, which are widely used in agriculture and have structural dissimilarities/diversity. By using optical sensing techniques such as steady state and time-resolved fluorescence, we have analyzed the detailed exciton dynamics of QD in the presence of different pesticides. It has been found that the pesticide containing good leaving groups (-Cl) can interact with QD promptly and has high binding affinity (∼10 7 M -1 ). The different binding signatures of QD with different pesticides enable us to differentiate between the pesticides. Time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy provides significant variance (∼150-300 ns) for different pesticides. Furthermore, a large variation (10 5 Ω to 7 × 10 4 Ω) in the resistance of QD in the presence of different pesticides was revealed by electrochemical sensing technique. Moreover, during the interaction with pesticides, QD can also act as a photocatalyst to degrade pesticides. Present investigation explored the fact that the rate of degradation is positively affected by the binding affinity, i.e., the greater the binding, the greater is the degradation. What is more, both optical and electrochemical measurements of QD, in tandem, as described in our study could be utilized as the pattern recognition sensor for detection of several pesticides.

Influence of electromechanical coupling on optical properties of InGaN quantum-dot based light-emitting diodes.

PubMed

Barettin, Daniele; Maur, Matthias Auf der; Carlo, Aldo di; Pecchia, Alessandro; Tsatsulnikov, Andrei F; Sakharov, Alexei V; Lundin, Wsevolod V; Nikolaev, Andrei E; Usov, Sergey O; Cherkashin, Nikolay; Hÿtch, Martin J; Karpov, Sergey Yu

2017-01-06

The impact of electromechanical coupling on optical properties of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with InGaN/GaN quantum-dot (QD) active regions is studied by numerical simulations. The structure, i.e. the shape and the average In content of the QDs, has been directly derived from experimental data on out-of-plane strain distribution obtained from the geometric-phase analysis of a high-resolution transmission electron microscopy image of an LED structure grown by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy. Using continuum [Formula: see text] calculations, we have studied first the lateral and full electromechanical coupling between the QDs in the active region and its impact on the emission spectrum of a single QD located in the center of the region. Our simulations demonstrate the spectrum to be weakly affected by the coupling despite the strong common strain field induced in the QD active region. Then we analyzed the effect of vertical coupling between vertically stacked QDs as a function of the interdot distance. We have found that QCSE gives rise to a blue-shift of the overall emission spectrum when the interdot distance becomes small enough. Finally, we compared the theoretical spectrum obtained from simulation of the entire active region with an experimental electroluminescence (EL) spectrum. While the theoretical peak emission wavelength of the selected central QD corresponded well to that of the EL spectrum, the width of the latter one was determined by the scatter in the structures of various QDs located in the active region. Good agreement between the simulations and experiment achieved as a whole validates our model based on realistic structure of the QD active region and demonstrates advantages of the applied approach.

Radiation Effects in Nanostructures: Comparison of Proton Irradiation Induced Changes on Quantum Dots and Quantum Wells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leon, R.; Swift, G.; Magness, B.; Taylor, W.; Tang, Y.; Wang, K.; Dowd, P.; Zhang, Y.

2000-01-01

Successful implementation of technology using self-forming semiconductor Quantum Dots (QDs) has already demonstrated that temperature independent Dirac-delta density of states can be exploited in low current threshold QD lasers and QD infrared photodetectors.

Dot-in-Well Quantum-Dot Infrared Photodetectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gunapala, Sarath; Bandara, Sumith; Ting, David; Hill, cory; Liu, John; Mumolo, Jason; Chang, Yia Chung

2008-01-01

Dot-in-well (DWELL) quantum-dot infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) [DWELL-QDIPs] are subjects of research as potentially superior alternatives to prior QDIPs. Heretofore, there has not existed a reliable method for fabricating quantum dots (QDs) having precise, repeatable dimensions. This lack has constituted an obstacle to the development of uniform, high-performance, wavelength-tailorable QDIPs and of focal-plane arrays (FPAs) of such QDIPs. However, techniques for fabricating quantum-well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) having multiple-quantum- well (MQW) structures are now well established. In the present research on DWELL-QDIPs, the arts of fabrication of QDs and QWIPs are combined with a view toward overcoming the deficiencies of prior QDIPs. The longer-term goal is to develop focal-plane arrays of radiationhard, highly uniform arrays of QDIPs that would exhibit high performance at wavelengths from 8 to 15 m when operated at temperatures between 150 and 200 K. Increasing quantum efficiency is the key to the development of competitive QDIP-based FPAs. Quantum efficiency can be increased by increasing the density of QDs and by enhancing infrared absorption in QD-containing material. QDIPs demonstrated thus far have consisted, variously, of InAs islands on GaAs or InAs islands in InGaAs/GaAs wells. These QDIPs have exhibited low quantum efficiencies because the numbers of QD layers (and, hence, the areal densities of QDs) have been small typically five layers in each QDIP. The number of QD layers in such a device must be thus limited to prevent the aggregation of strain in the InAs/InGaAs/GaAs non-lattice- matched material system. The approach being followed in the DWELL-QDIP research is to embed In- GaAs QDs in GaAs/AlGaAs multi-quantum- well (MQW) structures (see figure). This material system can accommodate a large number of QD layers without excessive lattice-mismatch strain and the associated degradation of photodetection properties. Hence, this material system is expected to enable achievement of greater densities of QDs and correspondingly greater quantum efficiencies. The host GaAs/AlGaAs MQW structures are highly compatible with mature fabrication processes that are now used routinely in making QWIP FPAs. The hybrid InGaAs-dot/GaAs/AlGaAs-well system also offers design advantages in that the effects of variability of dot size can be partly compensated by engineering quantum-well sizes, which can be controlled precisely.

Structural control of InP/ZnS core/shell quantum dots enables high-quality white LEDs.

PubMed

Kumar, Baskaran Ganesh; Sadeghi, Sadra; Melikov, Rustamzhon; Aria, Mohammad Mohammadi; Jalali, Houman Bahmani; Ow-Yang, Cleva W; Nizamoglu, Sedat

2018-08-24

Herein, we demonstrate that the structural and optical control of InP-based quantum dots (QDs) can lead to high-performance light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Zinc sulphide (ZnS) shells passivate the InP QD core and increase the quantum yield in green-emitting QDs by 13-fold and red-emitting QDs by 8-fold. The optimised QDs are integrated in the liquid state to eliminate aggregation-induced emission quenching and we fabricated white LEDs with a warm, neutral and cool-white appearance by the down-conversion mechanism. The QD-functionalized white LEDs achieve luminous efficiency (LE) up to 14.7 lm W -1 and colour-rendering index up to 80. The structural and optical control of InP/ZnS core/shell QDs enable 23-fold enhancement in LE of white LEDs compared to ones containing only QDs of InP core.

Two-dimensional simulation of GaAsSb/GaAs quantum dot solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunrugsa, Maetee

2018-06-01

Two-dimensional (2D) simulation of GaAsSb/GaAs quantum dot (QD) solar cells is presented. The effects of As mole fraction in GaAsSb QDs on the performance of the solar cell are investigated. The solar cell is designed as a p-i-n GaAs structure where a single layer of GaAsSb QDs is introduced into the intrinsic region. The current density–voltage characteristics of QD solar cells are derived from Poisson’s equation, continuity equations, and the drift-diffusion transport equations, which are numerically solved by a finite element method. Furthermore, the transition energy of a single GaAsSb QD and its corresponding wavelength for each As mole fraction are calculated by a six-band k · p model to validate the position of the absorption edge in the external quantum efficiency curve. A GaAsSb/GaAs QD solar cell with an As mole fraction of 0.4 provides the best power conversion efficiency. The overlap between electron and hole wave functions becomes larger as the As mole fraction increases, leading to a higher optical absorption probability which is confirmed by the enhanced photogeneration rates within and around the QDs. However, further increasing the As mole fraction results in a reduction in the efficiency because the absorption edge moves towards shorter wavelengths, lowering the short-circuit current density. The influences of the QD size and density on the efficiency are also examined. For the GaAsSb/GaAs QD solar cell with an As mole fraction of 0.4, the efficiency can be improved to 26.2% by utilizing the optimum QD size and density. A decrease in the efficiency is observed at high QD densities, which is attributed to the increased carrier recombination and strain-modified band structures affecting the absorption edges.

Electronic structure calculation of single and coupled self-assembled quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mlinar, Vladan

There are two main contributions of this thesis. First, from the theoretical point of view, we find that different treatments of the nanostructure-barrier interface in the framework of multiband effective-mass theory, result in the existence of non-physical solutions for the hole energy levels of a nanostructure. Our proposed improvement is an approach based on the envelope-function theory for nanostructures developed by Burt and Foreman. In structures with a large difference of the structural parameters between the constituent materials, such as InAs/GaAs quantum nanostructures, the conventional multiband models lead to non-physical solutions. Second, we investigate underlying physics of the theoretically less investigated QD systems. Variation of electronic and optical properties of InAs/GaAs QDs and QDM grown on [11k] substrates, where k=1,2,3 were analyzed and we found that: (i) The QD size in the growth direction determines the degree of influence of the substrate orientation: the flatter the dots, the larger the difference from the reference [001] case. (ii) The small variation of inter-dot distance in eight QD molecule qualitatively changes the transition energy dependence on the substrate orientation. (iii) Size of the QD in the growth direction determines the influence of the (In,Ga)As capping layer on the optical properties of [11k] grown InAs QDs, where k=1,2,3. Next, two cases of type II QDs where hole is localized outside the dot, were discussed: InP/InGaP QDs and QDMs in an external magnetic field, and InAs QDs capped with Ga(As,Sb). Competition between confinement, quantum mechanical coupling, and strain influence the exciton diamagnetic shift in single QD and double and triple QDM is investigated in details. Available experimental data were successfully described by one of the optically active exciton states of the lowest lying exciton quartet. Finally, the electronic and optical properties of unstrained GaAs self-assembled QDs with precisely known sizes and shape, placed in an external magnetic field are investigated. For magnetic fields applied both, in growth direction and perpendicular to it (B≤50T), we found good agreement between our predicted exciton diamagnetic shift and recent experimental magneto-photoluminescence data.

Design of Strain-Engineered GeSn/GeSiSn Quantum Dots for Mid-IR Direct Bandgap Emission on Si Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Saigh, Reem; Baira, Mourad; Salem, Bassem; Ilahi, Bouraoui

2018-06-01

Strain-engineered self-assembled GeSn/GeSiSn quantum dots in Ge matrix have been numerically investigated aiming to study their potentiality towards direct bandgap emission in the mid-IR range. The use of GeSiSn alloy as surrounding media for GeSn quantum dots (QD) allows adjusting the strain around the QD through the variation of Si and/or Sn composition. Accordingly, the lattice mismatch between the GeSn quantum dots and the GeSiSn surrounding layer has been tuned between - 2.3 and - 4.5% through the variation of the Sn barrier composition for different dome-shaped QD sizes. The obtained results show that the emission wavelength, fulfilling the specific QD directness criteria, can be successively tuned over a broad mid-IR range from 3 up to7 μm opening new perspectives for group IV laser sources fully integrated in Si photonic systems for sensing applications.

Multifunctional quantum dots and liposome complexes in drug delivery

PubMed Central

Wang, Qi; Chao, Yimin

2018-01-01

Incorporating both diagnostic and therapeutic functions into a single nanoscale system is an effective modern drug delivery strategy. Combining liposomes with semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) has great potential to achieve such dual functions, referred to in this review as a liposomal QD hybrid system (L-QD). Here we review the recent literature dealing with the design and application of L-QD for advances in bio-imaging and drug delivery. After a summary of L-QD synthesis processes and evaluation of their properties, we will focus on their multifunctional applications, ranging from in vitro cell imaging to theranostic drug delivery approaches. PMID:28866655

Multifunctional quantum dots and liposome complexes in drug delivery.

PubMed

Wang, Qi; Chao, Yi-Min

2017-09-03

Incorporating both diagnostic and therapeutic functions into a single nanoscale system is an effective modern drug delivery strategy. Combining liposomes with semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) has great potential to achieve such dual functions, referred to in this review as a liposomal QD hybrid system (L-QD). Here we review the recent literature dealing with the design and application of L-QD for advances in bio-imaging and drug delivery. After a summary of L-QD synthesis processes and evaluation of their properties, we will focus on their multifunctional applications, ranging from in vitro cell imaging to theranostic drug delivery approaches.

Quantum dot-decorated semiconductor micro- and nanoparticles: A review of their synthesis, characterization and application in photocatalysis.

PubMed

Bajorowicz, Beata; Kobylański, Marek P; Gołąbiewska, Anna; Nadolna, Joanna; Zaleska-Medynska, Adriana; Malankowska, Anna

2018-06-01

Quantum dot (QD)-decorated semiconductor micro- and nanoparticles are a new class of functional nanomaterials that have attracted considerable interest for their unique structural, optical and electronic properties that result from the large surface-to-volume ratio and the quantum confinement effect. In addition, because of QDs' excellent light-harvesting capacity, unique photoinduced electron transfer, and up-conversion behaviour, semiconductor nanoparticles decorated with quantum dots have been used widely in photocatalytic applications for the degradation of organic pollutants in both the gas and aqueous phases. This review is a comprehensive overview of the recent progress in synthesis methods for quantum dots and quantum dot-decorated semiconductor composites with an emphasis on their composition, morphology and optical behaviour. Furthermore, various approaches used for the preparation of QD-based composites are discussed in detail with respect to visible and UV light-induced photoactivity. Finally, an outlook on future development is proposed with the goal of overcoming challenges and stimulating further research into this promising field. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nonvolatile memory thin film transistors using CdSe/ZnS quantum dot-poly(methyl methacrylate) composite layer formed by a two-step spin coating technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ying-Chih; Huang, Chun-Yuan; Yu, Hsin-Chieh; Su, Yan-Kuin

2012-08-01

The nonvolatile memory thin film transistors (TFTs) using a core/shell CdSe/ZnS quantum dot (QD)-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) composite layer as the floating gate have been demonstrated, with the device configuration of n+-Si gate/SiO2 insulator/QD-PMMA composite layer/pentacene channel/Au source-drain being proposed. To achieve the QD-PMMA composite layer, a two-step spin coating technique was used to successively deposit QD-PMMA composite and PMMA on the insulator. After the processes, the variation of crystal quality and surface morphology of the subsequent pentacene films characterized by x-ray diffraction spectra and atomic force microscopy was correlated to the two-step spin coating. The crystalline size of pentacene was improved from 147.9 to 165.2 Å, while the degree of structural disorder was decreased from 4.5% to 3.1% after the adoption of this technique. In pentacene-based TFTs, the improvement of the performance was also significant, besides the appearances of strong memory characteristics. The memory behaviors were attributed to the charge storage/discharge effect in QD-PMMA composite layer. Under the programming and erasing operations, programmable memory devices with the memory window (Δ Vth) = 23 V and long retention time were obtained.

Quantum dots in single electron transistors with ultrathin silicon-on-insulator structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ihara, S.; Andreev, A.; Williams, D. A.; Kodera, T.; Oda, S.

2015-07-01

We report on fabrication and transport properties of lithographically defined single quantum dots (QDs) in single electron transistors with ultrathin silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. We observed comparatively large charging energy E C ˜ 20 meV derived from the stability diagram at a temperature of 4.2 K. We also carried out three-dimensional calculations of the capacitance matrix and transport properties through the QD for the real structure geometry and found an excellent quantitative agreement with experiment of the calculated main parameters of stability diagram (charging energy, period of Coulomb oscillations, and asymmetry of the diamonds). The obtained results confirm fabrication of well-defined integrated QDs as designed with ultrathin SOI that makes it possible to achieve relatively large QD charging energies, which is useful for stable and high temperature operation of single electron devices.

Electronic structure of cobalt doped CdSe quantum dots using soft X-ray spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Wright, Joshua T.; Su, Dong; van Buuren, Tony; ...

2014-08-21

Here, the electronic structure and magnetic properties of cobalt doped CdSe quantum dots (QDs) are studied using electron microscopy, soft X-ray spectroscopy, and magnetometry. Magnetometry measurements suggest these QDs are superparamagnetic, contrary to a spin-glass state observed in the bulk analogue. Electron microscopy shows well formed QDs, but with cobalt existing as doped into the QD and as unreacted species not contained in the QD. X-ray absorption measurements at the Co L3-edge suggest that changes in spectra features as a function of particle size can be described considering combination of a cobalt ion in a tetrahedral crystal field and anmore » octahedrally coordinated (impurity) phase. With decreasing particle sizes, the impurity phase increases, suggesting that small QDs can be difficult to dope.« less

High-Efficiency All-Solution-Processed Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Anisotropic Colloidal Heterostructures with Polar Polymer Injecting Layers.

PubMed

Castelli, Andrea; Meinardi, Francesco; Pasini, Mariacecilia; Galeotti, Francesco; Pinchetti, Valerio; Lorenzon, Monica; Manna, Liberato; Moreels, Iwan; Giovanella, Umberto; Brovelli, Sergio

2015-08-12

Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) are emerging as true candidates for light-emitting diodes with ultrasaturated colors. Here, we combine CdSe/CdS dot-in-rod heterostructures and polar/polyelectrolytic conjugated polymers to demonstrate the first example of fully solution-based quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) incorporating all-organic injection/transport layers with high brightness, very limited roll-off and external quantum efficiency as high as 6.1%, which is 20 times higher than the record QD-LEDs with all-solution-processed organic interlayers and exceeds by over 200% QD-LEDs embedding vacuum-deposited organic molecules.

Use of CdS quantum dot-functionalized cellulose nanocrystal films for anti-counterfeiting applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, L.; Lai, C.; Marchewka, R.; Berry, R. M.; Tam, K. C.

2016-07-01

Structural colors and photoluminescence have been widely used for anti-counterfeiting and security applications. We report for the first time the use of CdS quantum dot (QD)-functionalized cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as building blocks to fabricate nanothin films via layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly for anti-counterfeiting applications. Both negatively- and positively-charged CNC/QD nanohybrids with a high colloidal stability and a narrow particle size distribution were prepared. The controllable LBL coating process was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and ellipsometry. The rigid structure of CNCs leads to nanoporous structured films on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates with high transmittance (above 70%) over the entire range of visible light and also resulted in increased hydrophilicity (contact angles of ~40 degrees). Nanothin films on PET substrates showed good flexibility and enhanced stability in both water and ethanol. The modified PET films with structural colors from thin-film interference and photoluminescence from QDs can be used in anti-counterfeiting applications.Structural colors and photoluminescence have been widely used for anti-counterfeiting and security applications. We report for the first time the use of CdS quantum dot (QD)-functionalized cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as building blocks to fabricate nanothin films via layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly for anti-counterfeiting applications. Both negatively- and positively-charged CNC/QD nanohybrids with a high colloidal stability and a narrow particle size distribution were prepared. The controllable LBL coating process was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and ellipsometry. The rigid structure of CNCs leads to nanoporous structured films on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates with high transmittance (above 70%) over the entire range of visible light and also resulted in increased hydrophilicity (contact angles of ~40 degrees). Nanothin films on PET substrates showed good flexibility and enhanced stability in both water and ethanol. The modified PET films with structural colors from thin-film interference and photoluminescence from QDs can be used in anti-counterfeiting applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr03039d

Effects of annealing on performances of 1.3-μm InAs-InGaAs-GaAs quantum dot electroabsorption modulators

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

In this work, we investigated the effects of quantum dot (QD) annealing (as-grown, 600°C-annealed, and 750°C-annealed) on the preliminary performances of 1.3-μm InAs-InGaAs-GaAs quantum dot electroabsorption modulators (QD-EAMs). Both extinction ratio and insertion loss were found to vary inversely with the annealing temperature. Most importantly, the 3-dB response of the 750°C-annealed lumped-element QD-EAM was found to be 1.6 GHz at zero reverse bias voltage - the lowest reverse bias voltage reported. We believe that this work will be beneficial to researchers working on on-chip integration of QD-EAMs with other devices since energy consumption will be an important consideration. PMID:23388169

Utilizing Electrical Characteristics of Individual Nanotube Devices to Study the Charge Transfer between CdSe Quantum Dots and Double-Walled Nanotubes

DOE PAGES

Zhu, Yuqi; Zhou, Ruiping; Wang, Lei; ...

2017-03-02

To study the charge transfer between cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) and double-walled nanotubes (DWNTs), various sizes of CdSe-ligand-DWNT structures are synthesized, and field-effect transistors (FETs) from individual functionalized DWNTs rather than networks of the same are fabricated. From the electrical measurements, two distinct electron transfer mechanisms from the QD system to the nanotube are identified. By the formation of the CdSe-ligand-DWNT heterostructure, an effectively n-doped nanotube is created due to the smaller work function of CdSe as compared with the nanotube. In addition, once the QD-DWNT system is exposed to laser light, further electron transfer from the QDmore » through the ligand, i.e. 4-mercaptophenol (MTH), to the nanotube occurs and a clear QD-size dependent tunneling process is observed. Furthermore, the detailed analysis of a large set of devices and the particular methodology employed here for the first time allowed for extracting a wavelength and quantum dot size dependent charge transfer efficiency – a quantity that is evaluated for the first time through electrical measurement.« less

Utilizing Electrical Characteristics of Individual Nanotube Devices to Study the Charge Transfer between CdSe Quantum Dots and Double-Walled Nanotubes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Yuqi; Zhou, Ruiping; Wang, Lei

To study the charge transfer between cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) and double-walled nanotubes (DWNTs), various sizes of CdSe-ligand-DWNT structures are synthesized, and field-effect transistors (FETs) from individual functionalized DWNTs rather than networks of the same are fabricated. From the electrical measurements, two distinct electron transfer mechanisms from the QD system to the nanotube are identified. By the formation of the CdSe-ligand-DWNT heterostructure, an effectively n-doped nanotube is created due to the smaller work function of CdSe as compared with the nanotube. In addition, once the QD-DWNT system is exposed to laser light, further electron transfer from the QDmore » through the ligand, i.e. 4-mercaptophenol (MTH), to the nanotube occurs and a clear QD-size dependent tunneling process is observed. Furthermore, the detailed analysis of a large set of devices and the particular methodology employed here for the first time allowed for extracting a wavelength and quantum dot size dependent charge transfer efficiency – a quantity that is evaluated for the first time through electrical measurement.« less

Fluorescence and Cytotoxicity of Cadmium Sulfide Quantum Dots Stabilized on Clay Nanotubes.

PubMed

Stavitskaya, Anna V; Novikov, Andrei A; Kotelev, Mikhail S; Kopitsyn, Dmitry S; Rozhina, Elvira V; Ishmukhametov, Ilnur R; Fakhrullin, Rawil F; Ivanov, Evgenii V; Lvov, Yuri M; Vinokurov, Vladimir A

2018-05-31

Quantum dots (QD) are widely used for cellular labeling due to enhanced brightness, resistance to photobleaching, and multicolor light emissions. CdS and Cd x Zn₁ - x S nanoparticles with sizes of 6⁻8 nm were synthesized via a ligand assisted technique inside and outside of 50 nm diameter halloysite clay nanotubes (QD were immobilized on the tube's surface). The halloysite⁻QD composites were tested by labeling human skin fibroblasts and prostate cancer cells. In human cell cultures, halloysite⁻QD systems were internalized by living cells, and demonstrated intense and stable fluorescence combined with pronounced nanotube light scattering. The best signal stability was observed for QD that were synthesized externally on the amino-grafted halloysite. The best cell viability was observed for Cd x Zn₁ - x S QD immobilized onto the azine-grafted halloysite. The possibility to use QD clay nanotube core-shell nanoarchitectures for the intracellular labeling was demonstrated. A pronounced scattering and fluorescence by halloysite⁻QD systems allows for their promising usage as markers for biomedical applications.

Quantum Dot Gate Three-State and Nonvolatile Memory Field-Effect Transistors Using a ZnS/ZnMgS/ZnS Heteroepitaxial Stack as a Tunnel Insulator on Silicon-on-Insulator Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suarez, Ernesto; Chan, Pik-Yiu; Lingalugari, Murali; Ayers, John E.; Heller, Evan; Jain, Faquir

2013-11-01

This paper describes the use of II-VI lattice-matched gate insulators in quantum dot gate three-state and flash nonvolatile memory structures. Using silicon-on-insulator wafers we have fabricated GeO x -cladded Ge quantum dot (QD) floating gate nonvolatile memory field-effect transistor devices using ZnS-Zn0.95Mg0.05S-ZnS tunneling layers. The II-VI heteroepitaxial stack is nearly lattice-matched and is grown using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on a silicon channel. This stack reduces the interface state density, improving threshold voltage variation, particularly in sub-22-nm devices. Simulations using self-consistent solutions of the Poisson and Schrödinger equations show the transfer of charge to the QD layers in three-state as well as nonvolatile memory cells.

Use of CdS quantum dot-functionalized cellulose nanocrystal films for anti-counterfeiting applications.

PubMed

Chen, L; Lai, C; Marchewka, R; Berry, R M; Tam, K C

2016-07-21

Structural colors and photoluminescence have been widely used for anti-counterfeiting and security applications. We report for the first time the use of CdS quantum dot (QD)-functionalized cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as building blocks to fabricate nanothin films via layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly for anti-counterfeiting applications. Both negatively- and positively-charged CNC/QD nanohybrids with a high colloidal stability and a narrow particle size distribution were prepared. The controllable LBL coating process was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and ellipsometry. The rigid structure of CNCs leads to nanoporous structured films on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates with high transmittance (above 70%) over the entire range of visible light and also resulted in increased hydrophilicity (contact angles of ∼40 degrees). Nanothin films on PET substrates showed good flexibility and enhanced stability in both water and ethanol. The modified PET films with structural colors from thin-film interference and photoluminescence from QDs can be used in anti-counterfeiting applications.

1300 nm optically pumped quantum dot spin vertical external-cavity surface-emitting laser

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alharthi, S. S., E-mail: ssmalh@essex.ac.uk; Henning, I. D.; Adams, M. J.

We report a room temperature optically pumped Quantum Dot-based Spin-Vertical-External-Cavity Surface-Emitting laser (QD Spin-VECSEL) operating at the telecom wavelength of 1.3 μm. The active medium was composed of 5 × 3 QD layers; each threefold group was positioned at an antinode of the standing wave of the optical field. Circularly polarized lasing in the QD-VECSEL under Continuous-Wave optical pumping has been realized with a threshold pump power of 11 mW. We further demonstrate at room temperature control of the QD-VECSEL output polarization ellipticity via the pump polarization.

Influence of quantum dot's quantum yield to chemiluminescent resonance energy transfer.

PubMed

Wang, Hai-Qiao; Li, Yong-Qiang; Wang, Jian-Hao; Xu, Qiao; Li, Xiu-Qing; Zhao, Yuan-Di

2008-03-03

The resonance energy transfer between chemiluminescence donor (luminol-H2O2 system) and quantum dots (QDs, emission at 593 nm) acceptors (CRET) was investigated. The resonance energy transfer efficiencies were compared while the oil soluble QDs, water soluble QDs (modified with thioglycolate) and QD-HRP conjugates were used as acceptor. The fluorescence of QD can be observed in the three cases, indicating that the CRET occurs while QD acceptor in different status was used. The highest CRET efficiency (10.7%) was obtained in the case of oil soluble QDs, and the lowest CRET efficiency (2.7%) was observed in the QD-HRP conjugates case. This result is coincident with the quantum yields of the acceptors (18.3% and 0.4%). The same result was observed in another similar set of experiment, in which the amphiphilic polymer modified QDs (emission at 675 nm) were used. It suggests that the quantum yield of the QD in different status is the crucial factor to the CRET efficiency. Furthermore, the multiplexed CRET between luminol donor and three different sizes QD acceptors was observed simultaneously. This work will offer useful support for improving the CRET studies based on quantum dots.

Sandwiched confinement of quantum dots in graphene matrix for efficient electron transfer and photocurrent production

PubMed Central

Zhu, Nan; Zheng, Kaibo; Karki, Khadga J.; Abdellah, Mohamed; Zhu, Qiushi; Carlson, Stefan; Haase, Dörthe; Žídek, Karel; Ulstrup, Jens; Canton, Sophie E.; Pullerits, Tõnu; Chi, Qijin

2015-01-01

Quantum dots (QDs) and graphene are both promising materials for the development of new-generation optoelectronic devices. Towards this end, synergic assembly of these two building blocks is a key step but remains a challenge. Here, we show a one-step strategy for organizing QDs in a graphene matrix via interfacial self-assembly, leading to the formation of sandwiched hybrid QD-graphene nanofilms. We have explored structural features, electron transfer kinetics and photocurrent generation capacity of such hybrid nanofilms using a wide variety of advanced techniques. Graphene nanosheets interlink QDs and significantly improve electronic coupling, resulting in fast electron transfer from photoexcited QDs to graphene with a rate constant of 1.3 × 109 s−1. Efficient electron transfer dramatically enhances photocurrent generation in a liquid-junction QD-sensitized solar cell where the hybrid nanofilm acts as a photoanode. We thereby demonstrate a cost-effective method to construct large-area QD-graphene hybrid nanofilms with straightforward scale-up potential for optoelectronic applications. PMID:25996307

A molecular beacon microarray based on a quantum dot label for detecting single nucleotide polymorphisms.

PubMed

Guo, Qingsheng; Bai, Zhixiong; Liu, Yuqian; Sun, Qingjiang

2016-03-15

In this work, we report the application of streptavidin-coated quantum dot (strAV-QD) in molecular beacon (MB) microarray assays by using the strAV-QD to label the immobilized MB, avoiding target labeling and meanwhile obviating the use of amplification. The MBs are stem-loop structured oligodeoxynucleotides, modified with a thiol and a biotin at two terminals of the stem. With the strAV-QD labeling an "opened" MB rather than a "closed" MB via streptavidin-biotin reaction, a sensitive and specific detection of label-free target DNA sequence is demonstrated by the MB microarray, with a signal-to-background ratio of 8. The immobilized MBs can be perfectly regenerated, allowing the reuse of the microarray. The MB microarray also is able to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms, exhibiting genotype-dependent fluorescence signals. It is demonstrated that the MB microarray can perform as a 4-to-2 encoder, compressing the genotype information into two outputs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sandwiched confinement of quantum dots in graphene matrix for efficient electron transfer and photocurrent production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Nan; Zheng, Kaibo; Karki, Khadga J.; Abdellah, Mohamed; Zhu, Qiushi; Carlson, Stefan; Haase, Dörthe; Žídek, Karel; Ulstrup, Jens; Canton, Sophie E.; Pullerits, Tõnu; Chi, Qijin

2015-05-01

Quantum dots (QDs) and graphene are both promising materials for the development of new-generation optoelectronic devices. Towards this end, synergic assembly of these two building blocks is a key step but remains a challenge. Here, we show a one-step strategy for organizing QDs in a graphene matrix via interfacial self-assembly, leading to the formation of sandwiched hybrid QD-graphene nanofilms. We have explored structural features, electron transfer kinetics and photocurrent generation capacity of such hybrid nanofilms using a wide variety of advanced techniques. Graphene nanosheets interlink QDs and significantly improve electronic coupling, resulting in fast electron transfer from photoexcited QDs to graphene with a rate constant of 1.3 × 109 s-1. Efficient electron transfer dramatically enhances photocurrent generation in a liquid-junction QD-sensitized solar cell where the hybrid nanofilm acts as a photoanode. We thereby demonstrate a cost-effective method to construct large-area QD-graphene hybrid nanofilms with straightforward scale-up potential for optoelectronic applications.

Broadband energy transfer to sensitizing dyes by mobile quantum dot mediators in solar cells

PubMed Central

Adhyaksa, Gede Widia Pratama; Lee, Ga In; Baek, Se-Woong; Lee, Jung-Yong; Kang, Jeung Ku

2013-01-01

The efficiency of solar cells depends on absorption intensity of the photon collectors. Herein, mobile quantum dots (QDs) functionalized with thiol ligands in electrolyte are utilized into dye–sensitized solar cells. The QDs serve as mediators to receive and re–transmit energy to sensitized dyes, thus amplifying photon collection of sensitizing dyes in the visible range and enabling up–conversion of low-energy photons to higher-energy photons for dye absorption. The cell efficiency is boosted by dispersing QDs in electrolyte, thereby obviating the need for light scattering1 or plasmonic2 structures. Furthermore, optical spectroscopy and external quantum efficiency data reveal that resonance energy transfer due to the overlap between QD emission and dye absorption spectra becomes dominant when the QD bandgap is higher than the first excitonic peak of the dye, while co–sensitization resulting in a fast reduction of oxidized dyes is pronounced in the case of lower QD band gaps. PMID:24048384

Elucidation of Two Giants: Challenges to Thick-shell Synthesis in CdSe/ZnSe and ZnSe/CdS Core/Shell Quantum Dots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Acharya, Krishna P.; Nguyen, Hue M.; Paulite, Melissa

2015-03-06

Core/thick-shell "giant" quantum dots (gQDs) possessing type II electronic structures exhibit suppressed blinking and diminished nonradiative Auger recombination. Here we investigate CdSe/ZnSe and ZnSe/CdS as potential new gQDs. We show theoretically and experimentally that both can exhibit partial or complete spatial separation of an excited-state electron–hole pair (i.e., type II behavior). However, we reveal that thick-shell growth is challenged by competing processes: alloying and cation exchange. We demonstrate that these can be largely avoided by choice of shelling conditions (e.g., time, temperature, and QD core identity). The resulting CdSe/ZnSe gQDs exhibit unusual single-QD properties, principally emitting from dim gray statesmore » but having high two-exciton (biexciton) emission efficiencies, whereas ZnSe/CdS gQDs show characteristic gQD blinking suppression, though only if shelling is accompanied by partial cation exchange.« less

Anisotropic electro-optic effect on InGaAs quantum dot chain modulators.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Liang, Baolai; Huffaker, Diana; Fetterman, Harold

2013-10-15

We investigated the anisotropic electro-optic (EO) effect on InGaAs quantum dot (QD) chain modulators. The linear EO coefficients were determined as 24.3 pm/V (33.8 pm/V) along the [011] direction and 30.6 pm/V (40.3 pm/V) along the [011¯] direction at 1.55 μm (1.32 μm) operational wavelength. The corresponding half-wave voltages (Vπs) were measured to be 5.35 V (4.35 V) and 4.65 V (3.86 V) at 1.55 μm (1.32 μm) wavelength. This is the first report on the anisotropic EO effect on QD chain structures. These modulators have 3 dB bandwidths larger than 10 GHz.

Role of the wetting layer in the enhanced responsivity of InAs/GaAsSb quantum dot infrared photodetectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guzmán, Álvaro, E-mail: guzman@die.upm.es; Yamamoto, Kenji; Ulloa, J. M.

2015-07-06

InAs/GaAs{sub 1−x}Sb{sub x} Quantum Dot (QD) infrared photodetectors are analyzed by photocurrent spectroscopy. We observe that the integrated responsivity of the devices is improved with the increasing Sb mole fraction in the capping layer, up to 4.2 times for x = 17%. Since the QD layers are not vertically aligned, the vertical transport of the carriers photogenerated within the QDs takes place mainly through the bulk material and the wetting layer of the additional QD regions. The lower thickness of the wetting layer for high Sb contents results in a reduced capture probability of the photocarriers, thus increasing the photoconductive gain andmore » hence, the responsivity of the device. The growth of not vertically aligned consecutive QD layers with a thinner wetting layer opens a possibility to improve the performance of quantum dot infrared photodetectors.« less

Plastic scintillator enhancement through Quantum Dot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tam, Alan; Boyraz, Ozdal; Nilsson, Mikael

2017-08-01

Plastic scintillators such as Polyvinyl Toluene (PVT) are used for radiation detection but due to their poor performance they are not widely implemented. In order to circumnavigate this, dopants are added to enhance scintillation by energy transfer otherwise lost through non-radiative processes. In this work, we exploit the effects of energy transfer through the use of short wavelength emission Cadmium Sulfide Quantum Dots (QD) as the transfer stimulant. Scintillation enhancement was observed as Cadmium Sulfide QD with scintillating dyes are embedded in PVT polymer matrix for beta and gamma radiation. Energy transfer was observed between Quantum Dots, scintillating dye, and the host polymer. Different concentrations of QD and 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO) dye are investigated to characterize the energy transfer.

Broadband light trapping strategies for quantum-dot photovoltaic cells (>10%) and their issues with the measurement of photovoltaic characteristics.

PubMed

Cho, Changsoon; Song, Jung Hoon; Kim, Changjo; Jeong, Sohee; Lee, Jung-Yong

2017-12-12

Bandgap tunability and broadband absorption make quantum-dot (QD) photovoltaic cells (PVs) a promising candidate for future solar energy conversion systems. Approaches to improving the electrical properties of the active layer increase efficiency in part. The present study focuses on optical room for enhancement in QD PVs over wide spectrum in the near-infrared (NIR) region. We find that ray-optical light trapping schemes rather than the nanophotonics approach may be the best solution for enhancing broadband QD PVs by suppressing the escape probability of internal photons without spectral dependency. Based on the theoretical study of diverse schemes for various bandgaps, we apply a V-groove structure and a V-groove textured compound parabolic trapper (VCPT) to PbS-based QD PVs along with the measurement issues for PVs with a light scattering layer. The efficiency of the best device is improved from 10.3% to 11.0% (certified to 10.8%) by a V-groove structure despite the possibility of underestimation caused by light scattering in small-area devices (aperture area: 0.0625 cm 2 ). By minimizing such underestimation, even greater enhancements of 13.6% and 15.6% in short circuit current are demonstrated for finger-type devices (0.167 cm 2 without aperture) and large-area devices (2.10 cm 2 with an aperture of 0.350 cm 2 ), respectively, using VCPT.

Unique self-assembly properties of a bridge-shaped protein dimer with quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jianhao; Jiang, Pengju; Gao, Liqian; Yu, Yongsheng; Lu, Yao; Qiu, Lin; Wang, Cheli; Xia, Jiang

2013-09-01

How protein-protein interaction affects protein-nanoparticle self-assembly is the key to the understanding of biomolecular coating of nanoparticle in biological fluids. However, the relationship between protein shape and its interaction with nanoparticles is still under-exploited because of lack of a well-conceived binding system and a method to detect the subtle change in the protein-nanoparticle assemblies. Noticing this unresolved need, we cloned and expressed a His-tagged SpeA protein that adopts a bridge-shaped dimer structure, and utilized a high-resolution capillary electrophoresis method to monitor assembly formation between the protein and quantum dots (QDs, 5 nm in diameter). We observed that the bridge-shaped structure rendered a low SpeA:QD stoichiometry at saturation. Also, close monitoring of imidazole (Im) displacement of surface-bound protein revealed a unique two-step process. High-concentration Im could displace surface-bound SpeA protein and form a transient QD-protein intermediate, through a kinetically controlled displacement process. An affinity-driven equilibrium step then followed, resulting in re-assembling of the QD-protein complex in about 1 h. Through a temporarily formed intermediate, Im causes a rearrangement of His-tagged proteins on the surface. Thus, our work showcases that the synergistic interplay between QD-His-tag interaction and protein-protein interaction can result in unique properties of protein-nanoparticle assembly for the first time.

Chemical Control of Lead Sulfide Quantum Dot Shape, Self-Assembly, and Charge Transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McPhail, Martin R.

Lead(II) sulfide quantum dots (PbS QDs) are a promising excitonic material for numerous application that require that control of fluxes of charge and energy at nanoscale interfaces, such as solar energy conversion, photo- and electrocatalysis, light emitting diodes, chemical sensing, single-electron logic elements, field effect transistors, and photovoltaics. PbS QDs are particularly suitable for photonics applications because they exhibit size-tunable band-edge absorption and fluorescence across the entire near-infrared spectrum, undergo efficient multi-exciton generation, exhibit a long radiative lifetime, and possess an eight-fold degenerate ground-state. The effective integration of PbS QDs into these applications requires a thorough understanding of how to control their synthesis, self-assembly, and charge transport phenomena. In this document, I describe a series of experiments to elucidate three levels of chemical control on the emergent properties of PbS QDs: (1) the role of surface chemistry in controlling PbS QD shape during solvothermal synthesis, (2) the role of QD shape and ligand functionalization in self-assembly at a liquid-air interface, and (3) the role of QD packing structure on steady-state conductivity and transient current dynamics. At the synthetic level (1), I show that the final shape and surface chemistry of PbS QDs is highly sensitive to the formation of organosulfur byproducts by commonly used sulfur reagents. The insight into PbS QD growth gained from this work is then developed to controllably tune PbS QD shape from cubic to octahedral to hexapodal while maintaining QD size. At the following level of QD self-assembly (2), I show how QD size and shape dictate packing geometry in extended 2D arrays and how this packing can be controllably interrupted in mixed monolayers. I also study the role of ligand structure on the reorganization of QD arrays at a liquid-air interface and find that the specific packing defects in QD arrays vary depending on exchange kinetics and ligand binding geometry. At the final level of emergent macroscopic properties (3), I show that while the size-dependent conductivity of quasi-2D PbS QD arrays can be explained by a simple diffusional hopping model that only accounts for nearest-neighbor interactions, the transient photocurrent dynamics are extremely sensitive to the morphology of the entire percolation network formed by the QDs.

Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells Based on TiO2/AgInS2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawar, Sachin A.; Jeong, Jae Pil; Patil, Dipali S.; More, Vivek M.; Lee, Rochelle S.; Shin, Jae Cheol; Choi, Won Jun

2018-05-01

Quantum dot heterojunctions with type-II band alignment can efficiently separate photogenerated electron-hole pairs and, hence, are useful for solar cell studies. In this study, a quantum dot sensitized solar cell (QDSSC) made of TiO2/AgInS2 is achieved to boost the photoconversion efficiency for the TiO2-based system by varying the AgInS2 layer's thickness. The TiO2 nanorods array film is prepared by using a simple hydrothermal technique. The formation of a AgInS2 QD-sensitized TiO2-nanorod photoelectrode is carried out by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique. The effect of the QD layer on the performance of the solar cell is studied by varying the SILAR cycles of the QD coating. The synthesized electrode materials are characterized by using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and solar cell performances. The results indicate that the nanocrystals have effectively covered the outer surfaces of the TiO2 nanorods. The interfacial structure of quantum dots (QDs)/TiO2 is also investigated, and the growth interface is verified. A careful comparison between TiO2/AgInS2 sensitized cells reveals that the trasfer of electrons and hole proceeds efficiently, the recombination is suppressed for the optimum thickness of the QD layer and light from the entire visible spectrum is utilised. Under AM 1.5G illumination, a high photocurrent of 1.36 mAcm-2 with an improved power conversion efficiency of 0.48% is obtained. The solar cell properties of our photoanodes suggest that the TiO2 nanorod array films co-sensitized by AgInS2 nanoclusters have potential applications in solar cells.

Light-Induced Fluorescence Modulation of Quantum Dot-Crystal Violet Conjugates: Stochastic Off-On-Off Cycles for Multicolor Patterning and Super-Resolution.

PubMed

Jung, Sungwook; Park, Joonhyuck; Bang, Jiwon; Kim, Jae-Yeol; Kim, Cheolhee; Jeon, Yongmoon; Lee, Seung Hwan; Jin, Ho; Choi, Sukyung; Kim, Bomi; Lee, Woo Jin; Pack, Chan-Gi; Lee, Jong-Bong; Lee, Nam Ki; Kim, Sungjee

2017-06-07

Photoswitching or modulation of quantum dots (QDs) can be promising for many fields that include display, memory, and super-resolution imaging. However, such modulations have mostly relied on photomodulations of conjugated molecules in QD vicinity, which typically require high power of high energy photons at UV. We report a visible light-induced facile modulation route for QD-dye conjugates. QD crystal violets conjugates (QD-CVs) were prepared and the crystal violet (CV) molecules on QD quenched the fluorescence efficiently. The fluorescence of QD-CVs showed a single cycle of emission burst as they go through three stages of (i) initially quenched "off" to (ii) photoactivated "on" as the result of chemical change of CVs induced by photoelectrons from QD and (iii) back to photodarkened "off" by radical-associated reactions. Multicolor on-demand photopatterning was demonstrated using QD-CV solid films. QD-CVs were introduced into cells, and excitation with visible light yielded photomodulation from "off" to "on" and "off" by nearly ten fold. Individual photoluminescence dynamics of QD-CVs was investigated using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and single QD emission analysis, which revealed temporally stochastic photoactivations and photodarkenings. Exploiting the stochastic fluorescence burst of QD-CVs, simultaneous multicolor super-resolution localizations were demonstrated.

Coupled effects of solution chemistry and hydrodynamics on the mobility and transport of quantum dot nanomaterials in the Vadose Zone

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To investigate the coupled effects of solution chemistry and vadose zone processes on the mobility of quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles, laboratory scale transport experiments were performed. The complex coupled effects of ionic strength, size of QD aggregates, surface tension, contact angle, infiltrat...

Photoluminescence enhancement through vertical stacking of defect-engineered Ge on Si quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groiss, Heiko; Spindlberger, Lukas; Oberhumer, Peter; Schäffler, Friedrich; Fromherz, Thomas; Grydlik, Martyna; Brehm, Moritz

2017-02-01

In this work, we show that the room-temperature photoluminescence intensity from Ge ion-bombarded (GIB) epitaxial Ge on Si quantum dots (QD) can be improved by their vertical stacking. We stress that the growth of GIB-QD multilayers is more demanding compared to all-crystalline epitaxial QDs, as a consequence of local amorphous regions within the GIB-QDs required during their genesis. We show that in spite of those amorphous regions, for accurately chosen growth temperatures of the Si spacer layers separating the GIB-QD layers, multiple GIB-QD layers can be stacked without detrimental break-down of epitaxial growth. Compared to a single GIB-QD layer, we observe a 650% increase in PL intensity for an eleven-layer GIB-QD stack, indicating that such multilayers are promising candidates as gain material for all-group-IV nano-photonic lasers.

II-VI colloidal quantum-dot/quantum-rod heterostructures under electric field effect and their energy transfer rate to graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zahra, H.; Elmaghroui, D.; Fezai, I.; Jaziri, S.

2016-11-01

We theoretically investigate the energy transfer between a CdSe/CdS Quantum-dot/Quantum-rod (QD/QR) core/shell structure and a weakly doped graphene layer, separated by a dielectric spacer. A numerical method assuming the realistic shape of the type I and quasi-type II CdSe/CdS QD/QR is developed in order to calculate their energy structure. An electric field is applied for both types to manipulate the carriers localization and the exciton energy. Our evaluation for the isolated QD/QR shows that a quantum confined Stark effect can be obtained with large negative electric filed while a small effect is observed with positive ones. Owing to the evolution of the carriers delocalization and their excitonic energy versus the electric field, both type I and quasi-type II QD/QR donors are suitable as sources of charge and energy. With a view to improve its absorption, the graphene sheet (acceptor) is placed at different distances from the QD/QR (donor). Using the random phase approximation and the massless Dirac Fermi approximation, the quenching rate integral is exactly evaluated. That reveals a high transfer rate that can be obtained with type I QD/QR with no dependence on the electric field. On the contrary, a high dependence is obtained for the quasi-type II donor and a high fluorescence rate from F = 80 kV/cm. Rather than the exciton energy, the transition dipole is found to be responsible for the evolution of the fluorescence rate. We find also that the fluorescence rate decreases with increasing the spacer thickness and shows a power low dependence. The QD/QR fluorescence quenching can be observed up to large distance which is estimated to be dependent only on the donor exciton energy.

Strain-driven growth of GaAs(111) quantum dots with low fine structure splitting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yerino, Christopher D.; Jung, Daehwan; Lee, Minjoo Larry, E-mail: minjoo.lee@yale.edu

2014-12-22

Symmetric quantum dots (QDs) on (111)-oriented surfaces are promising candidates for generating polarization-entangled photons due to their low excitonic fine structure splitting (FSS). However, (111) QDs are difficult to grow. The conventional use of compressive strain to drive QD self-assembly fails to form 3D nanostructures on (111) surfaces. Instead, we demonstrate that (111) QDs self-assemble under tensile strain by growing GaAs QDs on an InP(111)A substrate. Tensile GaAs self-assembly produces a low density of QDs with a symmetric triangular morphology. Coherent, tensile QDs are observed without dislocations, and the QDs luminescence at room temperature. Single QD measurements reveal low FSSmore » with a median value of 7.6 μeV, due to the high symmetry of the (111) QDs. Tensile self-assembly thus offers a simple route to symmetric (111) QDs for entangled photon emitters.« less

Spectroscopic Characterization of Streptavidin Functionalized Quantum dots1

PubMed Central

Wu, Yang; Lopez, Gabriel P.; Sklar, Larry A.; Buranda, Tione

2007-01-01

The spectroscopic properties of quantum dots can be strongly influenced by the conditions of their synthesis. In this work we have characterized several spectroscopic properties of commercial, streptavidin functionalized quantum dots (QD525, lot#1005-0045 and QD585, Lot#0905-0031 from Invitrogen). This is the first step in the development of calibration beads, to be used in a generalizable quantification scheme of multiple fluorescent tags in flow cytometry or microscopy applications. We used light absorption, photoexcitation, and emission spectra, together with excited-state lifetime measurements to characterize their spectroscopic behavior, concentrating on the 400-500nm wavelength ranges that are important in biological applications. Our data show an anomalous dependence of emission spectrum, lifetimes, and quantum yield (QY) on excitation wavelength that is particularly pronounced in the QD525. For QD525, QY values ranged from 0.2 at 480nm excitation up to 0.4 at 450nm and down again to 0.15 at 350nm. For QD585, QY values were constant at 0.2 between 500nm and 400nm, but dropped to 0.1 at 350nm. We attribute the wavelength dependences to heterogeneity in size and surface defects in the QD525, consistent with characteristics previously described in the chemistry literature. The results are discussed in the context of bridging the gap between what is currently known in the physical chemistry literature of quantum dots, and the quantitative needs of assay development in biological applications. PMID:17368555

Enhanced mobility CsPbI3 quantum dot arrays for record-efficiency, high-voltage photovoltaic cells

PubMed Central

Sanehira, Erin M.; Marshall, Ashley R.; Christians, Jeffrey A.; Harvey, Steven P.; Ciesielski, Peter N.; Wheeler, Lance M.; Schulz, Philip; Lin, Lih Y.; Beard, Matthew C.; Luther, Joseph M.

2017-01-01

We developed lead halide perovskite quantum dot (QD) films with tuned surface chemistry based on A-site cation halide salt (AX) treatments. QD perovskites offer colloidal synthesis and processing using industrially friendly solvents, which decouples grain growth from film deposition, and at present produce larger open-circuit voltages (VOC’s) than thin-film perovskites. CsPbI3 QDs, with a tunable bandgap between 1.75 and 2.13 eV, are an ideal top cell candidate for all-perovskite multijunction solar cells because of their demonstrated small VOC deficit. We show that charge carrier mobility within perovskite QD films is dictated by the chemical conditions at the QD-QD junctions. The AX treatments provide a method for tuning the coupling between perovskite QDs, which is exploited for improved charge transport for fabricating high-quality QD films and devices. The AX treatments presented here double the film mobility, enabling increased photocurrent, and lead to a record certified QD solar cell efficiency of 13.43%. PMID:29098184

Broadband light sources based on InAs/InGaAs metamorphic quantum dots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seravalli, L.; Trevisi, G.; Frigeri, P.

We propose a design for a semiconductor structure emitting broadband light in the infrared, based on InAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded into a metamorphic step-graded In{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}As buffer. We developed a model to calculate the metamorphic QD energy levels based on the realistic QD parameters and on the strain-dependent material properties; we validated the results of simulations by comparison with the experimental values. On this basis, we designed a p-i-n heterostructure with a graded index profile toward the realization of an electrically pumped guided wave device. This has been done by adding layers where QDs are embedded in In{submore » x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1−x−y}As layers, to obtain a symmetric structure from a band profile point of view. To assess the room temperature electro-luminescence emission spectrum under realistic electrical injection conditions, we performed device-level simulations based on a coupled drift-diffusion and QD rate equation model. On the basis of the device simulation results, we conclude that the present proposal is a viable option to realize broadband light-emitting devices.« less

Templated self-assembly of quantum dots from aqueous solution using protein scaffolds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szuchmacher Blum, Amy; Soto, Carissa M.; Wilson, Charmaine D.; Whitley, Jessica L.; Moore, Martin H.; Sapsford, Kim E.; Lin, Tianwei; Chatterji, Anju; Johnson, John E.; Ratna, Banahalli R.

2006-10-01

Short, histidine-containing peptides can be conjugated to lysine-containing protein scaffolds to controllably attach quantum dots (QDs) to the scaffold, allowing for generic attachment of quantum dots to any protein without the use of specially engineered domains. This technique was used to bind quantum dots from aqueous solution to both chicken IgG and cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV), a 30 nm viral particle. These quantum dot protein assemblies were studied in detail. The IgG QD complexes were shown to retain binding specificity to their antigen after modification. The CPMV QD complexes have a local concentration of quantum dots greater than 3000 nmol ml-1, and show a 15% increase in fluorescence quantum yield over free quantum dots in solution.

Self-assembled InAs quantum dot formation on GaAs ring-like nanostructure templates

PubMed Central

Strom, NW; Wang, Zh M; AbuWaar, ZY; Mazur, Yu I; Salamo, GJ

2007-01-01

The evolution of InAs quantum dot (QD) formation is studied on GaAs ring-like nanostructures fabricated by droplet homo-epitaxy. This growth mode, exclusively performed by a hybrid approach of droplet homo-epitaxy and Stransky-Krastanor (S-K) based QD self-assembly, enables one to form new QD morphologies that may find use in optoelectronic applications. Increased deposition of InAs on the GaAs ring first produced a QD in the hole followed by QDs around the GaAs ring and on the GaAs (100) surface. This behavior indicates that the QDs prefer to nucleate at locations of high monolayer (ML) step density.

Thermal induced carrier's transfer in bimodal size distribution InAs/GaAs quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilahi, B.; Alshehri, K.; Madhar, N. A.; Sfaxi, L.; Maaref, H.

2018-06-01

This work reports on the investigation of the thermal induced carriers' transfer mechanism in vertically stacked bimodal size distribution InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QD). A model treating the QD as a localized states ensemble (LSE) has been employed to fit the atypical temperature dependence of the photoluminescence (PL) emission energies and linewidth. The results suggest that thermally activated carriers transfer within the large size QD family occurs through the neighboring smaller size QD as an intermediate channel before direct carriers redistribution. The obtained activation energy suggests also the possible contribution of the wetting layer (WL) continuum states as a second mediator channel for carriers transfer.

Effect of spacer layer thickness on structural and optical properties of multi-stack InAs/GaAsSb quantum dots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Yeongho; Ban, Keun-Yong, E-mail: kban1@asu.edu; Honsberg, Christiana B.

2015-10-26

The structural and optical properties of ten-stack InAs/GaAsSb quantum dots (QDs) with different spacer layer thicknesses (d{sub s} = 2, 5, 10, and 15 nm) are reported. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the strain relaxation of the GaAsSb spacers increases linearly from 0% to 67% with larger d{sub s} due to higher elastic stress between the spacer and GaAs matrix. In addition, the dislocation density in the spacers with d{sub s} = 10 nm is lowest as a result of reduced residual strain. The photoluminescence peak energy from the QDs does not change monotonically with increasing d{sub s} due to the competing effects of decreased compressivemore » strain and weak electronic coupling of stacked QD layers. The QD structure with d{sub s} = 10 nm is demonstrated to have improved luminescence properties and higher carrier thermal stability.« less

Quantum Dots for Molecular Diagnostics of Tumors

PubMed Central

Zdobnova, T.A.; Lebedenko, E.N.; Deyev, S.М.

2011-01-01

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are a new class of fluorophores with unique physical and chemical properties, which allow to appreciably expand the possibilities for the current methods of fluorescent imaging and optical diagnostics. Here we discuss the prospects of QD application for molecular diagnostics of tumors ranging from cancer-specific marker detection on microplates to non-invasive tumor imagingin vivo. We also point out the essential problems that require resolution in order to clinically promote QD, and we indicate innovative approaches to oncology which are implementable using QD. PMID:22649672

Simple process of hybrid white quantum dot/organic light-emitting diodes by using quantum dot plate and fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ho Won; Lee, Ki-Heon; Lee, Jae Woo; Kim, Jong-Hoon; Yang, Heesun; Kim, Young Kwan

2015-02-01

In this work, the simple process of hybrid quantum dot (QD)/organic light-emitting diode (OLED) was proposed to apply a white illumination light by using QD plate and organic fluorescence. Conventional blue fluorescent OLEDs were firstly fabricated and then QD plates of various concentrations, which can be controlled of UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence spectrum, were attached under glass substrate of completed blue devices. The suggested process indicates that we could fabricate the white device through very simple process without any deposition of orange or red organic emitters. Therefore, this work would be demonstrated that the potential simple process for white applications can be applied and also can be extended to additional research on light applications.

Core-shell quantum dots tailor the fluorescence of dental resin composites.

PubMed

Alves, Leandro P; Pilla, Viviane; Murgo, Dírian O A; Munin, Egberto

2010-02-01

We characterized the optical properties, such as absorbance and fluorescence, of dental resins containing quantum dots (QD). We also determined the doping level needed to obtain a broad and nearly flat emission spectrum that provides the perception of white color. The samples studied were resin composites from Charisma (Heraeus Kulzer) prepared with CdSe/ZnS core-shell QD (0.05-0.77 mass%). The results showed that the fluorescence of dental resin composites can be tailored by using CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots. QD core incorporation into dental resins allows the fabrication of restorative materials with fluorescence properties that closely match those of natural human teeth. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct Observation of Two-Step Photon Absorption in an InAs/GaAs Single Quantum Dot for the Operation of Intermediate-Band Solar Cells.

PubMed

Nozawa, Tomohiro; Takagi, Hiroyuki; Watanabe, Katsuyuki; Arakawa, Yasuhiko

2015-07-08

We present the first direct observation of two-step photon absorption in an InAs/GaAs single quantum dot (QD) using photocurrent spectroscopy with two lasers. The sharp peaks of the photocurrent are shifted due to the quantum confined Stark effect, indicating that the photocurrent from a single QD is obtained. In addition, the intensity of the peaks depends on the power of the secondary laser. These results reveal the direct demonstration of the two-step photon absorption in a single QD. This is an essential result for both the fundamental operation and the realization of ultrahigh solar-electricity energy conversion in quantum dot intermediate-band solar cells.

Dynamic properties of quantum dot distributed feedback lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Hui

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are nano-structures with three-dimensional spatial confinement of electrons and holes, representing the ultimate case of the application of the size quantization concept to semiconductor hetero-structures. The knowledge about the dynamic properties of QD semiconductor diode lasers is essential to improve the device performance and understand the physics of the QDs. In this dissertation, the dynamic properties of QD distributed feedback lasers (DFBs) are studied. The response function of QD DFBs under external modulation is characterized and the gain compression with photon density is identified to be the limiting factor of the modulation bandwidth. The enhancement of the gain compression by the gain saturation with the carrier density in QDs is analyzed for the first time with suggestions to improve the high speed performance of the devices by increasing the maximum gain of the QD medium. The linewidth of the QD DFBs are found to be more than one order of magnitude narrower than that of conventional quantum well (QW) DFBs at comparable output powers. The figure of merit for the narrow linewidth is identified by the comparison between different semiconductor materials, including bulk, QWs and QDs. Linewidth rebroadening and the effects of gain offset are also investigated. The effects of external feedback on the QD DFBs are compared to QW DFBs. Higher external feedback resistance is found in QD DFBs with an 8-dB improvement in terms of the coherence collapse of the devices and 20-dB improvement in terms of the degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio under 2.5 Gbps modulation. This result enables the isolator-free operation of the QD DFBs in real communication systems based on the IEEE 802.3ae Ethernet standard. Finally, the chirp of QD DFBs is studied by time-resolved-chirp measurements. The wavelength chirping of the QD DFBs under 2.5 Gbps modulation is characterized. The above-threshold behavior of the linewidth enhancement factor in QDs is studied, in contrast to the below-threshold ones in most of the published data to-date. The strong dependence of the linewidth enhancement factor on the photon density is explained by the enhancement of gain compression by the gain saturation with the carrier density, which is related to the inhomogeneous broadening and spectral hole burning in QDs.

Interleukin-13 conjugated quantum dots for identification of glioma initiating cells and their extracellular vesicles.

PubMed

Madhankumar, A B; Mrowczynski, Oliver D; Patel, Suhag R; Weston, Cody L; Zacharia, Brad E; Glantz, Michael J; Siedlecki, Christopher A; Xu, Li-Chong; Connor, James R

2017-08-01

Cadmium selenide (CdSe) based quantum dots modified with polyethylene glycol and chemically linked to interleukin-13 (IL13) were prepared with the aim of identifying the high affinity receptor (IL13Rα2) which is expressed in glioma stem cells and exosomes secreted by these cancer stem cells. IL13 conjugated quantum dots (IL13QD) were thoroughly characterized for their physicochemical properties including particle size and surface morphology. Furthermore, the specific binding of the IL13QD to glioma cells and to glioma stem cells (GSC) was verified using a competitive binding study. The exosomes were isolated from the GSC conditioned medium and the expression of IL13Rα2 in the GSC and exosomes was verified. The binding property of IL13QD to the tumor associated exosomes was initially confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The force of attraction between the quantum dots and U251 glioma cells and the exosomes was investigated by atomic force microscopy, which indicated a higher force of binding interaction between the IL13QD and IL13Rα2 expressing glioma cells and exosomes secreted by glioma stem cells. Flow cytometry of the IL13QD and exosomes from the culture media and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with glioma tumors indicated a distinctly populated complex pattern different from that of non-targeted quantum dots and bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugated quantum dots confirming specific binding potential of the IL13QD to the tumor associated exosomes. The results of this study demonstrate that IL13QD can serve as an ex vivo marker for glioma stem cells and exosomes that can inform diagnosis and prognosis of patients harboring malignant disease. Functionalized quantum dots are flexible semiconductor nanomaterials which have an immense application in biomedical research. In particular, when they are functionalized with biomolecules like proteins or antibodies, they have the specialized ability to detect the expression of receptors and antigens in cells and tissues. In this study we designed a cytokine (interleukin-13) functionalized quantum dot to detect a cancer associated receptor expressed in cancer stem cells and the extracellular vesicles (exosomes) secreted by the cancer cells themselves. The binding pattern of these cytokine modified quantum dots to the cancer stem cells and exosomes alters the physical properties of the complex in the fixed and suspended form. This altered binding pattern can be monitored by a variety of techniques, including transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and flow cytometry, and subsequent characterization of this quantum dot binding profile provides useful data that can be utilized as a fingerprint to detect cancer disease progression. This type of functionalized quantum dot fingerprint is especially useful for invasive cancers including brain and other metastatic cancers and may allow for earlier detection of disease progression or recurrence, thus saving the lives of patients suffering from this devastating disease. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface-plasmon-enhanced photoluminescence of quantum dots based on open-ring nanostructure array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kannegulla, Akash; Liu, Ye; Cheng, Li-Jing

2016-03-01

Enhanced photoluminescence (PL) of quantum dots (QD) in visible range using plasmonic nanostructures has potential to advance several photonic applications. The enhancement effect is, however, limited by the light coupling efficiency to the nanostructures. Here we demonstrate experimentally a new open-ring nanostructure (ORN) array 100 nm engraved into a 200 nm thick silver thin film to maximize light absorption and, hence, PL enhancement at a broadband spectral range. The structure is different from the traditional isolated or through-hole split-ring structures. Theoretical calculations based on FDTD method show that the absorption peak wavelength can be adjusted by their period and dimension. A broadband absorption of about 60% was measured at the peak wavelength of 550 nm. The emission spectrum of CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots was chosen to match the absorption band of the ORN array to enhance its PL. The engraved silver ORN array was fabricated on a silver thin film deposited on a silicon substrate using focus ion beam (FIB) patterning. The device was characterized by using a thin layer of QD water dispersion formed between the ORN substrate and a cover glass. The experimental results show the enhanced PL for the QD with emission spectrum overlapping the absorption band of ORN substrate and quantum efficiency increases from 50% to 70%. The ORN silver substrate with high absorption over a broadband spectrum enables the PL enhancement and will benefit applications in biosensing, wavelength tunable filters, and imaging.

Optical properties of InAs/GaAs quantum dot superlattice structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imran, Ali; Jiang, Jianliang; Eric, Deborah; Zahid, M. Noaman; Yousaf, M.; Shah, Z. H.

2018-06-01

Quantum dot (QD) structure has potential applications in modern highly efficient optoelectronic devices due to their band-tuning. The device dimensions have been miniatured with increased efficiencies by virtue of this discovery. In this research, we have presented modified analytical and simulation results of InAs/GaAs QD superlattice (QDSL). We have applied tight binding model for the investigation of ground state energies using timeindependent Schrödinger equation (SE) with effective mass approximation. It has been investigated that the electron energies are confined due to wave function delocalization in closely coupled QD structures. The minimum ground state energy can be obtained by increasing the periodicity and decreasing the barrier layer thickness. We have calculated electronics and optical properties which includes ground state energies, transition energies, density of states (DOS), absorption coefficient and refractive index, which can be tuned by structure modification. In our results, the minimum ground state energy of QDSL is achieved to be 0.25 eV with a maximum period of 10 QDs. The minimum band to band and band to continuum transition energies are 63 meV and 130 meV with 2 nm barrier layer thickness respectively. The absorption coefficient of our proposed QDSL model is found to be maximum 1.2 × 104 cm-1 and can be used for highly sensitive infrared detector and high efficiency solar cells.

Photovoltaic efficiency of intermediate band solar cells based on CdTe/CdMnTe coupled quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prado, Silvio J.; Marques, Gilmar E.; Alcalde, Augusto M.

2017-11-01

In this work we show the calculation of optimized efficiencies of intermediate band solar cells (IBSCs) based on Mn-doped II-VI CdTe/CdMnTe coupled quantum dot (QD) structures. We focus our attention on the combined effects of geometrical and Mn-doping parameters on optical properties and solar cell efficiency. In the framework of {k \\cdot p} theory, we accomplish detailed calculations of electronic structure, transition energies, optical selection rules and their corresponding intra- and interband oscillator strengths. With these results and by following the intermediate band model, we have developed a strategy which allows us to find optimal photovoltaic efficiency values. We also show that the effects of band admixture which can lead to degradation of optical transitions and reduction of efficiency can be partly minimized by a careful selection of the structural parameters and Mn-concentration. Thus, the improvement of band engineering is mandatory for any practical implementation of QD systems as IBSC hardware. Finally, our calculations show that it is possible to reach significant efficiency, up to  ∼26%, by selecting a restricted space of parameters such as quantum dot size and shape and Mn-concentration effects, to improve the modulation of optical absorption in the structures.

Photovoltaic efficiency of intermediate band solar cells based on CdTe/CdMnTe coupled quantum dots.

PubMed

Prado, Silvio J; Marques, Gilmar E; Alcalde, Augusto M

2017-11-08

In this work we show the calculation of optimized efficiencies of intermediate band solar cells (IBSCs) based on Mn-doped II-VI CdTe/CdMnTe coupled quantum dot (QD) structures. We focus our attention on the combined effects of geometrical and Mn-doping parameters on optical properties and solar cell efficiency. In the framework of [Formula: see text] theory, we accomplish detailed calculations of electronic structure, transition energies, optical selection rules and their corresponding intra- and interband oscillator strengths. With these results and by following the intermediate band model, we have developed a strategy which allows us to find optimal photovoltaic efficiency values. We also show that the effects of band admixture which can lead to degradation of optical transitions and reduction of efficiency can be partly minimized by a careful selection of the structural parameters and Mn-concentration. Thus, the improvement of band engineering is mandatory for any practical implementation of QD systems as IBSC hardware. Finally, our calculations show that it is possible to reach significant efficiency, up to  ∼26%, by selecting a restricted space of parameters such as quantum dot size and shape and Mn-concentration effects, to improve the modulation of optical absorption in the structures.

High-Performance, Solution-Processed Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Field-Effect Transistors with a Scandium-Incorporated Indium Oxide Semiconductor.

PubMed

He, Penghui; Jiang, Congbiao; Lan, Linfeng; Sun, Sheng; Li, Yizhi; Gao, Peixiong; Zhang, Peng; Dai, Xingqiang; Wang, Jian; Peng, Junbiao; Cao, Yong

2018-05-22

Light-emitting field-effect transistors (LEFETs) have attained great attention due to their special characteristics of both the switching capacity and the electroluminescence capacity. However, high-performance LEFETs with high mobility, high brightness, and high efficiency have not been realized due to the difficulty in developing high electron and hole mobility materials with suitable band structures. In this paper, quantum dot hybrid LEFETs (QD-HLEFETs) combining high-luminous-efficiency quantum dots (QDs) and a solution-processed scandium-incorporated indium oxide (Sc:In 2 O 3 ) semiconductor were demonstrated. The red QD-HLEFET showed high electrical and optical performance with an electron mobility of 0.8 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , a maximum brightness of 13 400 cd/m 2 , and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 8.7%. The high performance of the QD-HLEFET is attributed to the good energy band matching between Sc:In 2 O 3 and QDs and the balanced hole and electron injection (less exciton nonradiative recombination). In addition, incorporation of Sc into In 2 O 3 can suppress the oxygen vacancy and free carrier generation and brings about excellent current and optical modulation (the on/off current ratio is 10 5 and the on/off brightness ratio is 10 6 ).

Stimulation of Cysteine-Coated CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dot Luminescence by meso-Tetrakis (p-sulfonato-phenyl) Porphyrin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parra, Gustavo G.; Ferreira, Lucimara P.; Gonçalves, Pablo J.; Sizova, Svetlana V.; Oleinikov, Vladimir A.; Morozov, Vladimir N.; Kuzmin, Vladimir A.; Borissevitch, Iouri E.

2018-02-01

Interaction between porphyrins and quantum dots (QD) via energy and/or charge transfer is usually accompanied by reduction of the QD luminescence intensity and lifetime. However, for CdSe/ZnS-Cys QD water solutions, kept at 276 K during 3 months (aged QD), the significant increase in the luminescence intensity at the addition of meso-tetrakis (p-sulfonato-phenyl) porphyrin (TPPS4) has been observed in this study. Aggregation of QD during the storage provokes reduction in the quantum yield and lifetime of their luminescence. Using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence techniques, we demonstrated that TPPS4 stimulated disaggregation of aged CdSe/ZnS-Cys QD in aqueous solutions, increasing the quantum yield of their luminescence, which finally reached that of the fresh-prepared QD. Disaggregation takes place due to increase in electrostatic repulsion between QD at their binding with negatively charged porphyrin molecules. Binding of just four porphyrin molecules per single QD was sufficient for total QD disaggregation. The analysis of QD luminescence decay curves demonstrated that disaggregation stronger affected the luminescence related with the electron-hole annihilation in the QD shell. The obtained results demonstrate the way to repair aged QD by adding of some molecules or ions to the solutions, stimulating QD disaggregation and restoring their luminescence characteristics, which could be important for QD biomedical applications, such as bioimaging and fluorescence diagnostics. On the other hand, the disaggregation is important for QD applications in biology and medicine since it reduces the size of the particles facilitating their internalization into living cells across the cell membrane.

Control of electromagnetically induced transparency via a hybrid semiconductor quantum dot-vanadium dioxide nanoparticle system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamani, Naser; Hatef, Ali; Nadgaran, Hamid; Keshavarz, Alireza

2017-07-01

We numerically investigate the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) of a hybrid system consisting of a three-level quantum dot (QD) in the vicinity of vanadium dioxide nanoparticle (VO2NP). VO2NP has semiconductor and metallic phases where the transition between the two phases occurs around a critical temperature. When the QD-VO2NP hybrid system interacts with continuous wave laser fields in an infrared regime, it supports a coherent coupling of exciton-polariton and exciton-plasmon polariton in semiconductor and metal phases of VO2NP, respectively. In our calculations a filling fraction factor controls the VO2NP phase transition. A probe and control laser field configuration is studied for the hybrid system to measure the absorption of QD through the filling fraction factor manipulations. We show that for the VO2NP semiconductor phase and proper geometrical configuration, the absorption spectrum profile of the QD represents an EIT with two peaks and a clear minimum. These two peaks merge to one through the VO2NP phase transition to metal. We also show that the absorption spectrum profile is modified by different orientations of the laser fields with the axis of the QD-VO2NP hybrid system. The innovation in comparison to other research in the field is that robust variation in the absorption profile through EIT is due to the phase transition in VO2NP without any structural change in the QD-VO2NP hybrid system. Our results can be employed to design nanothermal sensors, optical nanoswitches, and energy transfer devices.

Stoichiometry control in quantum dots: a viable analog to impurity doping of bulk materials.

PubMed

Luther, Joseph M; Pietryga, Jeffrey M

2013-03-26

A growing body of research indicates that the stoichiometry of compound semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) may offer control over the materials' optoelectronic properties in ways that could be invaluable in electronic devices. Quantum dots have been characterized as having a stoichiometric bulk-like core with a highly reconstructed surface of a more flexible composition, consisting essentially of ligated, weakly bound ions. As such, many efforts toward stoichiometry-based control over material properties have focused on ligand manipulation. In this issue of ACS Nano, Murray and Kagan's groups instead demonstrate control of the conductive properties of QD arrays by altering the stoichiometry via atomic infusion using a thermal evaporation technique. In this work, PbSe and PbS QD films are made to show controlled n- or p-type behavior, which is key to developing optimized QD-based electronics. In this Perspective, we discuss recent developments and the future outlook in using stoichiometry as a tool to further manipulate QD material properties in this context.

Convection-enhanced delivery of targeted quantum dot-immunoliposome hybrid nanoparticles to intracranial brain tumor models.

PubMed

Weng, Kevin C; Hashizume, Rintaro; Noble, Charles O; Serwer, Laura P; Drummond, Daryl C; Kirpotin, Dmitri B; Kuwabara, Anne M; Chao, Lucy X; Chen, Fanqing F; James, Charles D; Park, John W

2013-12-01

The aim of this work is to evaluate combining targeting strategy and convection-enhanced delivery in brain tumor models by imaging quantum dot-immunoliposome hybrid nanoparticles. An EGF receptor-targeted, quantum dot-immunoliposome hybrid nanoparticle (QD-IL) was synthesized. In vitro uptake was measured by flow cytometry and intracellular localization was imaged by confocal microscopy. In the in vivo study, QD-ILs were delivered to intracranial xenografts via convection-enhanced delivery and fluorescence was monitored noninvasively in real-time. QD-ILs exhibited specific and efficient uptake in vitro and exhibited approximately 1.3- to 5.0-fold higher total fluorescence compared with nontargeted counterpart in intracranial brain tumor xenografts in vivo. QD-ILs serve as an effective imaging agent in vitro and in vivo, and the data suggest that ligand-directed liposomal nanoparticles in conjunction with convection-enhanced delivery may offer therapeutic benefits for glioblastoma treatment as a result of specific and efficient uptake by malignant cells.

Single-shot quantum nondemolition measurement of a quantum-dot electron spin using cavity exciton-polaritons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puri, Shruti; McMahon, Peter L.; Yamamoto, Yoshihisa

2014-10-01

We propose a scheme to perform single-shot quantum nondemolition (QND) readout of the spin of an electron trapped in a semiconductor quantum dot (QD). Our proposal relies on the interaction of the QD electron spin with optically excited, quantum well (QW) microcavity exciton-polaritons. The spin-dependent Coulomb exchange interaction between the QD electron and cavity polaritons causes the phase and intensity response of left circularly polarized light to be different than that of right circularly polarized light, in such a way that the QD electron's spin can be inferred from the response to a linearly polarized probe reflected or transmitted from the cavity. We show that with careful device design it is possible to essentially eliminate spin-flip Raman transitions. Thus a QND measurement of the QD electron spin can be performed within a few tens of nanoseconds with fidelity ˜99.95%. This improves upon current optical QD spin readout techniques across multiple metrics, including speed and scalability.

Quantum Dots Applied to Methodology on Detection of Pesticide and Veterinary Drug Residues.

PubMed

Zhou, Jia-Wei; Zou, Xue-Mei; Song, Shang-Hong; Chen, Guan-Hua

2018-02-14

The pesticide and veterinary drug residues brought by large-scale agricultural production have become one of the issues in the fields of food safety and environmental ecological security. It is necessary to develop the rapid, sensitive, qualitative and quantitative methodology for the detection of pesticide and veterinary drug residues. As one of the achievements of nanoscience, quantum dots (QDs) have been widely used in the detection of pesticide and veterinary drug residues. In these methodology studies, the used QD-signal styles include fluorescence, chemiluminescence, electrochemical luminescence, photoelectrochemistry, etc. QDs can also be assembled into sensors with different materials, such as QD-enzyme, QD-antibody, QD-aptamer, and QD-molecularly imprinted polymer sensors, etc. Plenty of study achievements in the field of detection of pesticide and veterinary drug residues have been obtained from the different combinations among these signals and sensors. They are summarized in this paper to provide a reference for the QD application in the detection of pesticide and veterinary drug residues.

One-to-one quantum dot-labeled single long DNA probes.

PubMed

He, Shibin; Huang, Bi-Hai; Tan, Junjun; Luo, Qing-Ying; Lin, Yi; Li, Jun; Hu, Yong; Zhang, Lu; Yan, Shihan; Zhang, Qi; Pang, Dai-Wen; Li, Lijia

2011-08-01

Quantum dots (QDs) have been received most attention due to their unique properties. Constructing QDs conjugated with certain number of biomolecules is considered as one of the most important research goals in nanobiotechnology. In this study, we report polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of primer oligonucleotides bound to QDs, termed as QD-based PCR. Characterization of QD-based PCR products by gel electrophoresis and atomic force microscopy showed that QD-labeled long DNA strands were synthesized and only a single long DNA strand was conjugated with a QD. The QD-based PCR products still kept fluorescence properties. Moreover, the one-to-one QD-labeled long DNA conjugates as probes could detect a single-copy gene on maize chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Labeling a single QD to a single long DNA will make detection of small single-copy DNA fragments, quantitative detection and single molecule imaging come true by nanotechnology, and it will promote medical diagnosis and basic biological research as well as nano-material fabrication. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced mobility CsPbI 3 quantum dot arrays for record-efficiency, high-voltage photovoltaic cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sanehira, Erin M.; Marshall, Ashley R.; Christians, Jeffrey A.

Here, we developed lead halide perovskite quantum dot (QD) films with tuned surface chemistry based on A-site cation halide salt (AX) treatments. QD perovskites offer colloidal synthesis and processing using industrially friendly solvents, which decouples grain growth from film deposition, and at present produce larger open-circuit voltages (V OC's) than thin-film perovskites. CsPbI 3 QDs, with a tunable bandgap between 1.75 and 2.13 eV, are an ideal top cell candidate for all-perovskite multijunction solar cells because of their demonstrated small V OC deficit. We show that charge carrier mobility within perovskite QD films is dictated by the chemical conditions atmore » the QD-QD junctions. The AX treatments provide a method for tuning the coupling between perovskite QDs, which is exploited for improved charge transport for fabricating high-quality QD films and devices. The AX treatments presented here double the film mobility, enabling increased photocurrent, and lead to a record certified QD solar cell efficiency of 13.43%.« less

Monolithically integrated quantum dot optical modulator with semiconductor optical amplifier for thousand and original band optical communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Naokatsu; Akahane, Kouichi; Umezawa, Toshimasa; Matsumoto, Atsushi; Kawanishi, Tetsuya

2016-04-01

A monolithically integrated quantum dot (QD) optical gain modulator (OGM) with a QD semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) was successfully developed with T-band (1.0 µm waveband) and O-band (1.3 µm waveband) QD optical gain materials for Gbps-order, high-speed optical data generation. The insertion loss due to coupling between the device and the optical fiber was effectively compensated for by the SOA section. It was also confirmed that the monolithic QD-OGM/SOA device enabled >4.8 Gbps optical data generation with a clear eye opening in the T-band. Furthermore, we successfully demonstrated error-free 4.8 Gbps optical data transmissions in each of the six wavelength channels over a 10-km-long photonic crystal fiber using the monolithic QD-OGM/SOA device in multiple O-band wavelength channels, which were generated by the single QD gain chip. These results suggest that the monolithic QD-OGM/SOA device will be advantageous in ultra-broadband optical frequency systems that utilize the T+O-band for short- and medium-range optical communications.

Enhanced mobility CsPbI 3 quantum dot arrays for record-efficiency, high-voltage photovoltaic cells

DOE PAGES

Sanehira, Erin M.; Marshall, Ashley R.; Christians, Jeffrey A.; ...

2017-10-27

Here, we developed lead halide perovskite quantum dot (QD) films with tuned surface chemistry based on A-site cation halide salt (AX) treatments. QD perovskites offer colloidal synthesis and processing using industrially friendly solvents, which decouples grain growth from film deposition, and at present produce larger open-circuit voltages (V OC's) than thin-film perovskites. CsPbI 3 QDs, with a tunable bandgap between 1.75 and 2.13 eV, are an ideal top cell candidate for all-perovskite multijunction solar cells because of their demonstrated small V OC deficit. We show that charge carrier mobility within perovskite QD films is dictated by the chemical conditions atmore » the QD-QD junctions. The AX treatments provide a method for tuning the coupling between perovskite QDs, which is exploited for improved charge transport for fabricating high-quality QD films and devices. The AX treatments presented here double the film mobility, enabling increased photocurrent, and lead to a record certified QD solar cell efficiency of 13.43%.« less

Quantum Dot/Siloxane Composite Film Exceptionally Stable against Oxidation under Heat and Moisture.

PubMed

Kim, Hwea Yoon; Yoon, Da-Eun; Jang, Junho; Lee, Daewon; Choi, Gwang-Mun; Chang, Joon Ha; Lee, Jeong Yong; Lee, Doh C; Bae, Byeong-Soo

2016-12-21

We report on the fabrication of a siloxane-encapsulated quantum dot (QD) film (QD-silox film), which exhibits stable emission intensity for over 1 month even at elevated temperature and humidity. QD-silox films are solidified via free radical addition reaction between oligosiloxane resin and ligand molecules on QDs. We prepare the QD-oligosiloxane resin by sol-gel condensation reaction of silane precursors with QDs blended in the precursor solution, forgoing ligand-exchange of QDs. The resulting QD-oligosiloxane resin remains optically clear after 40 days of storage, in contrast to other QD-containing resins which turn turbid and ultimately form sediments. QDs also disperse uniformly in the QD-silox film, whose photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (QY) remains nearly unaltered under harsh conditions; for example, 85 °C/5% relative humidity (RH), 85 °C/85% RH, strongly acidic, and strongly basic environments for 40 days. The QD-silox film appears to remain equally emissive even after being immersed into boiling water (100 °C). Interestingly, the PL QY of the QD-silox film noticeably increases when the film is exposed to a moist environment, which opens a new, facile avenue to curing dimmed QD-containing films. Given its excellent stability, we envision that the QD-silox film is best suited in display applications, particularly as a PL-type down-conversion layer.

Analytical nanosphere sensors using quantum dot-enzyme conjugates for urea and creatinine.

PubMed

Ruedas-Rama, Maria J; Hall, Elizabeth A H

2010-11-01

An enzyme-linked analytical nanosphere sensor (ANSor) is described, responding to enzyme-substrate turnover in the vicinity of a quantum dot (QD) due to coimmobilized enzyme and pH sensitive ligand. QD capping by mercapto-alkanoic acids were rejected as a pH sensitive ligand, but with the use of a layer-by-layer assembly on mercaptopropionic capped QDs and an intermediate poly(allylamine hydrochloride) layer, anthraquinone sulfonate (calcium red, CaR) was introduced to modify the pKa in the immobilized system > 8. QD-CaR absorption shows spectral overlap with QD530 emission at all pHs and gives a complex pH dependent fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency, due to excited state proton transfer (λ(ex) = 540 nm; λ(em) = 585 nm). In contrast QD615-CaR with spectral overlap between the QD and CaR gave a strong and reproducible pH response. QD-urease and QD-creatinine deiminase conjugates could be linked with pH changes produced by enzyme degradation of urea and creatinine, respectively. Close coupling between the pH sensitive QD and enzyme conjugate maximized signal compared with solution based assays: QD-urease and QD-CD bioconjugates were tested in model biological media (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's Medium and fetal calf serum) and in urine, showing a response in 3-4 min.

Evaluation of glycophenotype in breast cancer by quantum dot-lectin histochemistry

PubMed Central

Andrade, Camila G; Cabral Filho, Paulo E; Tenório, Denise PL; Santos, Beate S; Beltrão, Eduardo IC; Fontes, Adriana; Carvalho, Luiz B

2013-01-01

Cell surface glycoconjugates play an important role in differentiation/dedifferentiation processes and lectins are employed to evaluate them by several methodologies. Fluorescent probes are considered a valuable tool because of their ability to provide a particular view, and are more detailed and sensitive in terms of cell structure and molecular content. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the expression and distribution of glycoconjugates in normal human breast tissue, and benign (fibroadenoma), and malignantly transformed (invasive ductal carcinoma) breast tissues. For this, we used mercaptosuccinic acid-coated Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) quantum dots (QDs) conjugated with concanavalin A (Con A) or Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA I) lectins to detect α-D-glucose/mannose and L-fucose residues, respectively. The QD-lectin conjugates were evaluated by hemagglutination activity tests and carbohydrate inhibition assays, and were found to remain functional, keeping their fluorescent properties and carbohydrate recognition ability. Fluorescence images showed that different regions of breast tissue expressed particular types of carbohydrates. While the stroma was preferentially and intensely stained by QD-Con A, ductal cells were preferentially labeled by QD-UEA I. These results indicate that QD-lectin conjugates can be used as molecular probes and can help to elucidate the glycoconjugate profile in biological processes. PMID:24324334

Cadmium-free quantum dot light emitting devices: energy-transfer realizing pure blue emission.

PubMed

Ji, Wenyu; Jing, Pengtao; Fan, Yi; Zhao, Jialong; Wang, Yunjun; Kong, Xianggui

2013-01-01

In this study, deep blue, pure electroluminescence (EL) at 441.5 nm from a ZnSe/ZnS quantum dot light-emitting device (QD-LED) is obtained by using poly (4-butylphenyl-diphenyl-amine) (poly-TPD) as the hole-transport layer (HTL) to open up the channel for energy transfer from poly-TPD to QDs. The emission originating from HTL is observed in the QD-LED with N,N'-bis (tolyl)-N,N'-diphenyl-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine functionalized with two styryl groups (2-TPD) as the HTL due to inefficient energy-transfer from 2-TPD to QDs. The poly-TPD based device exhibits color-saturated blue emission with a narrow spectral bandwidth of full width at half maximum (~17.2 nm). These results explore the operating mechanism of the QD EL and signify a remarkable progress in deep blue QD-LEDs based on environmental-friendly QD materials.

Implementation of controlled quantum teleportation with an arbitrator for secure quantum channels via quantum dots inside optical cavities.

PubMed

Heo, Jino; Hong, Chang-Ho; Kang, Min-Sung; Yang, Hyeon; Yang, Hyung-Jin; Hong, Jong-Phil; Choi, Seong-Gon

2017-11-02

We propose a controlled quantum teleportation scheme to teleport an unknown state based on the interactions between flying photons and quantum dots (QDs) confined within single- and double-sided cavities. In our scheme, users (Alice and Bob) can teleport the unknown state through a secure entanglement channel under the control and distribution of an arbitrator (Trent). For construction of the entanglement channel, Trent utilizes the interactions between two photons and the QD-cavity system, which consists of a charged QD (negatively charged exciton) inside a single-sided cavity. Subsequently, Alice can teleport the unknown state of the electron spin in a QD inside a double-sided cavity to Bob's electron spin in a QD inside a single-sided cavity assisted by the channel information from Trent. Furthermore, our scheme using QD-cavity systems is feasible with high fidelity, and can be experimentally realized with current technologies.

Molecular dynamics in an optical trap of glutamate receptors labeled with quantum-dots on living neurons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kishimoto, Tatsunori; Maezawa, Yasuyo; Kudoh, Suguru N.; Taguchi, Takahisa; Hosokawa, Chie

2017-04-01

Molecular dynamics of glutamate receptor, which is major neurotransmitter receptor at excitatory synapse located on neuron, is essential for synaptic plasticity in the complex neuronal networks. Here we studied molecular dynamics in an optical trap of AMPA-type glutamate receptor (AMPAR) labeled with quantum-dot (QD) on living neuronal cells with fluorescence imaging and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). When a 1064-nm laser beam for optical trapping was focused on QD-AMPARs located on neuronal cells, the fluorescence intensity of QD-AMPARs gradually increased at the focal spot. Using single-particle tracking of QD-AMPARs on neurons, the average diffusion coefficient decreased in an optical trap. Moreover, the decay time obtained from FCS analysis increased with the laser power and the initial assembling state of AMPARs depended on culturing day, suggesting that the motion of QD-AMPAR was constrained in an optical trap.

Tunable microwave signal generator with an optically-injected 1310 nm QD-DFB laser.

PubMed

Hurtado, Antonio; Mee, Jesse; Nami, Mohsen; Henning, Ian D; Adams, Michael J; Lester, Luke F

2013-05-06

Tunable microwave signal generation with frequencies ranging from below 1 GHz to values over 40 GHz is demonstrated experimentally with a 1310 nm Quantum Dot (QD) Distributed-Feedback (DFB) laser. Microwave signal generation is achieved using the period 1 dynamics induced in the QD DFB under optical injection. Continuous tuning in the positive detuning frequency range of the quantum dot's unique stability map is demonstrated. The simplicity of the experimental configuration offers promise for novel uses of these nanostructure lasers in Radio-over-Fiber (RoF) applications and future mobile networks.

Magnetic field effect on the Coulomb interaction of acceptors in semimagnetic quantum dot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalpana, P.; Merwyn, A.; Reuben, Jasper D.; Nithiananthi, P.; Jayakumar, K.

2015-06-01

The Coulomb interaction of holes in a Semimagnetic Cd1-xMnxTe / CdTe Spherical and Cubical Quantum Dot (SMQD) in a magnetic field is studied using variational approach in the effective mass approximation. Since these holes in QD show a pronounced collective behavior, while distinct single particle phenomena is suppressed, their interaction in confined potential becomes very significant. It has been observed that acceptor-acceptor interaction is more in cubical QD than in spherical QD which can be controlled by the magnetic field. The results are presented and discussed.

Observation of quantum entanglement between a photon and a single electron spin confined to an InAs quantum dot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaibley, John; Burgers, Alex; McCracken, Greg; Duan, Luming; Berman, Paul; Steel, Duncan; Bracker, Allan; Gammon, Daniel; Sham, Lu

2013-03-01

A single electron spin confined to a single InAs quantum dot (QD) can serve as a qubit for quantum information processing. By utilizing the QD's optically excited trion states in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field, the QD spin can be rapidly initialized, manipulated and read out. A key resource for quantum information is the ability to entangle distinct QD spins. One approach relies on intermediate spin-photon entanglement to mediate the entanglement between distant QD spin qubits. We report a demonstration of quantum entanglement between a photon's polarization state and the spin state of a single electron confined to a single QD. Here, the photon is spontaneously emitted from one of the QD's trion states. The emitted photon's polarization along the detection axis is entangled with the resulting spin state of the QD. By performing projective measurements on the photon's polarization state and correlating these measurements with the state of the QD spin in two different bases, we obtain a lower bound on the entanglement fidelity of 0.59 (after background correction). The fidelity bound is limited almost entirely by the timing resolution of our single photon detector. The spin-photon entanglement generation rate is 3 ×103 s-1. Supported by: NSF, MURI, AFOSR, DARPA, ARO.

The analytical approach to optimization of active region structure of quantum dot laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korenev, V. V.; Savelyev, A. V.; Zhukov, A. E.; Omelchenko, A. V.; Maximov, M. V.

2014-10-01

Using the analytical approach introduced in our previous papers we analyse the possibilities of optimization of size and structure of active region of semiconductor quantum dot lasers emitting via ground-state optical transitions. It is shown that there are optimal length' dispersion and number of QD layers in laser active region which allow one to obtain lasing spectrum of a given width at minimum injection current. Laser efficiency corresponding to the injection current optimized by the cavity length is practically equal to its maximum value.

In vitro uptake of apoptotic body mimicking phosphatidylserine-quantum dot micelles by monocytic cell line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maiseyeu, Andrei; Bagalkot, Vaishali

2014-04-01

A new quantum dot (QD) PEGylated micelle laced with phosphatidylserine (PS) for specific scavenger receptor-mediated uptake by macrophages is reported. The size and surface chemistry of PS-QD micelles were characterized by standard methods and the effects of their physicochemical properties on specific targeting and uptake were comprehensively studied in a monocytic cell line (J774A.1).

Overview of Stabilizing Ligands for Biocompatible Quantum Dot Nanocrystals

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yanjie; Clapp, Aaron

2011-01-01

Luminescent colloidal quantum dots (QDs) possess numerous advantages as fluorophores in biological applications. However, a principal challenge is how to retain the desirable optical properties of quantum dots in aqueous media while maintaining biocompatibility. Because QD photophysical properties are directly related to surface states, it is critical to control the surface chemistry that renders QDs biocompatible while maintaining electronic passivation. For more than a decade, investigators have used diverse strategies for altering the QD surface. This review summarizes the most successful approaches for preparing biocompatible QDs using various chemical ligands. PMID:22247651

PbSe-Based Colloidal Core/Shell Heterostructures for Optoelectronic Applications

PubMed Central

Zaiats, Gary; Yanover, Diana; Vaxenburg, Roman; Tilchin, Jenya; Sashchiuk, Aldona; Lifshitz, Efrat

2014-01-01

Lead-based (IV–VI) colloidal quantum dots (QDs) are of widespread scientific and technological interest owing to their size-tunable band-gap energy in the near-infrared optical region. This article reviews the synthesis of PbSe-based heterostructures and their structural and optical investigations at various temperatures. The review focuses on the structures consisting of a PbSe core coated with a PbSexS1–x (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) or CdSe shell. The former-type shells were epitaxially grown on the PbSe core, while the latter-type shells were synthesized using partial cation-exchange. The influence of the QD composition and the ambient conditions, i.e., exposure to oxygen, on the QD optical properties, such as radiative lifetime, Stokes shift, and other temperature-dependent characteristics, was investigated. The study revealed unique properties of core/shell heterostructures of various compositions, which offer the opportunity of fine-tuning the QD electronic structure by changing their architecture. A theoretical model of the QD electronic band structure was developed and correlated with the results of the optical studies. The review also outlines the challenges related to potential applications of colloidal PbSe-based heterostructures. PMID:28788244

Impacts of Post-metallisation Processes on the Electrical and Photovoltaic Properties of Si Quantum Dot Solar Cells.

PubMed

Di, Dawei; Perez-Wurfl, Ivan; Gentle, Angus; Kim, Dong-Ho; Hao, Xiaojing; Shi, Lei; Conibeer, Gavin; Green, Martin A

2010-08-01

As an important step towards the realisation of silicon-based tandem solar cells using silicon quantum dots embedded in a silicon dioxide (SiO(2)) matrix, single-junction silicon quantum dot (Si QD) solar cells on quartz substrates have been fabricated. The total thickness of the solar cell material is 420 nm. The cells contain 4 nm diameter Si quantum dots. The impacts of post-metallisation treatments such as phosphoric acid (H(3)PO(4)) etching, nitrogen (N(2)) gas anneal and forming gas (Ar: H(2)) anneal on the cells' electrical and photovoltaic properties are investigated. The Si QD solar cells studied in this work have achieved an open circuit voltage of 410 mV after various processes. Parameters extracted from dark I-V, light I-V and circular transfer length measurement (CTLM) suggest limiting mechanism in the Si QD solar cell operation and possible approaches for further improvement.

Excitonic lasing of strain-free InP(As) quantum dots in AlInAs microdisk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebedev, D. V.; Kulagina, M. M.; Troshkov, S. I.; Vlasov, A. S.; Davydov, V. Y.; Smirnov, A. N.; Bogdanov, A. A.; Merz, J. L.; Kapaldo, J.; Gocalinska, A.; Juska, G.; Moroni, S. T.; Pelucchi, E.; Barettin, D.; Rouvimov, S.; Mintairov, A. M.

2017-03-01

Formation, emission, and lasing properties of strain-free InP(As)/AlInAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in AlInAs microdisk (MD) cavity were investigated using transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence (PL) techniques. In MD structures, the QDs have the nano-pan-cake shape with the height of ˜2 nm, the lateral size of 20-50 nm, and the density of ˜5 × 109 cm-2. Their emission observed at ˜940 nm revealed strong temperature quenching, which points to exciton decomposition. It also showed unexpected type-I character, indicating In-As intermixing as confirmed by band structure calculations. We observed lasing of InP(As) QD excitons into whispering gallery modes in MD having the diameter of ˜3.2 μm and providing a free spectral range of ˜27 nm and quality factors up to Q˜13 000. Threshold of ˜50 W/cm2 and spontaneous emission coupling coefficient of ˜0.2 were measured for this MD-QD system.

Optical modeling based on mean free path calculations for quantum dot phosphors applied to optoelectronic devices.

PubMed

Shin, Min-Ho; Kim, Hyo-Jun; Kim, Young-Joo

2017-02-20

We proposed an optical simulation model for the quantum dot (QD) nanophosphor based on the mean free path concept to understand precisely the optical performance of optoelectronic devices. A measurement methodology was also developed to get the desired optical characteristics such as the mean free path and absorption spectra for QD nanophosphors which are to be incorporated into the simulation. The simulation results for QD-based white LED and OLED displays show good agreement with the experimental values from the fabricated devices in terms of spectral power distribution, chromaticity coordinate, CCT, and CRI. The proposed simulation model and measurement methodology can be applied easily to the design of lots of optoelectronics devices using QD nanophosphors to obtain high efficiency and the desired color characteristics.

The Research and Applications of Quantum Dots as Nano-Carriers for Targeted Drug Delivery and Cancer Therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Mei-Xia; Zhu, Bing-Jie

2016-04-01

Quantum dots (QDs), nano-carriers for drugs, can help realize the targeting of drugs, and improve the bioavailability of drugs in biological fields. And, a QD nano-carrier system for drugs has the potential to realize early detection, monitoring, and localized treatments of specific disease sites. In addition, QD nano-carrier systems for drugs can improve stability of drugs, lengthen circulation time in vivo, enhance targeted absorption, and improve the distribution and metabolism process of drugs in organization. So, the development of QD nano-carriers for drugs has become a hotspot in the fields of nano-drug research in recent years. In this paper, we review the advantages and applications of the QD nano-carriers for drugs in biological fields.

Attachment of Quantum Dots on Zinc Oxide Nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seay, Jared; Liang, Huan; Harikumar, Parameswar

2011-03-01

ZnO nanorods grown by hydrothermal technique are of great interest for potential applications in photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices. In this study we investigate the optimization of the optical absorption properties by a low temperature, chemical bath deposition technique. Our group fabricated nanorods on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate with precursor solution of zinc nitrate hexahydrate and hexamethylenetramine (1:1 molar ratio) at 95C for 9 hours. In order to optimize the light absorption characteristics of ZnO nanorods, CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots (QDs) of various diameters were attached to the surface of ZnO nanostructures grown on ITO and gold-coated silicon substrates. Density of quantum dots was varied by controlling the number drops on the surface of the ZnO nanorods. For a 0.1 M concentration of QDs of 10 nm diameter, the PL intensity at 385 nm increased as the density of the quantum dots on ZnO nanostructures was increased. For quantum dots at 1 M concentration, the PL intensity at 385 nm increased at the beginning and then decreased at higher density. We will discuss the observed changes in PL intensity with QD concentration with ZnO-QD band structure and recombination-diffusion processes taking place at the interface.

Simultaneous multi-state stimulated emission in quantum dot lasers: experiment and analytical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korenev, V. V.; Savelyev, A. V.; Zhukov, A. E.; Omelchenko, A. V.; Maximov, M. V.; Shernyakov, Yu. M.

2012-06-01

The theoretical investigation of the double-state lasing phenomena in InAs/InGaAs quantum dot lasers has been carried out. The new mechanism of the ground-state lasing quenching, which takes place in quantum dot (QD) laser operating in double-state lasing regime at high pump level, was proposed. The difference between electron and hole capture rates causes the depletion of the hole levels and consequently leads to the decrease of an output lasing power via QD ground state with the growth of injection. Moreover, it was shown that the hole-to-electron capture rates ratio strongly affects both the light-current curve and the key laser parameters. The model of the simultaneous lasing through the ground and excited QD states was developed which allows to describe the observed quenching quantitatively.

Genotoxic capacity of Cd/Se semiconductor quantum dots with differing surface chemistries

PubMed Central

Manshian, Bella B.; Soenen, Stefaan J.; Brown, Andy; Hondow, Nicole; Wills, John; Jenkins, Gareth J. S.; Doak, Shareen H.

2016-01-01

Quantum dots (QD) have unique electronic and optical properties promoting biotechnological advances. However, our understanding of the toxicological structure–activity relationships remains limited. This study aimed to determine the biological impact of varying nanomaterial surface chemistry by assessing the interaction of QD with either a negative (carboxyl), neutral (hexadecylamine; HDA) or positive (amine) polymer coating with human lymphoblastoid TK6 cells. Following QD physico-chemical characterisation, cellular uptake was quantified by optical and electron microscopy. Cytotoxicity was evaluated and genotoxicity was characterised using the micronucleus assay (gross chromosomal damage) and the HPRT forward mutation assay (point mutagenicity). Cellular damage mechanisms were also explored, focusing on oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage. Cell uptake, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were found to be dependent on QD surface chemistry. Carboxyl-QD demonstrated the smallest agglomerate size and greatest cellular uptake, which correlated with a dose dependent increase in cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. Amine-QD induced minimal cellular damage, while HDA-QD promoted substantial induction of cell death and genotoxicity. However, HDA-QD were not internalised by the cells and the damage they caused was most likely due to free cadmium release caused by QD dissolution. Oxidative stress and induced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species were only partially associated with cytotoxicity and genotoxicity induced by the QD, hence were not the only mechanisms of importance. Colloidal stability, nanoparticle (NP) surface chemistry, cellular uptake levels and the intrinsic characteristics of the NPs are therefore critical parameters impacting genotoxicity induced by QD. PMID:26275419

Dynamic [Cl-]i measurement with chloride sensing quantum dots nanosensor in epithelial cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuchi; Mao, Hua; Wong, Lid B.

2010-02-01

We have synthesized a chloride sensing quantum dots (QD) nanosensor, Cl-QD, for the dynamic measurements of chloride ion concentration in the millimolar range, a sensitivity that is applicable to most physiological intracellular chloride ion concentration ([Cl-]i) measurements in epithelial cells. The Cl-QD is synthesized by conjugating an anion receptor, 1-(2-mercapto-ethyl)-3-phenyl-thiourea (MEPTU) to a water soluble CdSe/ZnS QD at an emission wavelength of 620 nm. Upon binding of chloride ions to the Cl-QD, a photo-induced electron transfer mechanism caused the fluorescence of the QD to quench. This resulted in an inversely proportional relationship between the chloride ion concentration and the fluorescence intensity of the Cl-QD. We have utilized this Cl-QD to measure [Cl-]i in T84 and CF-PAC cultured cells, with either the C1C-2 or CFTR chloride channels being manipulated by pharmacological chloride channel activators and inhibitors. Activations of C1C-2 and CFTR chloride channels in T84 by the respective lubiprostone and genistein caused predictive increases in the fluorescence of the Cl-QD, i.e., a decrease of [Cl-]i. Conversely, glibenclamide, a chloride channel inhibitor, applied to the CF-PAC cells caused a predictable decrease in the fluorescence of Cl-QD due to the increase of [Cl-]i. These are the first data in using QD-based chloride ion sensors for dynamic measurements of intracellular chloride ion concentrations in epithelial cells.

Visualization of Current and Mapping of Elements in Quantum Dot Solar Cells

DOE PAGES

Niezgoda, J. Scott; Ng, Amy; Poplawsky, Jonathan D.; ...

2015-12-17

The delicate influence of properties such as high surface state density and organic-inorganic boundaries on the individual quantum dot electronic structure complicates pursuits toward forming quantitative models of quantum dot thin films ab initio. Our report describes the application of electron beam-induced current (EBIC) microscopy to depleted-heterojunction colloidal quantum dot photovoltaics (DH-CQD PVs), a technique which affords one a map of current production within the active layer of a PV device. The effects of QD sample size polydispersity as well as layer thickness in CQD active layers as they pertain to current production within these PVs are imaged and explained.more » The results from these experiments compare well with previous estimations, and confirm the ability of EBIC to function as a valuable empirical tool for the design and betterment of DH-CQD PVs. Lastly, extensive and unexpected PbS QD penetration into the mesoporous TiO 2 layer is observed through imaging of device cross sections by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy combined with scanning transmission electron microscopy. Finally, the effects of this finding are discussed and corroborated with the EBIC studies on similar devices.« less

Computer Code for Nanostructure Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Filikhin, Igor; Vlahovic, Branislav

2009-01-01

Due to their small size, nanostructures can have stress and thermal gradients that are larger than any macroscopic analogue. These gradients can lead to specific regions that are susceptible to failure via processes such as plastic deformation by dislocation emission, chemical debonding, and interfacial alloying. A program has been developed that rigorously simulates and predicts optoelectronic properties of nanostructures of virtually any geometrical complexity and material composition. It can be used in simulations of energy level structure, wave functions, density of states of spatially configured phonon-coupled electrons, excitons in quantum dots, quantum rings, quantum ring complexes, and more. The code can be used to calculate stress distributions and thermal transport properties for a variety of nanostructures and interfaces, transport and scattering at nanoscale interfaces and surfaces under various stress states, and alloy compositional gradients. The code allows users to perform modeling of charge transport processes through quantum-dot (QD) arrays as functions of inter-dot distance, array order versus disorder, QD orientation, shape, size, and chemical composition for applications in photovoltaics and physical properties of QD-based biochemical sensors. The code can be used to study the hot exciton formation/relation dynamics in arrays of QDs of different shapes and sizes at different temperatures. It also can be used to understand the relation among the deposition parameters and inherent stresses, strain deformation, heat flow, and failure of nanostructures.

Continuous wave terahertz radiation from an InAs/GaAs quantum-dot photomixer device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruczek, T.; Leyman, R.; Carnegie, D.; Bazieva, N.; Erbert, G.; Schulz, S.; Reardon, C.; Reynolds, S.; Rafailov, E. U.

2012-08-01

Generation of continuous wave radiation at terahertz (THz) frequencies from a heterodyne source based on quantum-dot (QD) semiconductor materials is reported. The source comprises an active region characterised by multiple alternating photoconductive and QD carrier trapping layers and is pumped by two infrared optical signals with slightly offset wavelengths, allowing photoconductive device switching at the signals' difference frequency ˜1 THz.

Investigation of Quantum Dot Lasers

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-08-09

Accomplishments: • Introduction Since the first demonstration of room-temperature operation of self-assembled quantum-dot (QD) lasers about a...regions (JGaAs), wetting layer (JWL), and Auger recombination in the dots ( JAug ). for the present 1.3µm dots, the temperature invariant measured

Reduced Carrier Recombination in PbS - CuInS2 Quantum Dot Solar Cells

PubMed Central

Sun, Zhenhua; Sitbon, Gary; Pons, Thomas; Bakulin, Artem A.; Chen, Zhuoying

2015-01-01

Energy loss due to carrier recombination is among the major factors limiting the performance of TiO2/PbS colloidal quantum dot (QD) heterojunction solar cells. In this work, enhanced photocurrent is achieved by incorporating another type of hole-transporting QDs, Zn-doped CuInS2 (Zn-CIS) QDs into the PbS QD matrix. Binary QD solar cells exhibit a reduced charge recombination associated with the spatial charge separation between these two types of QDs. A ~30% increase in short-circuit current density and a ~20% increase in power conversion efficiency are observed in binary QD solar cells compared to cells built from PbS QDs only. In agreement with the charge transfer process identified through ultrafast pump/probe spectroscopy between these two QD components, transient photovoltage characteristics of single-component and binary QDs solar cells reveal longer carrier recombination time constants associated with the incorporation of Zn-CIS QDs. This work presents a straightforward, solution-processed method based on the incorporation of another QDs in the PbS QD matrix to control the carrier dynamics in colloidal QD materials and enhance solar cell performance. PMID:26024021

Sensitivity-Enhancement of FRET Immunoassays by Multiple-Antibody Conjugation on Quantum Dots.

PubMed

Annio, Giacomo; Jennings, Travis; Tagit, Oya; Hildebrandt, Niko

2018-05-23

Quantum dots (QDs) are not only advantageous for color-tuning, improved brightness, and high stability, but their nanoparticle surfaces also allow for the attachment of many biomolecules. Because IgG antibodies (ABs) are in the same size range of biocompatible QDs and the AB orientation after conjugation to the QD is often random, it is difficult to predict if few or many ABs per QD will lead to an efficient AB-QD conjugate. This is particularly true for homogeneous Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) sandwich immunoassays, for which the ABs on the QD must bind a biomarker that needs to bind a second AB-FRET-conjugate. Here, we investigate the performance of Tb-to-QD FRET immunoassays against total prostate specific antigen (TPSA) by changing the number of ABs per QD while leaving all the other assay components unchanged. We first characterize the AB-QD conjugation by various spectroscopic, microscopic, and chromatographic techniques and then quantify the TPSA immunoassay performance regarding sensitivity, limit of detection, and dynamic range. Our results show that an increasing conjugation ratio leads to significantly enhanced FRET immunoassays. These findings will be highly important for developing QD-based immunoassays in which the concentrations of both ABs and QDs can significantly influence the assay performance.

Improved color metrics in solid-state lighting via utilization of on-chip quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangum, Benjamin D.; Landes, Tiemo S.; Theobald, Brian R.; Kurtin, Juanita N.

2017-02-01

While Quantum Dots (QDs) have found commercial success in display applications, there are currently no widely available solid state lighting products making use of QD nanotechnology. In order to have real-world success in today's lighting market, QDs must be capable of being placed in on-chip configurations, as remote phosphor configurations are typically much more expensive. Here we demonstrate solid-state lighting devices made with on-chip QDs. These devices show robust reliability under both dry and wet high stress conditions. High color quality lighting metrics can easily be achieved using these narrow, tunable QD downconverters: CRI values of Ra > 90 as well as R9 values > 80 are readily available when combining QDs with green phosphors. Furthermore, we show that QDs afford a 15% increase in overall efficiency compared to traditional phosphor downconverted SSL devices. The fundamental limit of QD linewidth is examined through single particle QD emission studies. Using standard Cd-based QD synthesis, it is found that single particle linewidths of 20 nm FWHM represent a lower limit to the narrowness of QD emission in the near term.

The structural and optical properties of GaSb/InGaAs type-II quantum dots grown on InP (100) substrate

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

We have investigated the structural and optical properties of type-II GaSb/InGaAs quantum dots [QDs] grown on InP (100) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. Rectangular-shaped GaSb QDs were well developed and no nanodash-like structures which could be easily found in the InAs/InP QD system were formed. Low-temperature photoluminescence spectra show there are two peaks centered at 0.75eV and 0.76ev. The low-energy peak blueshifted with increasing excitation power is identified as the indirect transition from the InGaAs conduction band to the GaSb hole level (type-II), and the high-energy peak is identified as the direct transition (type-I) of GaSb QDs. This material system shows a promising application on quantum-dot infrared detectors and quantum-dot field-effect transistor. PMID:22277096

DNA-programmed dynamic assembly of quantum dots for molecular computation.

PubMed

He, Xuewen; Li, Zhi; Chen, Muzi; Ma, Nan

2014-12-22

Despite the widespread use of quantum dots (QDs) for biosensing and bioimaging, QD-based bio-interfaceable and reconfigurable molecular computing systems have not yet been realized. DNA-programmed dynamic assembly of multi-color QDs is presented for the construction of a new class of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based QD computing systems. A complete set of seven elementary logic gates (OR, AND, NOR, NAND, INH, XOR, XNOR) are realized using a series of binary and ternary QD complexes operated by strand displacement reactions. The integration of different logic gates into a half-adder circuit for molecular computation is also demonstrated. This strategy is quite versatile and straightforward for logical operations and would pave the way for QD-biocomputing-based intelligent molecular diagnostics. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Core-Shell Zn x Cd1- x Se/Zn y Cd1- y Se Quantum Dots for Nonvolatile Memory and Electroluminescent Device Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Amoody, Fuad; Suarez, Ernesto; Rodriguez, Angel; Heller, E.; Huang, Wenli; Jain, F.

2011-08-01

This paper presents a floating quantum dot (QD) gate nonvolatile memory device using high-energy-gap Zn y Cd1- y Se-cladded Zn x Cd1- x Se quantum dots ( y > x) with tunneling layers comprising nearly lattice-matched semiconductors (e.g., ZnS/ZnMgS) on Si channels. Also presented is the fabrication of an electroluminescent (EL) device with embedded cladded ZnCdSe quantum dots. These ZnCdSe quantum dots were embedded between indium tin oxide (ITO) on glass and a top Schottky metal electrode deposited on a thin CsF barrier. These QDs, which were nucleated in a photo-assisted microwave plasma (PMP) metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) reactor, were grown between the source and drain regions on a p-type silicon substrate of the nonvolatile memory device. The composition of QD cladding, which relates to the value of y in Zn y Cd1- y Se, was engineered by the intensity of ultraviolet light, which controlled the incorporation of zinc in ZnCdSe. The QD quality is comparable to those deposited by other methods. Characteristics and modeling of the II-VI quantum dots as well as two diverse types of devices are presented in this paper.

Solid-phase single molecule biosensing using dual-color colocalization of fluorescent quantum dot nanoprobes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jianbo; Yang, Xiaohai; Wang, Kemin; Wang, Qing; Liu, Wei; Wang, Dong

2013-10-01

The development of solid-phase surface-based single molecule imaging technology has attracted significant interest during the past decades. Here we demonstrate a sandwich hybridization method for highly sensitive detection of a single thrombin protein at a solid-phase surface based on the use of dual-color colocalization of fluorescent quantum dot (QD) nanoprobes. Green QD560-modified thrombin binding aptamer I (QD560-TBA I) were deposited on a positive poly(l-lysine) assembled layer, followed by bovine serum albumin blocking. It allowed the thrombin protein to mediate the binding of the easily detectable red QD650-modified thrombin binding aptamer II (QD650-TBA II) to the QD560-TBA I substrate. Thus, the presence of the target thrombin can be determined based on fluorescent colocalization measurements of the nanoassemblies, without target amplification or probe separation. The detection limit of this assay reached 0.8 pM. This fluorescent colocalization assay has enabled single molecule recognition in a separation-free detection format, and can serve as a sensitive biosensing platform that greatly suppresses the nonspecific adsorption false-positive signal. This method can be extended to other areas such as multiplexed immunoassay, single cell analysis, and real time biomolecule interaction studies.The development of solid-phase surface-based single molecule imaging technology has attracted significant interest during the past decades. Here we demonstrate a sandwich hybridization method for highly sensitive detection of a single thrombin protein at a solid-phase surface based on the use of dual-color colocalization of fluorescent quantum dot (QD) nanoprobes. Green QD560-modified thrombin binding aptamer I (QD560-TBA I) were deposited on a positive poly(l-lysine) assembled layer, followed by bovine serum albumin blocking. It allowed the thrombin protein to mediate the binding of the easily detectable red QD650-modified thrombin binding aptamer II (QD650-TBA II) to the QD560-TBA I substrate. Thus, the presence of the target thrombin can be determined based on fluorescent colocalization measurements of the nanoassemblies, without target amplification or probe separation. The detection limit of this assay reached 0.8 pM. This fluorescent colocalization assay has enabled single molecule recognition in a separation-free detection format, and can serve as a sensitive biosensing platform that greatly suppresses the nonspecific adsorption false-positive signal. This method can be extended to other areas such as multiplexed immunoassay, single cell analysis, and real time biomolecule interaction studies. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Absorbance and fluorescence spectra of quantum dot nanoprobes, electrophoresis analysis, and experimental setup for fluorescence imaging with dual channels. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03291d

Stepwise Assembly and Characterization of DNA Linked Two-Color Quantum Dot Clusters.

PubMed

Coopersmith, Kaitlin; Han, Hyunjoo; Maye, Mathew M

2015-07-14

The DNA-mediated self-assembly of multicolor quantum dot (QD) clusters via a stepwise approach is described. The CdSe/ZnS QDs were synthesized and functionalized with an amphiphilic copolymer, followed by ssDNA conjugation. At each functionalization step, the QDs were purified via gradient ultracentrifugation, which was found to remove excess polymer and QD aggregates, allowing for improved conjugation yields and assembly reactivity. The QDs were then assembled and disassembled in a stepwise manner at a ssDNA functionalized magnetic colloid, which provided a convenient way to remove unreacted QDs and ssDNA impurities. After assembly/disassembly, the clusters' optical characteristics were studied by fluorescence spectroscopy and the assembly morphology and stoichiometry was imaged via electron microscopy. The results indicate that a significant amount of QD-to-QD energy transfer occurred in the clusters, which was studied as a function of increasing acceptor-to-donor ratios, resulting in increased QD acceptor emission intensities compared to controls.

Quantum dot laser optimization: selectively doped layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korenev, Vladimir V.; Konoplev, Sergey S.; Savelyev, Artem V.; Shernyakov, Yurii M.; Maximov, Mikhail V.; Zhukov, Alexey E.

2016-08-01

Edge emitting quantum dot (QD) lasers are discussed. It has been recently proposed to use modulation p-doping of the layers that are adjacent to QD layers in order to control QD's charge state. Experimentally it has been proven useful to enhance ground state lasing and suppress the onset of excited state lasing at high injection. These results have been also confirmed with numerical calculations involving solution of drift-diffusion equations. However, deep understanding of physical reasons for such behavior and laser optimization requires analytical approaches to the problem. In this paper, under a set of assumptions we provide an analytical model that explains major effects of selective p-doping. Capture rates of elections and holes can be calculated by solving Poisson equations for electrons and holes around the charged QD layer. The charge itself is ruled by capture rates and selective doping concentration. We analyzed this self-consistent set of equations and showed that it can be used to optimize QD laser performance and to explain underlying physics.

Quantum dot nanoparticle for optimization of breast cancer diagnostics and therapy in a clinical setting.

PubMed

Radenkovic, Dina; Kobayashi, Hisataka; Remsey-Semmelweis, Ernö; Seifalian, Alexander M

2016-08-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the world. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is used for staging of axillary lymph nodes. Organic dyes and radiocolloid are currently used for SLN mapping, but expose patients to ionizing radiation, are unstable during surgery and cause local tissue damage. Quantum dots (QD) could be used for SLN mapping without the need for biopsy. Surgical resection of the primary tumor is the optimal treatment for early-diagnosed breast cancer, but due to difficulties in defining tumor margins, cancer cells often remain leading to reoccurrences. Functionalized QD could be used for image-guided tumor resection to allow visualization of cancer cells. Near Infrared QD are photostable and have improved deep tissue penetration. Slow elimination of QD raises concerns of potential accumulation. Nevertheless, promising findings with cadmium-free QD in recent in vivo studies and first in-human trial suggest huge potential for cancer diagnostic and therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Energy-saving quality road lighting with colloidal quantum dot nanophosphors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erdem, Talha; Kelestemur, Yusuf; Soran-Erdem, Zeliha; Ji, Yun; Demir, Hilmi Volkan

2014-12-01

Here the first photometric study of road-lighting white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) integrated with semiconductor colloidal quantum dots (QDs) is reported enabling higher luminance than conventional light sources, specifically in mesopic vision regimes essential to street lighting. Investigating over 100 million designs uncovers that quality road-lighting QD-WLEDs, with a color quality scale and color rendering index ≥85, enables 13-35% higher mesopic luminance than the sources commonly used in street lighting. Furthermore, these QD-WLEDs were shown to be electrically more efficient than conventional sources with power conversion efficiencies ≥16-29%. Considering this fact, an experimental proof-of-concept QD-WLED was demonstrated, which is the first account of QD based color conversion custom designed for street lighting applications. The obtained white LED achieved the targeted mesopic luminance levels in accordance with the road lighting standards of the USA and the UK. These results indicate that road-lighting QD-WLEDs are strongly promising for energy-saving quality road lighting.

Monolithically integrated quantum dot optical modulator with Semiconductor optical amplifier for short-range optical communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Naokatsu; Akahane, Kouichi; Umezawa, Toshimasa; Kawanishi, Tetsuya

2015-04-01

A monolithically integrated quantum dot (QD) optical gain modulator (OGM) with a QD semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) was successfully developed. Broadband QD optical gain material was used to achieve Gbps-order high-speed optical data transmission, and an optical gain change as high as approximately 6-7 dB was obtained with a low OGM voltage of 2.0 V. Loss of optical power due to insertion of the device was also effectively compensated for by the SOA section. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the QD-OGM/SOA device helped achieve 6.0-Gbps error-free optical data transmission over a 2.0-km-long photonic crystal fiber. We also successfully demonstrated generation of Gbps-order, high-speed, and error-free optical signals in the >5.5-THz broadband optical frequency bandwidth larger than the C-band. These results suggest that the developed monolithically integrated QD-OGM/SOA device will be an advantageous and compact means of increasing the usable optical frequency channels for short-reach communications.

Assembly and intracellular delivery of quantum dot-fluorescent protein bioconjugates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medintz, Igor L.; Pons, Thomas; Delehanty, James B.; Susumu, Kimihiro; Dawson, Philip E.; Mattoussi, Hedi

2008-02-01

We have previously assembled semiconductor quantum dot (QD)-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) sensors that can specifically detect nutrients, explosives or enzymatic activity. These sensors utilized the inherent benefits of QDs as FRET donors to optimize signal transduction. In this report we functionalize QDs with the multi-subunit multi-chromophore b-phycoerythrin (b-PE) light harvesting complex using biotin-Streptavidin binding. FRET and gel electrophoretic analyses were used to characterize and confirm the QD-b-PE self-assembly. We found that immobilizing additional cell-penetrating peptides on the nanocrystal surface along with the b-PE was the key factor allowing the mixed surface QD-cargos to undergo endocytosis and intracellular delivery. Our findings on the intracellular uptake promoted by CPP were compared to those collected using microinjection technique, where QD-assemblies were delivered directly into the cytoplasm; this strategy allows bypassing of the endocytic uptake pathway. Intracellular delivery of multifunctional QD-fluorescent protein assemblies has potential applications for use in protein tracking, sensing and diagnostics.

Effective surface passivation of multi-shelled InP quantum dots through a simple complexing with titanium species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jo, Jung-Ho; Kim, Min-Seok; Han, Chang-Yeol; Jang, Eun-Pyo; Do, Young Rag; Yang, Heesun

2018-01-01

Fluorescent efficiency of various visible quantum dots (QDs) has been incessantly improved to meet industrially high standard mainly through the advance in core/shell heterostructural design, however, their stability against degradable environments appears still lacking. The most viable strategy to cope with this issue was to exploit chemically inert oxide phases to passivate QD surface in the form of either individual overcoating or matrix embedding. Herein, we report a simple but effective means to passivate QD surface by complexing its organic ligands with a metal alkoxide of titanium isopropoxide (Ti(i-PrO)4). For this, highly efficient red-emitting InP QDs with a multi-shell structure of ZnSeS intermediate plus ZnS outer shell are first synthesized and then the surface of resulting InP/ZnSeS/ZnS QDs is in-situ decorated with Ti(i-PrO)4. The presence of Tisbnd O species from Ti(i-PrO)4 on QD surface is verified by x-ray photoelectron and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analyses. Two comparative dispersions of pristine versus Ti(i-PrO)4-complexed QDs are exposed for certain periods of time to UV photon and heat and their temporal changes in photoluminescence are monitored, resulting in a huge improvement in QD stability from the latter ones through Ti(i-PrO)4-mediated better surface passivation.

Optical levitation of a microdroplet containing a single quantum dot.

PubMed

Minowa, Yosuke; Kawai, Ryoichi; Ashida, Masaaki

2015-03-15

We demonstrate the optical levitation or trapping in helium gas of a single quantum dot (QD) within a liquid droplet. Bright single photon emission from the levitated QD in the droplet was observed for more than 200 s. The observed photon count rates are consistent with the value theoretically estimated from the two-photon-action cross section. This Letter presents the realization of an optically levitated solid-state quantum emitter.

Giant photocurrent enhancement by transition metal doping in quantum dot sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rimal, Gaurab; Pimachev, Artem K.; Yost, Andrew J.; Poudyal, Uma; Maloney, Scott; Wang, Wenyong; Chien, TeYu; Dahnovsky, Yuri; Tang, Jinke

2016-09-01

A huge enhancement in the incident photon-to-current efficiency of PbS quantum dot (QD) sensitized solar cells by manganese doping is observed. In the presence of Mn dopants with relatively small concentration (4 at. %), the photoelectric current increases by an average of 300% (up to 700%). This effect cannot be explained by the light absorption mechanism because both the experimental and theoretical absorption spectra demonstrate several times decreases in the absorption coefficient. To explain such dramatic increase in the photocurrent we propose the electron tunneling mechanism from the LUMO of the QD excited state to the Zn2SnO4 (ZTO) semiconductor photoanode. This change is due to the presence of the Mn instead of Pb atom at the QD/ZTO interface. The ab initio calculations confirm this mechanism. This work proposes an alternative route for a significant improvement of the efficiency for quantum dot sensitized solar cells.

Conditions for entangled photon emission from (111)B site-controlled pyramidal quantum dots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Juska, G., E-mail: gediminas.juska@tyndall.ie; Murray, E.; Dimastrodonato, V.

A study of highly symmetric site-controlled pyramidal In{sub 0.25}Ga{sub 0.75}As quantum dots (QDs) is presented. It is discussed that polarization-entangled photons can be also obtained from pyramidal QDs of different designs from the one already reported in Juska et al. [Nat. Photonics 7, 527 (2013)]. Moreover, some of the limitations for a higher density of entangled photon emitters are addressed. Among these issues are (1) a remaining small fine-structure splitting and (2) an effective QD charging under non-resonant excitation conditions, which strongly reduce the number of useful biexciton-exciton recombination events. A possible solution of the charging problem is investigated exploitingmore » a dual-wavelength excitation technique, which allows a gradual QD charge tuning from strongly negative to positive and, eventually, efficient detection of entangled photons from QDs, which would be otherwise ineffective under a single-wavelength (non-resonant) excitation.« less

Physical and electrical characteristics of Si/SiC quantum dot superlattice solar cells with passivation layer of aluminum oxide.

PubMed

Tsai, Yi-Chia; Li, Yiming; Samukawa, Seiji

2017-12-01

In this work, we numerically simulate the silicon (Si)/silicon carbide (SiC) quantum dot superlattice solar cell (SiC-QDSL) with aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 -QDSL) passivation. By exploiting the passivation layer of Al 2 O 3 , the high photocurrent and the conversion efficiency can be achieved without losing the effective bandgap. Based on the two-photon transition mechanism in an AM1.5 and a one sun illumination, the simulated short-circuit current (J sc ) of 4.77 mA cm -2 is very close to the experimentally measured 4.75 mA cm -2 , which is higher than those of conventional SiC-QDSLs. Moreover, the efficiency fluctuation caused by the structural variation is less sensitive by using the passivation layer. A high conversion efficiency of 17.4% is thus estimated by adopting the QD's geometry used in the experiment; and, it can be further boosted by applying a hexagonal QD formation with an inter-dot spacing of 0.3 nm.

Hot-hole extraction from quantum dot to molecular adsorbate.

PubMed

Singhal, Pallavi; Ghosh, Hirendra N

2015-03-09

Ultrafast thermalized and hot-hole-transfer processes have been investigated in CdSe quantum dot (QD)/catechol composite systems in which hole transfer from photoexcited QDs to the catechols is thermodynamically favorable. A series of catechol derivatives were selected with different electron-donating and -withdrawing groups, and the effect of these groups on hole transfer and charge recombination (CR) dynamics has been investigated. The hole-transfer time was determined using the fluorescence upconversion technique and found to be 2-10 ps depending on the molecular structure of the catechol derivatives. The hot-hole-transfer process was followed after monitoring 2S luminescence of CdSe QDs. Interestingly, hot-hole extraction was observed only in the CdSe/3-methoxycatechol (3-OCH3) composite system owing to the higher electron-donating property of the 3-methoxy group. To confirm the extraction of the hot hole and to monitor the CR reaction in CdSe QD/catechol composite systems, ultrafast transient absorption studies have been carried out. Ultrafast transient-absorption studies show that the bleach recovery kinetics of CdSe QD at the 2S excitonic position is much faster in the presence of 3-OCH3. This faster bleach recovery at the 2S position in CdSe/3-OCH3 suggests hot-hole transfer from CdSe QD to 3-OCH3. CR dynamics in CdSe QD/catechol composite systems was followed by monitoring the excitonic bleach at the 1S position and was found to decrease with free energy of the CR reaction. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Influence of GaAs surface termination on GaSb/GaAs quantum dot structure and band offsets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zech, E. S.; Chang, A. S.; Martin, A. J.

2013-08-19

We have investigated the influence of GaAs surface termination on the nanoscale structure and band offsets of GaSb/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. Transmission electron microscopy reveals both coherent and semi-coherent clusters, as well as misfit dislocations, independent of surface termination. Cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy reveal clustered GaSb QDs with type I band offsets at the GaSb/GaAs interfaces. We discuss the relative influences of strain and QD clustering on the band offsets at GaSb/GaAs interfaces.

Static strain tuning of quantum dots embedded in a photonic wire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tumanov, D.; Vaish, N.; Nguyen, H. A.; Curé, Y.; Gérard, J.-M.; Claudon, J.; Donatini, F.; Poizat, J.-Ph.

2018-03-01

We use strain to statically tune the semiconductor band gap of individual InAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in a GaAs photonic wire featuring very efficient single photon collection. Thanks to the geometry of the structure, we are able to shift the QD excitonic transition by more than 25 meV by using nano-manipulators to apply the stress. Moreover, owing to the strong transverse strain gradient generated in the structure, we can relatively tune two QDs located in the wire waveguide and bring them in resonance, opening the way to the observation of collective effects such as superradiance.

Synthesis and Characterization of Quantum Dot-Loaded Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) Acid Nanocomposite Fibers by an Electrospinning Process.

PubMed

Ankireddy, Seshadri Reddy; Kim, Jongsung

2017-04-01

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) is one of the most successfully developed biodegradable polymers. PLGA is a copolymer of polylactic and glycolic acid. In this work, quantum dot (QD)-loaded PLGA nanofibers were fabricated via a simple one-step electrospinning process. The surface morphology of the fibers was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was shown that the PLGA nanofibers had both smooth and rough surfaces with an average fiber diameter of 150 ± 25 nm and 350 ± 60 nm for the PLGA and QD-loaded PLGA nanofibers, respectively. The needle size, applied voltage, and solvent flow rate in the syringe were maintained at 23 G, 20 kV, and 1.5 mL/h, respectively. The SEM analysis showed that nanofibers with a very thin and uniform size were formed and the InP/ZnS QDs were homogeneously loaded into the PLGA nanofiber matrix. The thermal properties of the PLGA-QD nanofibers were explored by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The surface chemical structure and functionalities were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xin, Yunzi; Nishio, Kazuyuki; Saitow, Ken-ichi, E-mail: saitow@hiroshima-u.ac.jp

A silicon (Si) quantum dot (QD)-based hybrid inorganic/organic light-emitting diode (LED) was fabricated via solution processing. This device exhibited white-blue electroluminescence at a low applied voltage of 6 V, with 78% of the effective emission obtained from the Si QDs. This hybrid LED produced current and optical power densities 280 and 350 times greater than those previously reported for such device. The superior performance of this hybrid device was obtained by both the prepared Si QDs and the optimized layer structure and thereby improving carrier migration through the hybrid LED and carrier recombination in the homogeneous Si QD layer.

Origins of interlayer formation and misfit dislocation displacement in the vicinity of InAs/GaAs quantum dots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, S.; Kim, S. J.; Pan, X. Q.

We have examined the origins of interlayer formation and misfit dislocation (MD) displacement in the vicinity of InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs). For QDs formed by the Stranski-Krastanov mode, regularly spaced MDs nucleate at the interface between the QD and the GaAs buffer layer. In the droplet epitaxy case, both In island formation and In-induced “nano-drilling” of the GaAs buffer layer are observed during In deposition. Upon annealing under As flux, the In islands are converted to InAs QDs, with an InGaAs interlayer at the QD/buffer interface. Meanwhile, MDs nucleate at the QD/interlayer interface.

Temperature dependent optical properties of single, hierarchically self-assembled GaAs/AlGaAs quantum dots

PubMed Central

Rastelli, A; Schmidt, OG; Ulrich, SM; Michler, P

2006-01-01

We report on the experimental observation of bright photoluminescence emission at room temperature from single unstrained GaAs quantum dots (QDs). The linewidth of a single-QD ground-state emission (≈ 8.5 meV) is comparable to the ensemble inhomogeneous broadening (≈ 12.4 meV). At low temperature (T ≤ 40 K) photon correlation measurements under continuous wave excitation show nearly perfect single-photon emission from a single GaAs QD and reveal the single photon nature of the emitted light up to 77 K. The QD emission energies, homogeneous linewidths and the thermally activated behavior as a function of temperature are discussed.

Temperature dependence of Coulomb oscillations in a few-layer two-dimensional WS2 quantum dot.

PubMed

Song, Xiang-Xiang; Zhang, Zhuo-Zhi; You, Jie; Liu, Di; Li, Hai-Ou; Cao, Gang; Xiao, Ming; Guo, Guo-Ping

2015-11-05

Standard semiconductor fabrication techniques are used to fabricate a quantum dot (QD) made of WS2, where Coulomb oscillations were found. The full-width-at-half-maximum of the Coulomb peaks increases linearly with temperature while the height of the peaks remains almost independent of temperature, which is consistent with standard semiconductor QD theory. Unlike graphene etched QDs, where Coulomb peaks belonging to the same QD can have different temperature dependences, these results indicate the absence of the disordered confining potential. This difference in the potential-forming mechanism between graphene etched QDs and WS2 QDs may be the reason for the larger potential fluctuation found in graphene QDs.

Temperature dependence of Coulomb oscillations in a few-layer two-dimensional WS2 quantum dot

PubMed Central

Song, Xiang-Xiang; Zhang, Zhuo-Zhi; You, Jie; Liu, Di; Li, Hai-Ou; Cao, Gang; Xiao, Ming; Guo, Guo-Ping

2015-01-01

Standard semiconductor fabrication techniques are used to fabricate a quantum dot (QD) made of WS2, where Coulomb oscillations were found. The full-width-at-half-maximum of the Coulomb peaks increases linearly with temperature while the height of the peaks remains almost independent of temperature, which is consistent with standard semiconductor QD theory. Unlike graphene etched QDs, where Coulomb peaks belonging to the same QD can have different temperature dependences, these results indicate the absence of the disordered confining potential. This difference in the potential-forming mechanism between graphene etched QDs and WS2 QDs may be the reason for the larger potential fluctuation found in graphene QDs. PMID:26538164

Long-wavelength room-temperature luminescence from InAs/GaAs quantum dots with an optimized GaAsSbN capping layer

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

An extensive study on molecular beam epitaxy growth conditions of quaternary GaAsSbN as a capping layer (CL) for InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QD) was carried out. In particular, CL thickness, growth temperature, and growth rate were optimized. Problems related to the simultaneous presence of Sb and N, responsible for a significant degradation of photoluminescence (PL), are thereby solved allowing the achievement of room-temperature (RT) emission. A particularly strong improvement on the PL is obtained when the growth rate of the CL is increased. This is likely due to an improvement in the structural quality of the quaternary alloy that resulted from reduced strain and composition inhomogeneities. Nevertheless, a significant reduction of Sb and N incorporation was found when the growth rate was increased. Indeed, the incorporation of N is intrinsically limited to a maximum value of approximately 1.6% when the growth rate is at 2.0 ML s−1. Therefore, achieving RT emission and extending it somewhat beyond 1.3 μm were possible by means of a compromise among the growth conditions. This opens the possibility of exploiting the versatility on band structure engineering offered by this QD-CL structure in devices working at RT. PACS 81.15.Hi (molecular beam epitaxy); 78.55.Cr (III-V semiconductors); 73.21.La (quantum dots) PMID:24438542

Supersonically Spray-Coated Colloidal Quantum Dot Ink Solar Cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choi, Hyekyoung; Lee, Jong-Gun; Mai, Xuan Dung

Controlling the thickness of quantum dot (QD) films is difficult using existing film formation techniques, which employ pre-ligand-exchanged PbS QD inks, because of several issues: 1) poor colloidal stability, 2) use of high-boiling-point solvents for QD dispersion, and 3) limitations associated with one-step deposition. Here in this paper, we suggest a new protocol for QD film deposition using electrical double-layered PbS QD inks, prepared by solution-phase ligand exchange using methyl ammonium lead iodide (MAPbI 3). The films are deposited by the supersonic spraying technique, which facilitates the rapid evaporation of the solvent and the subsequent deposition of the PbS QDmore » ink without requiring a post-deposition annealing treatment for solvent removal. The film thickness could be readily controlled by varying the number of spraying sweeps made across the substrate. This spray deposition process yields high-quality n-type QD films quickly (within 1 min) while minimizing the amount of the PbS QD ink used to less than 5 mg for one device (300-nm-thick absorbing layer, 2.5 x 2.5 cm 2). Further, the formation of an additional p-layer by treatment with mercaptopropionic acid allows for facile hole extraction from the QD films, resulting in a power conversion efficiency of 3.7% under 1.5 AM illumination.« less

Quantum dots as enhancers of the efficacy of bacterial lethal photosensitization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narband, N.; Mubarak, M.; Ready, D.; Parkin, I. P.; Nair, S. P.; Green, M. A.; Beeby, A.; Wilson, M.

2008-11-01

Because of the increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics there is considerable interest in light-activated antimicrobial agents (LAAAs) as alternatives to antibiotics for treating localized infections. The purpose of this study was to determine whether CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QD) could enhance the antibacterial activity of the LAAA, toluidine blue O (TBO). Suspensions of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes were exposed to white light (3600 lux) and TBO (absorbance maximum = 630 nm) in the presence and absence of 25 nm diameter QD (emission maximum = 627 nm). When the TBO:QD ratio was 2667:1, killing of Staph. aureus was enhanced by 1.72log10 units. In the case of Strep. pyogenes, an enhanced kill of 1.55log10 units was achieved using TBO and QD in the ratio 267:1. Singlet oxygen and fluorescence measurements showed that QD suppress the formation of singlet oxygen from TBO and that QD fluorescence is significantly quenched in the presence of TBO (70-90%). Enhanced killing appears to be attributable to a non-Förster resonance energy transfer mechanism, whereby the QD converts part of the incident light to the absorption maximum for TBO; hence more light energy is harvested, resulting in increased concentrations of bactericidal radicals. QD may, therefore, be useful in improving the efficacy of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy.

Supersonically Spray-Coated Colloidal Quantum Dot Ink Solar Cells

DOE PAGES

Choi, Hyekyoung; Lee, Jong-Gun; Mai, Xuan Dung; ...

2017-04-04

Controlling the thickness of quantum dot (QD) films is difficult using existing film formation techniques, which employ pre-ligand-exchanged PbS QD inks, because of several issues: 1) poor colloidal stability, 2) use of high-boiling-point solvents for QD dispersion, and 3) limitations associated with one-step deposition. Here in this paper, we suggest a new protocol for QD film deposition using electrical double-layered PbS QD inks, prepared by solution-phase ligand exchange using methyl ammonium lead iodide (MAPbI 3). The films are deposited by the supersonic spraying technique, which facilitates the rapid evaporation of the solvent and the subsequent deposition of the PbS QDmore » ink without requiring a post-deposition annealing treatment for solvent removal. The film thickness could be readily controlled by varying the number of spraying sweeps made across the substrate. This spray deposition process yields high-quality n-type QD films quickly (within 1 min) while minimizing the amount of the PbS QD ink used to less than 5 mg for one device (300-nm-thick absorbing layer, 2.5 x 2.5 cm 2). Further, the formation of an additional p-layer by treatment with mercaptopropionic acid allows for facile hole extraction from the QD films, resulting in a power conversion efficiency of 3.7% under 1.5 AM illumination.« less

Quantum-Dot Light-Emitting Diodes with Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanodot Hole Transport and Electronic Energy Transfer Layer.

PubMed

Park, Young Ran; Jeong, Hu Young; Seo, Young Soo; Choi, Won Kook; Hong, Young Joon

2017-04-12

Electroluminescence efficiency is crucial for the application of quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) in practical devices. We demonstrate that nitrogen-doped carbon nanodot (N-CD) interlayer improves electrical and luminescent properties of QD-LEDs. The N-CDs were prepared by solution-based bottom up synthesis and were inserted as a hole transport layer (HTL) between other multilayer HTL heterojunction and the red-QD layer. The QD-LEDs with N-CD interlayer represented superior electrical rectification and electroluminescent efficiency than those without the N-CD interlayer. The insertion of N-CD layer was found to provoke the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from N-CD to QD layer, as confirmed by time-integrated and -resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. Moreover, hole-only devices (HODs) with N-CD interlayer presented high hole transport capability, and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy also revealed that the N-CD interlayer reduced the highest hole barrier height. Thus, more balanced carrier injection with sufficient hole carrier transport feasibly lead to the superior electrical and electroluminescent properties of the QD-LEDs with N-CD interlayer. We further studied effect of N-CD interlayer thickness on electrical and luminescent performances for high-brightness QD-LEDs. The ability of the N-CD interlayer to improve both the electrical and luminescent characteristics of the QD-LEDs would be readily exploited as an emerging photoactive material for high-efficiency optoelectronic devices.

Multi-scale ordering of self-assembled InAs/GaAs(001) quantum dots

PubMed Central

Songmuang, R; Rastelli, A; Heidemeyer, H; Schmidt, OG

2006-01-01

Ordering phenomena related to the self-assembly of InAs quantum dots (QD) grown on GaAs(001) substrates are experimentally investigated on different length scales. On the shortest length-scale studied here, we examine the QD morphology and observe two types of QD shapes, i.e., pyramids and domes. Pyramids are elongated along the [1-10] directions and are bounded by {137} facets, while domes have a multi-facetted shape. By changing the growth rates, we are able to control the size and size homogeneity of freestanding QDs. QDs grown by using low growth rate are characterized by larger sizes and a narrower size distribution. The homogeneity of buried QDs is measured by photoluminescence spectroscopy and can be improved by low temperature overgrowth. The overgrowth induces the formation of nanostructures on the surface. The fabrication of self-assembled nanoholes, which are used as a template to induce short-range positioning of QDs, is also investigated. The growth of closely spaced QDs (QD molecules) containing 2–6 QDs per QD molecule is discussed. Finally, the long-range positioning of self-assembled QDs, which can be achieved by the growth on patterned substrates, is demonstrated. Lateral QD replication observed during growth of three-dimensional QD crystals is reported.

Misfit-guided self-organization of anticorrelated Ge quantum dot arrays on Si nanowires.

PubMed

Kwon, Soonshin; Chen, Zack C Y; Kim, Ji-Hun; Xiang, Jie

2012-09-12

Misfit-strain guided growth of periodic quantum dot (QD) arrays in planar thin film epitaxy has been a popular nanostructure fabrication method. Engineering misfit-guided QD growth on a nanoscale substrate such as the small curvature surface of a nanowire represents a new approach to self-organized nanostructure preparation. Perhaps more profoundly, the periodic stress underlying each QD and the resulting modulation of electro-optical properties inside the nanowire backbone promise to provide a new platform for novel mechano-electronic, thermoelectronic, and optoelectronic devices. Herein, we report a first experimental demonstration of self-organized and self-limited growth of coherent, periodic Ge QDs on a one-dimensional Si nanowire substrate. Systematic characterizations reveal several distinctively different modes of Ge QD ordering on the Si nanowire substrate depending on the core diameter. In particular, Ge QD arrays on Si nanowires of around 20 nm diameter predominantly exhibit an anticorrelated pattern whose wavelength agrees with theoretical predictions. The correlated pattern can be attributed to propagation and correlation of misfit strain across the diameter of the thin nanowire substrate. The QD array growth is self-limited as the wavelength of the QDs remains unchanged even after prolonged Ge deposition. Furthermore, we demonstrate a direct kinetic transformation from a uniform Ge shell layer to discrete QD arrays by a postgrowth annealing process.

Intermediate Band Gap Solar Cells: The Effect of Resonant Tunneling on Delocalization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

William, Reid; Mathew, Doty; Sanwli, Shilpa; Gammon, Dan; Bracker, Allan

2011-03-01

Quantum dots (QD's) have many unique properties, including tunable discrete energy levels, that make them suitable for a variety of next generation photovoltaic applications. One application is an intermediate band solar cell (IBSC); in which QD's are incorporated into the bulk material. The QD's are tuned to absorb low energy photons that would otherwise be wasted because their energy is less than the solar cell's bulk band gap. Current theory concludes that identical QD's should be arranged in a superlattice to form a completely delocalized intermediate band maximizing absorption of low energy photons while minimizing the decrease in the efficiency of the bulk material. We use a T-matrix model to assess the feasibility of forming a delocalized band given that real QD ensembles have an inhomogeneous distribution of energy levels. Our results suggest that formation of a band delocalized through a large QD superlattice is challenging; suggesting that the assumptions underlying present IBSC theory require reexamination. We use time-resolved photoluminescence of coupled QD's to probe the effect of delocalized states on the dynamics of absorption, energy transport, and nonradiative relaxation. These results will allow us to reexamine the theoretical assumptions and determine the degree of delocalization necessary to create an efficient quantum dot-based IBSC.

Subdiffusive exciton transport in quantum dot solids.

PubMed

Akselrod, Gleb M; Prins, Ferry; Poulikakos, Lisa V; Lee, Elizabeth M Y; Weidman, Mark C; Mork, A Jolene; Willard, Adam P; Bulović, Vladimir; Tisdale, William A

2014-06-11

Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) are promising materials for use in solar cells, light-emitting diodes, lasers, and photodetectors, but the mechanism and length of exciton transport in QD materials is not well understood. We use time-resolved optical microscopy to spatially visualize exciton transport in CdSe/ZnCdS core/shell QD assemblies. We find that the exciton diffusion length, which exceeds 30 nm in some cases, can be tuned by adjusting the inorganic shell thickness and organic ligand length, offering a powerful strategy for controlling exciton movement. Moreover, we show experimentally and through kinetic Monte Carlo simulations that exciton diffusion in QD solids does not occur by a random-walk process; instead, energetic disorder within the inhomogeneously broadened ensemble causes the exciton diffusivity to decrease over time. These findings reveal new insights into exciton dynamics in disordered systems and demonstrate the flexibility of QD materials for photonic and optoelectronic applications.

Attaching quantum dots to HER2 specific phage antibodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Viet Ha; Nghiem, Thi Ha Lien; Huyen La, Thi; Dieu Thuy Ung, Thi; Huan Le, Quang; Thuan Tong, Kim; Liem Nguyen, Quang; Nhung Tran, Hong

2010-06-01

This work presents the results of the attachment of Qdot 655 ITKTM amino (PEG) quantum dots (QDs) (Invitrogen) and CdTe QDs (provided by Institute of Materials Science, VAST) to HER2 (Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2) specific phage antibodies (Abs) (provided by Institute of Biotechnology, VAST) in solution. The QDs were attached to the phage display specific HER2 Abs to form a complex QD-Ab. The QDs and complex QD-Ab were characterized by UV-VIS spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and fluorescence microscopy. The fluorescence images show the QDs conjugated to the phage. Due to the QDs attaching to the surface, the phage dimensions were amplified, so its shape could be observed by optical microscopy. The complex QD-Ab was stable and lasted for a month. The results illustrate the value of the HER2 phage-QD complex as a cancer detection platform.

Synthetic Conditions for High-Accuracy Size Control of PbS Quantum Dots.

PubMed

Zhang, Jianbing; Crisp, Ryan W; Gao, Jianbo; Kroupa, Daniel M; Beard, Matthew C; Luther, Joseph M

2015-05-21

Decreasing the variability in quantum dot (QD) syntheses is desirable for better uniformity of samples for use in QD-based studies and applications. Here we report a highly reproducible linear relationship between the concentration of ligand (in this case oleic acid, OA) and the lowest energy exciton peak position (nm) of the resulting PbS QDs for various hot-injection temperatures. Thus, for a given injection temperature, the size of the PbS QD product is purely controlled by the amount of OA. We used this relationship to study PbS QD solar cells that are fabricated from the same size of PbS QDs but synthesized using four different injection temperatures: 95, 120, 150, and 185 °C. We find that the power conversion efficiency does not depend on injection temperature but that the V(oc) is higher for QDs synthesized at lower temperatures while the J(sc) is improved in higher temperature QDs.

Near infrared bioluminescence resonance energy transfer from firefly luciferase—quantum dot bionanoconjugates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alam, Rabeka; Karam, Liliana M.; Doane, Tennyson L.; Zylstra, Joshua; Fontaine, Danielle M.; Branchini, Bruce R.; Maye, Mathew M.

2014-12-01

The bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) between firefly luciferase enzymes and semiconductive quantum dots (QDs) with near infrared emission is described. The QD were phase transferred to aqueous buffers using a histidine mediated phase transfer route, and incubated with a hexahistidine tagged, green emitting variant of firefly luciferase from Photinus pyralis (PPyGRTS). The PPyGRTS were bound to the QD interface via the hexahistidine tag, which effectively displaces the histidine layer and binds directly to the QD interfaces, allowing for short donor-acceptor distances (˜5.5 nm). Due to this, high BRET efficiency ratios of ˜5 were obtained. These PPyGRTS-QD bio-nano conjugates were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and BRET emission studies. The final optimized conjugate was easily observable by night vision imaging, demonstrating the potential of these materials in imaging and signaling/sensing applications.

Stark shift of impurity doped quantum dots: Role of noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arif, Sk. Md.; Bera, Aindrila; Ghosh, Anuja; Ghosh, Manas

2018-02-01

Present study makes a punctilious investigation of the profiles of Stark shift (SS) of doped GaAs quantum dot (QD) under the supervision of Gaussian white noise. A few physical parameters have been varied and the consequent variations in the SS profiles have been monitored. The said physical parameters comprise of magnetic field, confinement potential, dopant location, dopant potential, noise strength, aluminium concentration (only for AlxGa1-x As alloy QD), position-dependent effective mass (PDEM), position-dependent dielectric screening function (PDDSF), anisotropy, hydrostatic pressure (HP) and temperature. The SS profiles unfurl interesting features that heavily depend upon the particular physical quantity concerned, presence/absence of noise and the manner (additive/multiplicative) noise enters the system. The study highlights feasible means of maximizing SS of doped QD in presence of noise by suitable adjustment of several control parameters. The study deems importance in view of technological applications of QD devices where noise plays some prominent role.

Quantum-Dot-Based Solar Cells: Recent Advances, Strategies, and Challenges.

PubMed

Kim, Mee Rahn; Ma, Dongling

2015-01-02

Among next-generation photovoltaic systems requiring low cost and high efficiency, quantum dot (QD)-based solar cells stand out as a very promising candidate because of the unique and versatile characteristics of QDs. The past decade has already seen rapid conceptual and technological advances on various aspects of QD solar cells, and diverse opportunities, which QDs can offer, predict that there is still ample room for further development and breakthroughs. In this Perspective, we first review the attractive advantages of QDs, such as size-tunable band gaps and multiple exciton generation (MEG), beneficial to solar cell applications. We then analyze major strategies, which have been extensively explored and have largely contributed to the most recent and significant achievements in QD solar cells. Finally, their high potential and challenges are discussed. In particular, QD solar cells are considered to hold immense potential to overcome the theoretical efficiency limit of 31% for single-junction cells.

Photoinduced fluorescence intensity oscillation in a reaction-diffusion cell containing a colloidal quantum dot dispersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komoto, Atsushi; Maenosono, Shinya

2006-09-01

The nonlinear spontaneous oscillation of photoluminescence (PL) intensity in an ensemble of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), which differs from the fluorescence intermittency of a single QD, is investigated. The PL intensity in a QD dispersion slowly oscillates with time under continuous illumination. The oscillatory behavior is found to vary with changing QD concentration, solvent viscosity, volume fraction of irradiated region, and irradiation intensity. On the basis of the Gray-Scott model [Chemical Oscillation and Instabilities: Non-linear Chemical Kinetics (Clarendon, Oxford, 1994); J. Phys. Chem. 89, 22 (1985); Chem. Eng. Sci. 42, 307 (1987)], and its comparison with the experimental results, it is revealed that the following processes are important for PL oscillation: (1) mass transfer of QDs between the illuminated and dark regions, (2) autocatalytic formation of vacant sites on QD surfaces via photodesorption of ligand molecules, and (3) passivation of vacant sites via photoadsorption of water molecules.

Photoinduced fluorescence intensity oscillation in a reaction-diffusion cell containing a colloidal quantum dot dispersion.

PubMed

Komoto, Atsushi; Maenosono, Shinya

2006-09-21

The nonlinear spontaneous oscillation of photoluminescence (PL) intensity in an ensemble of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), which differs from the fluorescence intermittency of a single QD, is investigated. The PL intensity in a QD dispersion slowly oscillates with time under continuous illumination. The oscillatory behavior is found to vary with changing QD concentration, solvent viscosity, volume fraction of irradiated region, and irradiation intensity. On the basis of the Gray-Scott model [Chemical Oscillation and Instabilities: Non-linear Chemical Kinetics (Clarendon, Oxford, 1994); J. Phys. Chem. 89, 22 (1985); Chem. Eng. Sci. 42, 307 (1987)], and its comparison with the experimental results, it is revealed that the following processes are important for PL oscillation: (1) mass transfer of QDs between the illuminated and dark regions, (2) autocatalytic formation of vacant sites on QD surfaces via photodesorption of ligand molecules, and (3) passivation of vacant sites via photoadsorption of water molecules.

Using Carbon Nanotubes for Nanometer-Scale Energy Transfer Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnston, Jessica; Shafran, Eyal; Mangum, Ben; Mu, Chun; Gerton, Jordan

2009-10-01

We investigate optical energy transfer between fluorophores and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). CNTs are grown on Si-oxide wafers by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), lifted off substrates by atomic force microscope (AFM) tips via Van der Waals forces, then shortened by electrical pulses. The tip-attached CNTs are scanned over fluorescent CdSe-ZnS quantum dots (QDs) with sub-nm precision while recording the fluorescence rate. A novel photon counting technique enables us to produce 3D maps of the QD-CNT coupling, revealing nanoscale lateral and vertical features. All CNTs tested (>50) strongly quenched the QD fluorescence, apparently independent of chirality. In some data, a delay in the recovery of QD fluorescence following CNT-QD contact was observed, suggesting possible charge transfer in this system. In the future, we will perform time-resolved studies to quantify the rate of energy and charge transfer processes and study the possible differences in fluorescence quenching and nanotube-QD energy transfer when comparing single-walled (SW) versus multi-walled (MW) CNTs, attempting to grow substrates consisting primarily of SW or MWCNTs and characterizing the structure of tip-attached CNTs using optical spectroscopy.

Doxorubicin-conjugated D-glucosamine- and folate- bi-functionalised InP/ZnS quantum dots for cancer cells imaging and therapy.

PubMed

Ranjbar-Navazi, Zahra; Eskandani, Morteza; Johari-Ahar, Mohammad; Nemati, Ali; Akbari, Hamid; Davaran, Soudabeh; Omidi, Yadollah

2018-03-01

Nanoscaled quantum dots (QDs), with unique optical properties have been used for the development of theranostics. Here, InP/ZnS QDs were synthesised and functionalised with folate (QD-FA), D-glucosamine (QD-GA) or both (QD-FA-GA). The bi-functionalised QDs were further conjugated with doxorubicin (QD-FA-GA-DOX). Optimum Indium to fatty acid (In:MA) ratio was 1:3.5. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs revealed spherical morphology for the QDs (11 nm). Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) spectrum confirmed the chemical composition of the QDs. MTT analysis in the OVCAR-3 cells treated with bare QDs, QD-FA, QD-GA, QD-FA-GA and QD-FA-GA-DOX (0.2 mg/mL of QDs) after 24 h indicated low toxicity for the bare QDs and functionalised QDs (about 80-90% cell viability). QD-FA-GA-DOX nanoparticles elicited toxicity in the cells. Cellular uptake of the engineered QDs were investigated in both folate receptor (FR)-positive OVCAR-3 cells and FR-negative A549 cells using fluorescence microscopy and FACS flow cytometry. The FA-functionalised QDs showed significantly higher uptake in the FR-positive OVCAR-3 cells, nonetheless the GA-functionalised QDs resulted in an indiscriminate uptake in both cell lines. In conclusion, our findings indicated that DOX-conjugated FA-armed QDs can be used as theranostics for simultaneous imaging and therapy of cancer.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Orfield, Noah J.; McBride, James R.; Wang, Feng

Physical variations in colloidal nanostructures give rise to heterogeneity in expressed optical behavior. This correlation between nanoscale structure and function demands interrogation of both atomic structure and photophysics at the level of single nanostructures to be fully understood. In this paper, by conducting detailed analyses of fine atomic structure, chemical composition, and time-resolved single-photon photoluminescence data for the same individual nanocrystals, we reveal inhomogeneity in the quantum yields of single nonblinking “giant” CdSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots (g-QDs). We find that each g-QD possesses distinctive single exciton and biexciton quantum yields that result mainly from variations in the degree of charging,more » rather than from volume or structure inhomogeneity. We further establish that there is a very limited nonemissive “dark” fraction (<2%) among the studied g-QDs and present direct evidence that the g-QD core must lack inorganic passivation for the g-QD to be “dark”. Finally and therefore, in contrast to conventional QDs, ensemble photoluminescence quantum yield is principally defined by charging processes rather than the existence of dark g-QDs.« less

Resonance fluorescence spectrum of a p-doped quantum dot coupled to a metallic nanoparticle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carreño, F.; Antón, M. A.; Arrieta-Yáñez, Francisco

2013-11-01

The resonance fluorescence spectrum (RFS) of a hybrid system consisting of a p-doped semiconductor quantum dot (QD) coupled to a metallic nanoparticle (MNP) is analyzed. The quantum dot is described as a four-level atomlike system using the density matrix formalism. The lower levels are Zeeman-split hole spin states and the upper levels correspond to positively charged excitons containing a spin-up, spin-down hole pair and a spin electron. A linearly polarized laser field drives two of the optical transitions of the QD and produces localized surface plasmons in the nanoparticle, which act back upon the QD. The frequencies of these localized plasmons are very different along the two principal axes of the nanoparticle, thus producing an anisotropic modification of the spontaneous emission rates of the allowed optical transitions, which is accompanied by very minor local field corrections. This manifests into dramatic modifications in the RFS of the hybrid system in contrast to the one obtained for the isolated QD. The RFS is analyzed as a function of the nanoparticle's aspect ratio, the external magnetic field applied in the Voigt geometry, and the Rabi frequency of the driving field. It is shown that the spin of the QD is imprinted onto certain sidebands of the RFS, and that the signal at these sidebands can be optimized by engineering the shape of the MNP.

Quantum dots for GaAs-based surface emitting lasers at 1300 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grundmann, M.; Ledentsov, N. N.; Hopfer, F.; Heinrichsdorff, F.; Guffarth, F.; Bimberg, D.; Ustinov, V. M.; Zhukov, A. E.; Kovsh, A. R.; Maximov, M. V.; Musikhin, Yu. G.; Alferov, Zh. I.; Lott, J. A.; Zhakharov, N. D.; Werner, P.

InGaAs quantum dots (QD's) on GaAs substrate have been fabricated using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) for the use in vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes. Similar recombination spectra are obtained by employing the two different approaches of seeding and overgrowth with a quantum well. Despite the shift to larger wavelengths a large separation (=80 meV) between excited states is maintained. The introduction of such QD's into a vertical cavity leads to strong narrowing of the emission spectrum. Lasing from a 1300 nm InGaAs quantum dot VCSEL is reported.

Tunable light emission by exciplex state formation between hybrid halide perovskite and core/shell quantum dots: Implications in advanced LEDs and photovoltaics.

PubMed

Sanchez, Rafael S; de la Fuente, Mauricio Solis; Suarez, Isaac; Muñoz-Matutano, Guillermo; Martinez-Pastor, Juan P; Mora-Sero, Ivan

2016-01-01

We report the first observation of exciplex state electroluminescence due to carrier injection between the hybrid lead halide perovskite (MAPbI3-xClx) and quantum dots (core/shell PbS/CdS). Single layers of perovskite (PS) and quantum dots (QDs) have been produced by solution processing methods, and their photoluminescent properties are compared to those of bilayer samples in both PS/QD and QD/PS configurations. Exciplex emission at lower energies than the band gap of both PS and QD has been detected. The exciplex emission wavelength of this mixed system can be simply tuned by controlling the QD size. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been fabricated using those configurations, which provide light emission with considerably low turn-on potential. The "color" of the LED can also be tuned by controlling the applied bias. The presence of the exciplex state PS and QDs opens up a broad range of possibilities with important implications not only in tunable LEDs but also in the preparation of intermediate band gap photovoltaic devices with the potentiality of surpassing the Shockley-Queisser limit.

Tunable light emission by exciplex state formation between hybrid halide perovskite and core/shell quantum dots: Implications in advanced LEDs and photovoltaics

PubMed Central

Sanchez, Rafael S.; de la Fuente, Mauricio Solis; Suarez, Isaac; Muñoz-Matutano, Guillermo; Martinez-Pastor, Juan P.; Mora-Sero, Ivan

2016-01-01

We report the first observation of exciplex state electroluminescence due to carrier injection between the hybrid lead halide perovskite (MAPbI3–xClx) and quantum dots (core/shell PbS/CdS). Single layers of perovskite (PS) and quantum dots (QDs) have been produced by solution processing methods, and their photoluminescent properties are compared to those of bilayer samples in both PS/QD and QD/PS configurations. Exciplex emission at lower energies than the band gap of both PS and QD has been detected. The exciplex emission wavelength of this mixed system can be simply tuned by controlling the QD size. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been fabricated using those configurations, which provide light emission with considerably low turn-on potential. The “color” of the LED can also be tuned by controlling the applied bias. The presence of the exciplex state PS and QDs opens up a broad range of possibilities with important implications not only in tunable LEDs but also in the preparation of intermediate band gap photovoltaic devices with the potentiality of surpassing the Shockley-Queisser limit. PMID:26844299

Spectroscopic investigation of alloyed quantum dot-based FRET to cresyl violet dye.

PubMed

Kotresh, M G; Adarsh, K S; Shivkumar, M A; Mulimani, B G; Savadatti, M I; Inamdar, S R

2016-05-01

Quantum dots (QDs), bright luminescent semiconductor nanoparticles, have found numerous applications ranging from optoelectronics to bioimaging. Here, we present a systematic investigation of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from hydrophilic ternary alloyed quantum dots (CdSeS/ZnS) to cresyl violet dye with a view to explore the effect of composition of QD donors on FRET efficiency. Fluorescence emission of QD is controlled by varying the composition of QD without altering the particle size. The results show that quantum yield of the QDs increases with increase in the emission wavelength. The FRET parameters such as spectral overlap J(λ), Förster distance R0, intermolecular distance (r), rate of energy transfer k(T)(r), and transfer efficiency (E) are determined by employing both steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Additionally, dynamic quenching is noticed to occur in the present FRET system. Stern-Volmer (K(D)) and bimolecular quenching constants (k(q)) are determined from the Stern-Volmer plot. It is observed that the transfer efficiency follows a linear dependence on the spectral overlap and the quantum yield of the donor as predicted by the Förster theory upon changing the composition of the QD. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

All-solution-processed, multilayered CuInS₂/ZnS colloidal quantum-dot-based electroluminescent device.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Hoon; Yang, Heesun

2014-09-01

While significant progress of electroluminescent (EL) quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) that rely exclusively on Cd-containing II-VI quantum dots (QDs) has been reported over the past two decades with respect to device processing and performance, devices based on non-Cd QDs as an active emissive layer (EML) remain at the early stage of development. In this work, utilizing highly luminescent colloidal CuInS2 (CIS)/ZnS QDs, all-solution-processed multilayered QD-LEDs are fabricated by sequentially spin depositing a hole transport layer of poly(9-vinlycarbazole), an EML of CIS/ZnS QDs, and an electron transport layer of ZnO nanoparticles. Our focus in device fabrication is to vary the thickness of the QD EML, which is one of the primary determinants in EL performance but has not been addressed in earlier reports. The device with an optimal EML thickness exhibits a peak luminance of 1564  cd/m2 and current efficiency of 2.52  cd/A. This record value in efficiency is higher by 3-4 times that of CIS QD-LEDs reported previously.

Controlling the gain contribution of background emitters in few-quantum-dot microlasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gericke, F.; Segnon, M.; von Helversen, M.; Hopfmann, C.; Heindel, T.; Schneider, C.; Höfling, S.; Kamp, M.; Musiał, A.; Porte, X.; Gies, C.; Reitzenstein, S.

2018-02-01

We provide experimental and theoretical insight into single-emitter lasing effects in a quantum dot (QD)-microlaser under controlled variation of background gain provided by off-resonant discrete gain centers. For that purpose, we apply an advanced two-color excitation concept where the background gain contribution of off-resonant QDs can be continuously tuned by precisely balancing the relative excitation power of two lasers emitting at different wavelengths. In this way, by selectively exciting a single resonant QD and off-resonant QDs, we identify distinct single-QD signatures in the lasing characteristics and distinguish between gain contributions of a single resonant emitter and a countable number of off-resonant background emitters to the optical output of the microlaser. Our work addresses the important question whether single-QD lasing is feasible in experimentally accessible systems and shows that, for the investigated microlaser, the single-QD gain needs to be supported by the background gain contribution of off-resonant QDs to reach the transition to lasing. Interestingly, while a single QD cannot drive the investigated micropillar into lasing, its relative contribution to the emission can be as high as 70% and it dominates the statistics of emitted photons in the intermediate excitation regime below threshold.

Azide–Alkyne Click Conjugation on Quantum Dots by Selective Copper Coordination

PubMed Central

Mann, Victor R.; Powers, Alexander S.; Tilley, Drew C.; Sack, Jon T.; Cohen, Bruce E.

2018-01-01

Functionalization of nanocrystals is essential for their practical application, but synthesis on nanocrystal surfaces is limited by incompatibilities with certain key reagents. The copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) is among the most useful methods for ligating molecules to surfaces, but has been largely useless for semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) because Cu+ ions quickly and irreversibly quench QD fluorescence. To discover non-quenching synthetic conditions for Cu-catalyzed click reactions on QD surfaces, we developed a combinatorial fluorescence assay to screen >2000 reaction conditions to maximize cycloaddition efficiency while minimizing QD quenching. We identify conditions for complete coupling without significant quenching, which are compatible with common QD polymer surfaces and various azide/alkyne pairs. Based on insight from the combinatorial screen and mechanistic studies of Cu coordination and quenching, we find that superstoichiometric concentrations of Cu can promote full coupling if accompanied by ligands that selectively compete the Cu from the QD surface but allow it to remain catalytically active. Applied to the conjugation of a K+ channel-specific peptidyl toxin to CdSe/ZnS QDs, we synthesize unquenched QD conjugates and image their specific and voltage-dependent affinity for K+ channels in live cells. PMID:29608274

Green Synthesis of InP/ZnS Core/Shell Quantum Dots for Application in Heavy-Metal-Free Light-Emitting Diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Tsung-Rong; Hung, Shih-Ting; Lin, Yen-Ting; Chou, Tzu-Lin; Kuo, Ming-Cheng; Kuo, Ya-Pei; Chen, Chia-Chun

2017-09-01

Quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) have been considered as potential display technologies with the characterizations of high color purity, flexibility, transparency, and cost efficiency. For the practical applications, the development of heavy-metal-free QD-LEDs from environment-friendly materials is the most important issue to reduce the impacts on human health and environmental pollution. In this work, heavy-metal-free InP/ZnS core/shell QDs with different fluorescence were prepared by green synthesis method with low cost, safe, and environment-friendly precursors. The InP/ZnS core/shell QDs with maximum fluorescence peak at 530 nm, superior fluorescence quantum yield of 60.1%, and full width at half maximum of 55 nm were applied as an emission layer to fabricate multilayered QD-LEDs. The multilayered InP/ZnS core/shell QD-LEDs showed the turn-on voltage at 5 V, the highest luminance (160 cd/m2) at 12 V, and the external quantum efficiency of 0.223% at 6.7 V. Overall, the multilayered InP/ZnS core/shell QD-LEDs reveal potential to be the heavy-metal-free QD-LEDs for future display applications.

Improved QD-BRET conjugates for detection and imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xing Yun; So, Min-kyung; Koh, Ai Leen

2008-08-01

Self-illuminating quantum dots, also known as QD-BRET conjugates, are a new class of quantum dot bioconjugates which do not need external light for excitation. Instead, light emission relies on the bioluminescence resonance energy transfer from the attached Renilla luciferase enzyme, which emits light upon the oxidation of its substrate. QD-BRET combines the advantages of the QDs (such as superior brightness and photostability, tunable emission, multiplexing) as well as the high sensitivity of bioluminescence imaging, thus holding the promise for improved deep tissue in vivo imaging. Although studies have demonstrated the superior sensitivity and deep tissue imaging potential, the stability ofmore » the QD-BRET conjugates in biological environment needs to be improved for long-term imaging studies such as in vivo cell tracking. In this study, we seek to improve the stability of QD-BRET probes through polymeric encapsulation with a polyacrylamide gel. Results show that encapsulation caused some activity loss, but significantly improved both the in vitro serum stability and in vivo stability when subcutaneously injected into the animal. Stable QD-BRET probes should further facilitate their applications for both in vitro testing as well as in vivo cell tracking studies.« less

Probing different regimes of strong field light-matter interaction with semiconductor quantum dots and few cavity photons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hargart, F.; Roy-Choudhury, K.; John, T.; Portalupi, S. L.; Schneider, C.; Höfling, S.; Kamp, M.; Hughes, S.; Michler, P.

2016-12-01

In this work we present an extensive experimental and theoretical investigation of different regimes of strong field light-matter interaction for cavity-driven quantum dot (QD) cavity systems. The electric field enhancement inside a high-Q micropillar cavity facilitates exceptionally strong interaction with few cavity photons, enabling the simultaneous investigation for a wide range of QD-laser detuning. In case of a resonant drive, the formation of dressed states and a Mollow triplet sideband splitting of up to 45 μeV is measured for a mean cavity photon number < {n}c> ≤slant 1. In the asymptotic limit of the linear AC Stark effect we systematically investigate the power and detuning dependence of more than 400 QDs. Some QD-cavity systems exhibit an unexpected anomalous Stark shift, which can be explained by an extended dressed 4-level QD model. We provide a detailed analysis of the QD-cavity systems properties enabling this novel effect. The experimental results are successfully reproduced using a polaron master equation approach for the QD-cavity system, which includes the driving laser field, exciton-cavity and exciton-phonon interactions.

A fluorescence resonance energy transfer quantum dot explosive nanosensor (Invited Paper)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medintz, Igor L.; Goldman, Ellen R.; Clapp, Aaron R.; Uyeda, H. T.; Lassman, Michael E.; Hayhurst, Andrew; Mattoussi, Hedi

2005-04-01

Quantum dots (QDs) are a versatile synthetic photoluminescent nanomaterial whose chemical and photo-physical properties suggest that they may be superior to conventional organic fluorophores for a variety of biosensing applications. We have previously investigated QD-fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) interactions by using the E. coli bacterial periplasmic binding protein - maltose binding protein (MBP) which was site-specifically dye-labeled and self assembled onto the QD surface and allowed us to monitor FRET between the QD donor and the acceptor dye. FRET efficiency increased as a function of the number of dye-acceptor moieties arrayed around the QD donor. We used this system to further demonstrate a prototype FRET based biosensor that functioned in the chemical/nutrient sensing of maltose. There are a number of potential benefits to using this type of QD-FRET based biosensing strategy. The protein attached to the QDs surface functions as a biosensing and biorecognition element in this configuration while the QD acts as both nanoscaffold and FRET energy donor. In this report, we show that the sensor design can be extended to target a completely unrelated analyte, namely the explosive TNT. The sensor consists of anti-TNT antibody fragments self-assembled onto the QD surface with a dye-labeled analog of TNT (TNB coupled to AlexaFluor 555 dye) prebound in the fragment binding site. The close proximity of dye to QD establishes a baseline level of FRET and addition of TNT displaces the TNB-dye analog, recovering QD photoluminescence in a concentration dependent manner. Potential benefits of this QD sensing strategy are discussed.

Direct fluorescence in situ hybridization on human metaphase chromosomes using quantum dot-platinum labeled DNA probes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hwang, Gyoyeon; Biological Chemistry, Korea University of Science and Technology, 217, Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Deajeon; Lee, Hansol

The telomere shortening in chromosomes implies the senescence, apoptosis, or oncogenic transformation of cells. Since detecting telomeres in aging and diseases like cancer, is important, the direct detection of telomeres has been a very useful biomarker. We propose a telomere detection method using a newly synthesized quantum dot (QD) based probe with oligonucleotide conjugation and direct fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). QD-oligonucleotides were prepared with metal coordination bonding based on platinum-guanine binding reported in our previous work. The QD-oligonucleotide conjugation method has an advantage where any sequence containing guanine at the end can be easily bound to the starting QD-Ptmore » conjugate. A synthesized telomeric oligonucleotide was bound to the QD-Pt conjugate successfully and this probe hybridized specifically on the telomere of fabricated MV-4-11 and MOLT-4 chromosomes. Additionally, the QD-telomeric oligonucleotide probe successfully detected the telomeres on the CGH metaphase slide. Due to the excellent photostability and high quantum yield of QDs, the QD-oligonucleotide probe has high fluorescence intensity when compared to the organic dye-oligonucleotide probe. Our QD-oligonucleotide probe, conjugation method of this QD probe, and hybridization protocol with the chromosomes can be a useful tool for chromosome painting and FISH. - Highlights: • We prepared a probe linked between QD and telomeric oligonucleotide with platinum-guanine bonding. • Telomeres were detected by our new telomere probes successfully in three different human metaphase chromosomes. • QDPt-DNA probe has high fluorescence intensity in comparison with organic dye-DNA probe.« less

CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots trigger DNA repair and antioxidant enzyme systems in Medicago sativa cells in suspension culture

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Nanoparticles appear to be promising devices for application in the agriculture and food industries, but information regarding the response of plants to contact with nano-devices is scarce. Toxic effects may be imposed depending on the type and concentration of nanoparticle as well as time of exposure. A number of mechanisms may underlie the ability of nanoparticles to cause genotoxicity, besides the activation of ROS scavenging mechanisms. In a previous study, we showed that plant cells accumulate 3-Mercaptopropanoic acid-CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (MPA-CdSe/ZnS QD) in their cytosol and nucleus and increased production of ROS in a dose dependent manner when exposed to QD and that a concentration of 10 nM should be cyto-compatible. Results When Medicago sativa cells were exposed to 10, 50 and 100 nM MPA-CdSe/ZnS QD a correspondent increase in the activity of Superoxide dismutase, Catalase and Glutathione reductase was registered. Different versions of the COMET assay were used to assess the genotoxicity of MPA-CdSe/ZnS QD. The number of DNA single and double strand breaks increased with increasing concentrations of MPA-CdSe/ZnS QD. At the highest concentrations, tested purine bases were more oxidized than the pyrimidine ones. The transcription of the DNA repair enzymes Formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase, Tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase I and DNA Topoisomerase I was up-regulated in the presence of increasing concentrations of MPA-CdSe/ZnS QD. Conclusions Concentrations as low as 10 nM MPA-CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots are cytotoxic and genotoxic to plant cells, although not lethal. This sets a limit for the concentrations to be used when practical applications using nanodevices of this type on plants are being considered. This work describes for the first time the genotoxic effect of Quantum Dots in plant cells and demonstrates that both the DNA repair genes (Tdp1β, Top1β and Fpg) and the ROS scavenging mechanisms are activated when MPA-CdSe/ZnS QD contact M. sativa cells. PMID:24359290

Tuning Optoelectronic Properties of the Graphene-Based Quantum Dots C16- xSi xH10 Family.

PubMed

Ramadan, F-Z; Ouarrad, H; Drissi, L B

2018-06-07

The electronic and optical properties of graphene-based quantum dots (QDs) are investigated using DFT and many-body perturbation theory. Formation energy, hardeness and electrophilicity show that all structures, from pyrene to silicene QD passing through 15 CSi QD configurations, are energetically and chemically stable. It is also found that they are reactive which implies their favorable character for the possible electronic transport and conductivity. The electronic and optical properties are very sensitive to the number and position of the substituted silicon atoms as well as the directions of the light polarization. Moreover, quantum confinement effects make the exciton binding energy of CSi quantum dots larger than those of their higher dimensional allotropes such as silicene, graphene, and SiC sheet and nanotube. It is also higher those of other shapes of quantum dots like hexagonal graphene QDs and can be tailored from the ultraviolet region to the visible one. The values of the singlet-triplet splitting determined for the X- and Y-light polarized indicate that all configurations have a high fluorescence quantum yield compared to the yield of typical semiconductors, which makes them very promising for various applications such as the light-emitting diode material and nanomedicine.

Quantitative analysis of the interplay between InAs quantum dots and wetting layer during the GaAs capping process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, D.; Braza, V.; Utrilla, A. D.; Gonzalo, A.; Reyes, D. F.; Ben, T.; Guzman, A.; Hierro, A.; Ulloa, J. M.

2017-10-01

A procedure to quantitatively analyse the relationship between the wetting layer (WL) and the quantum dots (QDs) as a whole in a statistical way is proposed. As we will show in the manuscript, it allows determining, not only the proportion of deposited InAs held in the WL, but also the average In content inside the QDs. First, the amount of InAs deposited is measured for calibration in three different WL structures without QDs by two methodologies: strain mappings in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images and compositional mappings with ChemiSTEM x-ray energy spectrometry. The area under the average profiles obtained by both methodologies emerges as the best parameter to quantify the amount of InAs in the WL, in agreement with high-resolution x-ray diffraction results. Second, the effect of three different GaAs capping layer (CL) growth rates on the decomposition of the QDs is evaluated. The CL growth rate has a strong influence on the QD volume as well as the WL characteristics. Slower CL growth rates produce an In enrichment of the WL if compared to faster ones, together with a diminution of the QD height. In addition, assuming that the QD density does not change with the different CL growth rates, an estimation of the average In content inside the QDs is given. The high Ga/In intermixing during the decomposition of buried QDs does not only trigger a reduction of the QD height, but above all, a higher impoverishment of the In content inside the QDs, therefore modifying the two most important parameters that determine the optical properties of these structures.

PREFACE: Quantum Dot 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Robert A.

2010-09-01

These conference proceedings contain the written papers of the contributions presented at Quantum Dot 2010 (QD2010). The conference was held in Nottingham, UK, on 26-30 April 2010. The conference addressed topics in research on: 1. Epitaxial quantum dots (including self-assembled and interface structures, dots defined by electrostatic gates etc): optical properties and electron transport quantum coherence effects spin phenomena optics of dots in cavities interaction with surface plasmons in metal/semiconductor structures opto-electronics applications 2. Novel QD structures: fabrication and physics of graphene dots, dots in nano-wires etc 3. Colloidal quantum dots: growth (shape control and hybrid nanocrystals such as metal/semiconductor, magnetic/semiconductor) assembly and surface functionalisation optical properties and spin dynamics electrical and magnetic properties applications (light emitting devices and solar cells, biological and medical applications, data storage, assemblers) The Editors Acknowledgements Conference Organising Committee: Maurice Skolnick (Chair) Alexander Tartakovskii (Programme Chair) Pavlos Lagoudakis (Programme Chair) Max Migliorato (Conference Secretary) Paola Borri (Publicity) Robert Taylor (Proceedings) Manus Hayne (Treasurer) Ray Murray (Sponsorship) Mohamed Henini (Local Organiser) International Advisory Committee: Yasuhiko Arakawa (Tokyo University, Japan) Manfred Bayer (Dortmund University, Germany) Sergey Gaponenko (Stepanov Institute of Physics, Minsk, Belarus) Pawel Hawrylak (NRC, Ottawa, Canada) Fritz Henneberger (Institute for Physics, Berlin, Germany) Atac Imamoglu (ETH, Zurich, Switzerland) Paul Koenraad (TU Eindhoven, Nethehrlands) Guglielmo Lanzani (Politecnico di Milano, Italy) Jungil Lee (Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Korea) Henri Mariette (CNRS-CEA, Grenoble, France) Lu Jeu Sham (San Diego, USA) Andrew Shields (Toshiba Research Europe, Cambridge, UK) Yoshihisa Yamamoto (Stanford University, USA) Artur Zrenner (Paderborn University, Germany) International Programme Committee: Alexander Eychmüller (TU Dresden, Germany) Jonathan Finley (TU Munich, Germany) Dan Gammon (NRL, Washington, USA) Alexander Govorov (Ohio University, USA) Neil Greenham (Cavendish Laboratory, UK) Vladimir Korenev (Ioffe Institute, Russia) Leo Kouwenhoven (TU Delft, Netherlands) Wolfgang Langbein (Cardiff University, UK) Xavier Marie (CNRS Toulouse, France) David Ritchie (Cambridge, UK) Andrew Sachrajda (IMS, Ottawa, Canada) Katerina Soulantica (University of Toulouse, France) Seigo Tarucha (University of Tokyo, Japan) Carlos Tejedor (UAM, Madrid, Spain) Euijoon Yoon (Seoul National University, Korea) Ulrike Woggon (Tu Berlin, Germany) Proceedings edited and compiled by Profesor Robert A Taylor, University of Oxford

Optical pumping of a single hole spin in a p-doped quantum dot coupled to a metallic nanoparticle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antón, M. A.; Carreño, F.; Melle, Sonia; Calderón, Oscar G.; Cabrera-Granado, E.; Singh, Mahi R.

2013-05-01

The preparation of quantum states with a defined spin is analyzed in a hybrid system consisting of a p-doped semiconductor quantum dot (QD) coupled to a metallic nanoparticle. The quantum dot is described as a four-level atom-like system using the density matrix formalism. The lower levels are Zeeman-split hole spin states and the upper levels correspond to positively charged excitons containing a spin-up, spin-down hole pair and a spin electron. A metallic nanoparticle with spheroidal geometry is placed in close proximity to the quantum dot, and its effects are considered in the quasistatic approximation. A linearly polarized laser field drives two of the optical transitions of the QD and produces localized surface plasmons in the nanoparticle which act back upon the QD. The frequencies of these localized plasmons are very different along the two principal axes of the nanoparticle, thus producing an anisotropic modification of the spontaneous emission rates of the allowed optical transitions which is accompanied by local-field corrections. This effect translates into a preferential acceleration of some of the optical pathways and therefore into a fast initialization of the QD by excitation with a short optical pulse. The population transfer between the lower levels of the QD and the fidelity is analyzed as a function of the nanoparticle's aspect ratio, the external magnetic field, and the Rabi frequency of the driving field. It is also shown that the main effect of the local-field corrections is a lengthening of the time elapsed to reach the steady-state. The hole spin is predicted to be successfully cooled from 5 to 0.04 K at a magnetic field of 4.6 T applied in the Voigt geometry.

Facile preparation of a TiO2 quantum dot/graphitic carbon nitride heterojunction with highly efficient photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xing; Jiang, Subin; Huo, Xuejian; Xia, Rui; Muhire, Elisée; Gao, Meizhen

2018-05-01

In this article, mechanical grinding, an effortless and super-effective synthetic strategy, is used to successfully synthesize a TiO2 quantum dot (TiO2QD)/graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) heterostructure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results together with transmission electron microscopy reveal the formation of the TiO2QD/g-C3N4 heterostructure with strong interfacial interaction. Because of the advantages of this characteristic, the prepared heterostructure exhibits excellent properties for photocatalytic wastewater treatment. Notably, the optimum photocatalytic activity of the TiO2QD/g-C3N4 heterostructure is nearly 3.4 times higher than that of the g-C3N4 nanosheets used for the photodegradation of rhodamine B pollutant. In addition, the stability and possible degradation mechanism of the TiO2QD/g-C3N4 heterojunction are studied in detail. This method may stimulate an effective approach to synthesizing QD-sensitized semiconductor materials and facilitate their application in environmental protection.

Lateral carrier diffusion in InGaAs/GaAs coupled quantum dot-quantum well system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pieczarka, M.; Syperek, M.; Biegańska, D.; Gilfert, C.; Pavelescu, E. M.; Reithmaier, J. P.; Misiewicz, J.; Sek, G.

2017-05-01

The lateral carrier diffusion process is investigated in coupled InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot-quantum well (QD-QW) structures by means of spatially resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy at low temperature. Under non-resonant photo-excitation above the GaAs bandgap, the lateral carrier transport reflected in the distorted electron-hole pair emission profiles is found to be mainly governed by high energy carriers created within the 3D density of states of GaAs. In contrast, for the case of resonant excitation tuned to the QW-like ground state of the QD-QW system, the emission profiles remain unaffected by the excess kinetic energy of carriers and local phonon heating within the pump spot. The lateral diffusion lengths are determined and present certain dependency on the coupling strength between QW and QDs. While for a strongly coupled structure the diffusion length is found to be around 0.8 μm and monotonically increases up to 1.4 μm with the excitation power density, in weakly coupled structures, it is determined to ca. 1.6 μm and remained virtually independent of the pumping power density.

Increasing the quantum efficiency of GaAs solar cells by embedding InAs quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salii, R. A.; Mintairov, S. A.; Nadtochiy, A. M.; Payusov, A. S.; Brunkov, P. N.; Shvarts, M. Z.; Kalyuzhnyy, N. A.

2016-11-01

Development of Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) technology of InAs quantum dots (QDs) in GaAs for photovoltaic applications is presented. The growth peculiarities in InAs-GaAs lattice-mismatched system were considered. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity dependences on different growth parameters were obtained. The multimodal distribution of QDs by sizes was found using AFM and PL methods. GaAs solar cell nanoheterostructures with imbedded QD arrays were designed and obtained. Ones have been demonstrated a significant increase of quantum efficiency and photogenerated current of QD solar cells due to photo effect in InAs QD array (0.59 mA/cm2 for AM1.5D and 82 mA/cm2 for AM0).

Study on the Fabrication of Paint-Type Si Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Hyunwoong; Son, Min-Kyu; Kim, Hee-Je; Wang, Yuting; Uchida, Giichiro; Kamataki, Kunihiro; Itagaki, Naho; Koga, Kazunori; Shiratani, Masaharu

2013-10-01

Quantum dots (QDs) have attracted much attention with their quantum characteristics in the research field of photochemical solar cells. Si QD was introduced as one of alternatives to conventional QD materials. However, their large particles could not penetrate inside TiO2 layer. Therefore, this work proposed the paint-type Si QD-sensitized solar cell. Its heat durability was suitable for the fabrication of paint-type solar cell. Si QDs were fabricated by multihollow discharge plasma chemical vapor deposition and characterized. The paste type, sintering temperature, and Si ratio were controlled and analyzed for better performance. Finally, its performance was enhanced by ZnS surface modification and the whole process was much simplified without sensitizing process.

On the response of alloyed ZnCdSeS quantum dot films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valais, I.; Michail, C.; Fountzoula, C.; Tseles, D.; Yannakopoulos, P.; Nikolopoulos, D.; Bakas, A.; Fountos, G.; Saatsakis, G.; Sianoudis, I.; Kandarakis, I.; Panayiotakis, G.

The aim of this work was to prepare composite ZnCdSeS quantum dot (QD) flexible films and to examine their optical properties under ultraviolet excitation. PMMA/QD ZnCdSeS composite films, with emission covering the visual spectrum (480-630 nm) were prepared with concentrations 10 mg/mL and 20 mg/mL by homogenously diluting dry powder QD samples in toluene and subsequently mixing with a PMMA/MMA polymer solution to the final ZnCdSeS/Toluene mixture. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the produced films were obtained. The ZnCdSeS films were excited by ultraviolet light of varying intensities and the spectral matching with various optical detectors was estimated.

Mitochondrial Toxicity of Cadmium Telluride Quantum Dot Nanoparticles in Mammalian Hepatocytes

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Kathy C.; Rippstein, Peter; Tayabali, Azam F.; Willmore, William G.

2015-01-01

There are an increasing number of studies indicating that mitochondria are relevant targets in nanomaterial-induced toxicity. However, the underlying mechanisms by which nanoparticles (NPs) interact with these organelles and affect their functions are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cadmium telluride quantum dot (CdTe-QD) NPs on mitochondria in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. CdTe-QD treatment resulted in the enlargement of mitochondria as examined with transmission electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. CdTe-QDs appeared to associate with the isolated mitochondria as detected by their inherent fluorescence. Further analyses revealed that CdTe-QD caused disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, increased intracellular calcium levels, impaired cellular respiration, and decreased adenosine triphosphate synthesis. The effects of CdTe-QDs on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation were evidenced by changes in levels and activities of the enzymes of the electron transport chain. Elevation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator levels after CdTe-QD treatment suggested the effects of CdTe-QDs on mitochondrial biogenesis. Our results also showed that the effects of CdTe-QDs were similar or greater to those of cadmium chloride at equivalent concentrations of cadmium, suggesting that the toxic effects of CdTe-QDs were not solely due to cadmium released from the NPs. Overall, the study demonstrated that CdTe-QDs induced multifarious toxicity by causing changes in mitochondrial morphology and structure, as well as impairing their function and stimulating their biogenesis. PMID:25809595

Recent developments in Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) diagnostics using quantum dots.

PubMed

Geißler, Daniel; Hildebrandt, Niko

2016-07-01

The exceptional photophysical properties and the nanometric dimensions of colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QD) have strongly attracted the bioanalytical community over the last approximately 20 y. In particular, the integration of QDs in the analysis of biological components and interactions, and the related diagnostics using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), have allowed researchers to significantly improve and diversify fluorescence-based biosensing. In this TRENDS article, we review some recent developments in QD-FRET biosensing that have implemented this technology in electronic consumer products, multiplexed analysis, and detection without light excitation for diagnostic applications. In selected examples of smartphone-based imaging, single- and multistep FRET, steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy, and bio/chemiluminescence detection of QDs used as both FRET donors and acceptors, we highlight the advantages of QD-based FRET biosensing for multiplexed and sensitive diagnostics. Graphical Abstract Quantum dots (QDs) can be applied as donors and/or acceptors for Förster resonance energy transfer- (FRET-) based biosensing for multiplexed and sensitive diagnostics in various assay formats.

640 x 512 Pixels Long-Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) Quantum-Dot Infrared Photodetector (QDIP) Imaging Focal Plane Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gunapala, Sarath D.; Bandara, Sumith V.; Hill, Cory J.; Ting, David Z.; Liu, John K.; Rafol, Sir B.; Blazejewski, Edward R.; Mumolo, Jason M.; Keo, Sam A.; Krishna, Sanjay;

Robust and specific ratiometric biosensing using a copper-free clicked quantum dot-DNA aptamer sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Haiyan; Feng, Guoqiang; Guo, Yuan; Zhou, Dejian

2013-10-01

We report herein the successful preparation of a compact and functional CdSe-ZnS core-shell quantum dot (QD)-DNA conjugate via highly efficient copper-free ``click chemistry'' (CFCC) between a dihydro-lipoic acid-polyethylene glycol-azide (DHLA-PEG-N3) capped QD and a cyclooctyne modified DNA. This represents an excellent balance between the requirements of high sensitivity, robustness and specificity for the QD-FRET (Förster resonance energy transfer) based sensor as confirmed by a detailed FRET analysis on the QD-DNA conjugate, yielding a relatively short donor-acceptor distance of ~5.8 nm. We show that this CFCC clicked QD-DNA conjugate is not only able to retain the native fluorescence quantum yield (QY) of the parent DHLA-PEG-N3 capped QD, but also well-suited for robust and specific biosensing; it can directly quantitate, at the pM level, both labelled and unlabelled complementary DNA probes with a good SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) discrimination ability in complex media, e.g. 10% human serum via target-binding induced FRET changes between the QD donor and the dye acceptor. Furthermore, this sensor has also been successfully exploited for the detection, at the pM level, of a specific protein target (thrombin) via the encoded anti-thrombin aptamer sequence in the QD-DNA conjugate.We report herein the successful preparation of a compact and functional CdSe-ZnS core-shell quantum dot (QD)-DNA conjugate via highly efficient copper-free ``click chemistry'' (CFCC) between a dihydro-lipoic acid-polyethylene glycol-azide (DHLA-PEG-N3) capped QD and a cyclooctyne modified DNA. This represents an excellent balance between the requirements of high sensitivity, robustness and specificity for the QD-FRET (Förster resonance energy transfer) based sensor as confirmed by a detailed FRET analysis on the QD-DNA conjugate, yielding a relatively short donor-acceptor distance of ~5.8 nm. We show that this CFCC clicked QD-DNA conjugate is not only able to retain the native fluorescence quantum yield (QY) of the parent DHLA-PEG-N3 capped QD, but also well-suited for robust and specific biosensing; it can directly quantitate, at the pM level, both labelled and unlabelled complementary DNA probes with a good SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) discrimination ability in complex media, e.g. 10% human serum via target-binding induced FRET changes between the QD donor and the dye acceptor. Furthermore, this sensor has also been successfully exploited for the detection, at the pM level, of a specific protein target (thrombin) via the encoded anti-thrombin aptamer sequence in the QD-DNA conjugate. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Details on the synthesis, purification and characterisation of the DHLA-PEG600-N3, cyclooctyne-DNA, and QD-TBA20 conjugates as well as all supporting figures and tables. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr02897f

Time-Domain Ab Initio Analysis of Excitation Dynamics in a Quantum Dot/Polymer Hybrid: Atomistic Description Rationalizes Experiment.

PubMed

Long, Run; Prezhdo, Oleg V

2015-07-08

Hybrid organic/inorganic polymer/quantum dot (QD) solar cells are an attractive alternative to the traditional cells. The original, simple models postulate that one-dimensional polymers have continuous energy levels, while zero-dimensional QDs exhibit atom-like electronic structure. A realistic, atomistic viewpoint provides an alternative description. Electronic states in polymers are molecule-like: finite in size and discrete in energy. QDs are composed of many atoms and have high, bulk-like densities of states. We employ ab initio time-domain simulation to model the experimentally observed ultrafast photoinduced dynamics in a QD/polymer hybrid and show that an atomistic description is essential for understanding the time-resolved experimental data. Both electron and hole transfers across the interface exhibit subpicosecond time scales. The interfacial processes are fast due to strong electronic donor-acceptor, as evidenced by the densities of the photoexcited states which are delocalized between the donor and the acceptor. The nonadiabatic charge-phonon coupling is also strong, especially in the polymer, resulting in rapid energy losses. The electron transfer from the polymer is notably faster than the hole transfer from the QD, due to a significantly higher density of acceptor states. The stronger molecule-like electronic and charge-phonon coupling in the polymer rationalizes why the electron-hole recombination inside the polymer is several orders of magnitude faster than in the QD. As a result, experiments exhibit multiple transfer times for the long-lived hole inside the QD, ranging from subpicoseconds to nanoseconds. In contrast, transfer of the short-lived electron inside the polymer does not occur beyond the first picosecond. The energy lost by the hole on its transit into the polymer is accommodated by polymer's high-frequency vibrations. The energy lost by the electron injected into the QD is accommodated primarily by much lower-frequency collective and QD modes. The electron dynamics is exponential, whereas evolution of the injected hole through the low density manifold of states of the polymer is highly nonexponential. The time scale of the electron-hole recombination at the interface is intermediate between those in pristine polymer and QD and is closer to that in the polymer. The detailed atomistic insights into the photoinduced charge and energy dynamics at the polymer/QD interface provide valuable guidelines for optimization of solar light harvesting and photovoltaic efficiency in modern nanoscale materials.

Luminescent Quantum Dot Bioconjugates in Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) Assays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clapp, Aaron; Medintz, Igor; Goldman, Ellen; Anderson, George; Mauro, J. Matthew; Mattoussi, Hedi

2003-03-01

Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) such as those made of CdSe-ZnS core-shell nanocrystals offer a promising alternative to organic dyes in a variety of biological tagging applications. They exhibit high resistance to chemical and photo-degradations, are highly luminescent, and show unique size-specific optical and spectroscopic properties. We have previously demonstrated a useful method for attaching proteins to CdSe-ZnS QDs using dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) surface capping groups and electrostatic self-assembly in aqueous environments. We have used this conjugation strategy to build solution-based QD-conjugate sensors based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between QD donors and dye-labeled protein acceptors. Specific binding between the QD-ligand donor and dye-labeled receptor was achieved. In another example, the dye receptor was grafted directly onto the protein, then immobilized onto the QD surface via an electrostatic self-assembly process. The QD-complexes were optically excited in a region where absorption of the dye is negligible compared to that of the nanocrystals. We observed a continuous decrease of the QD emission accompanied by a steady and pronounced increase of the acceptor emission as the ratio of dye to QD was increased. The results of these experiments suggest efficient resonance energy transfer between the QD donor and the dye acceptor upon ligand-receptor binding. We will present these data and discuss other aspects such as donor-acceptor separation distance, degree of overlap between absorption of the acceptor and emission of the QD, and reverse FRET (upon ligand-receptor release) in a reversible assay.

Analysis and Modeling of Fullerene Single Electron Transistor Based on Quantum Dot Arrays at Room Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khadem Hosseini, Vahideh; Ahmadi, Mohammad Taghi; Ismail, Razali

2018-05-01

The single electron transistor (SET) as a fast electronic device is a candidate for future nanoscale circuits because of its low energy consumption, small size and simplified circuit. It consists of source and drain electrodes with a quantum dot (QD) located between them. Moreover, it operates based on the Coulomb blockade (CB) effect. It occurs when the charging energy is greater than the thermal energy. Consequently, this condition limits SET operation at cryogenic temperatures. Hence, using QD arrays can overcome this temperature limitation in SET which can therefore work at room temperature but QD arrays increase the threshold voltage with is an undesirable effect. In this research, fullerene as a zero-dimensional material with unique properties such as quantum capacitance and high critical temperature has been selected for the material of the QDs. Moreover, the current of a fullerene QD array SET has been modeled and its threshold voltage is also compared with a silicon QD array SET. The results show that the threshold voltage of fullerene SET is lower than the silicon one. Furthermore, the comparison study shows that homogeneous linear QD arrays have a lower CB range and better operation than a ring QD array SET. Moreover, the effect of the number of QDs in a QD array SET is investigated. The result confirms that the number of QDs can directly affect the CB range. Moreover, the desired current can be achieved by controlling the applied gate voltage and island diameters in a QD array SET.

Characterization and modeling of 1.3 micron indium arsenide quantum dot lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dikshit, Amit A.

2006-12-01

Quantum-dot (QD) lasers have the potential to offer superior characteristics compared to currently used QW lasers in optical fiber communications. In this work we have performed modeling and characterization of QD lasers with an aim to understand the physics in order to design better lasers in the future. A comprehensive analytical model is built which explains the observed temperature sensitivity of threshold current in QD lasers. The model shows that the ratio of excitons and free carriers is important to accurately model the carrier distribution and hence temperature performance of QD lasers. To understand the recombination mechanisms in QD lasers, carrier lifetime measurements were performed along with advanced numerical rate equation modeling. The carrier lifetime measurements were performed using the small-signal optical response and impedance technique. The rate equation models were then used to extract the recombination coefficients in QD lasers which represent the strength of various recombination mechanisms. Using these measurements and the rate equation models it is shown that Auger recombination is the dominant contribution to current and comprises approximately 80% of current at threshold. Further, we investigated the origin of the low injection efficiencies observed in QD lasers using a rate equation model that included the effect of inhomogeneous broadening. It is shown that the observed low injection efficiencies are likely a consequence of the cavity length vs. slope efficiency measurement technique, and therefore do not represent the intrinsic or true injection efficiencies in QD lasers. The limitation of this commonly used technique arises from the carrier occupation of non-lasing states in the inhomogeneously broadened QD ensemble.

Ab Initio Simulation of Charge Transfer at the Semiconductor Quantum Dot/TiO 2 Interface in Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells

DOE PAGES

Xin, Xukai; Li, Bo; Jung, Jaehan; ...

2014-07-24

Quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) have emerged as a promising solar architecture for next-generation solar cells. The QDSSCs exhibit a remarkably fast electron transfer from the quantum dot (QD) donor to the TiO 2 acceptor with size quantization properties of QDs that allows for the modulation of band energies to control photoresponse and photoconversion efficiency of solar cells. In order to understand the mechanisms that underpin this rapid charge transfer, the electronic properties of CdSe and PbSe QDs with different sizes on the TiO 2 substrate are simulated using a rigorous ab initio density functional method. Our method capitalizes onmore » localized orbital basis set, which is computationally less intensive. Quite intriguingly, a remarkable set of electron bridging states between QDs and TiO 2 occurring via the strong bonding between the conduction bands of QDs and TiO 2 is revealed. Such bridging states account for the fast adiabatic charge transfer from the QD donor to the TiO 2 acceptor, and may be a general feature for strongly coupled donor/acceptor systems. All the QDs/TiO 2 systems exhibit type II band alignments, with conduction band offsets that increase with the decrease in QD size. This facilitates the charge transfer from QDs donors to TiO 2 acceptors and explains the dependence of the increased charge transfer rate with the decreased QD size.« less

Electroluminescence from ZnCuInS/ZnS quantum dots/poly(9-vinylcarbazole) multilayer films with different thicknesses of quantum dot layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Xiaofei; Xu, Jianping; Shi, Shaobo; Zhang, Xiaosong; Li, Lan; Yin, Shougen

2017-05-01

We report tunable electroluminescence (EL) from solution-processed ZnCuInS/ZnS (ZCIS/ZnS) quantum dots (QDs)/poly(9-vinlycarbazole) multilayer films. The EL spectra exhibit a red shift as the QD layer thickness increases. By analyzing the dependence of the applied voltage and the ZCIS/ZnS QD layer thickness on the EL spectra, the origin of the red shift is associated with the increased trap density of QDs that induces the injected electrons to be trapped in the deep donor level. The current conduction mechanism based on the current density-voltage curves at different voltage regions was discussed.

Thermoelectric effect in an Aharonov-Bohm ring with an embedded quantum dot.

PubMed

Zheng, Jun; Chi, Feng; Lu, Xiao-Dong; Zhang, Kai-Cheng

2012-02-28

Thermoelectric effect is studied in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer with an embedded quantum dot (QD) in the Coulomb blockade regime. The electrical conductance, electron thermal conductance, thermopower, and thermoelectric figure-of-merit are calculated by using the Keldysh Green's function method. It is found that the figure-of-merit ZT of the QD ring may be quite high due to the Fano effect originated from the quantum interference effect. Moreover, the thermoelectric efficiency is sensitive to the magnitude of the dot-lead and inter-lead coupling strengthes. The effect of intradot Coulomb repulsion on ZT is significant in the weak-coupling regime, and then large ZT values can be obtained at rather high temperature.

Thiolated graphene - a new platform for anchoring CdSe quantum dots for hybrid heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debgupta, Joyashish; Pillai, Vijayamohanan K.

2013-04-01

Effective organization of small CdSe quantum dots on graphene sheets has been achieved by a simple solution exchange with thiol terminated graphene prepared by diazonium salt chemistry. This generic methodology of CdSe QD attachment to any graphene surface has remarkable implications in designing hybrid heterostructures.Effective organization of small CdSe quantum dots on graphene sheets has been achieved by a simple solution exchange with thiol terminated graphene prepared by diazonium salt chemistry. This generic methodology of CdSe QD attachment to any graphene surface has remarkable implications in designing hybrid heterostructures. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr00363a

Blinking effect and the use of quantum dots in single molecule spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rombach-Riegraf, Verena; Oswald, Peter; Bienert, Roland

2013-01-04

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It is possible to eliminate the blinking effect of a water-soluble QD. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We provide a direct method to study protein function and dynamics at the single level. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer QD, potent tool for single molecule studies of biochemical and biological processes. -- Abstract: Luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots, QD) have unique photo-physical properties: high photostability, brightness and narrow size-tunable fluorescence spectra. Due to their unique properties, QD-based single molecule studies have become increasingly more popular during the last years. However QDs show a strong blinking effect (random and intermittent light emission), which may limit their use in singlemore » molecule fluorescence studies. QD blinking has been widely studied and some hypotheses have been done to explain this effect. Here we summarise what is known about the blinking effect in QDs, how this phenomenon may affect single molecule studies and, on the other hand, how the 'on'/'off' states can be exploited in diverse experimental settings. In addition, we present results showing that site-directed binding of QD to cysteine residues of proteins reduces the blinking effect. This option opens a new possibility of using QDs to study protein-protein interactions and dynamics by single molecule fluorescence without modifying the chemical composition of the solution or the QD surface.« less

Misfit-guided self-organization of anti-correlated Ge quantum dot arrays on Si nanowires

PubMed Central

Kwon, Soonshin; Chen, Zack C.Y.; Kim, Ji-Hun; Xiang, Jie

2012-01-01

Misfit-strain guided growth of periodic quantum dot (QD) arrays in planar thin film epitaxy has been a popular nanostructure fabrication method. Engineering misfit-guided QD growth on a nanoscale substrate such as the small curvature surface of a nanowire represents a new approach to self-organized nanostructure preparation. Perhaps more profoundly, the periodic stress underlying each QD and the resulting modulation of electro-optical properties inside the nanowire backbone promise to provide a new platform for novel mechano-electronic, thermoelectronic, and optoelectronic devices. Herein, we report a first experimental demonstration of self-organized and self-limited growth of coherent, periodic Ge QDs on a one dimensional Si nanowire substrate. Systematic characterizations reveal several distinctively different modes of Ge QD ordering on the Si nanowire substrate depending on the core diameter. In particular, Ge QD arrays on Si nanowires of around 20 nm diameter predominantly exhibit an anti-correlated pattern whose wavelength agrees with theoretical predictions. The correlated pattern can be attributed to propagation and correlation of misfit strain across the diameter of the thin nanowire substrate. The QD array growth is self-limited as the wavelength of the QDs remains unchanged even after prolonged Ge deposition. Furthermore, we demonstrate a direct kinetic transformation from a uniform Ge shell layer to discrete QD arrays by a post-growth annealing process. PMID:22889063

White lighting device from composite films embedded with hydrophilic Cu(In, Ga)S2/ZnS and hydrophobic InP/ZnS quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jong-Hoon; Yang, Heesun

2014-06-01

Two types of non-Cd quantum dots (QDs)—In/Ga ratio-varied, green-to-greenish-yellow fluorescence-tuned Cu-In-Ga-S (CIGS) alloy ones, and red-emitting InP ones—are synthesized for use as down-converters in conjunction with a blue light-emitting diode (LED). Among a series of Ga-rich CI1-xGxS/ZnS core/shell QDs (x = 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9), CI0.2G0.8S/ZnS QD is chosen for the hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic surface modification via an in-situ ligand exchange and then embedded in a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). This free-standing composite film is utilized as a down-converter for the fabrication of a remote-type white QD-LED, but the resulting bi-colored device exhibits a cool white light with a limited color rendering index property. To improve white light qualities, another QD-polymer film of hydrophobic red InP/ZnS QD-embedding polyvinylpyrrolidone is sequentially stacked onto the CI0.2G0.8S/ZnS QD-PVA film, producing a unique dual color-emitting, flexible and transparent bilayered composite film. Tri-colored white QD-LED integrated with the bilayered QD film possesses an exceptional color rendering property through reinforcing a red spectral component and balancing a white spectral distribution.

White lighting device from composite films embedded with hydrophilic Cu(In, Ga)S2/ZnS and hydrophobic InP/ZnS quantum dots.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Hoon; Yang, Heesun

2014-06-06

Two types of non-Cd quantum dots (QDs)-In/Ga ratio-varied, green-to-greenish-yellow fluorescence-tuned Cu-In-Ga-S (CIGS) alloy ones, and red-emitting InP ones-are synthesized for use as down-converters in conjunction with a blue light-emitting diode (LED). Among a series of Ga-rich CI1-xGxS/ZnS core/shell QDs (x = 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9), CI0.2G0.8S/ZnS QD is chosen for the hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic surface modification via an in-situ ligand exchange and then embedded in a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). This free-standing composite film is utilized as a down-converter for the fabrication of a remote-type white QD-LED, but the resulting bi-colored device exhibits a cool white light with a limited color rendering index property. To improve white light qualities, another QD-polymer film of hydrophobic red InP/ZnS QD-embedding polyvinylpyrrolidone is sequentially stacked onto the CI0.2G0.8S/ZnS QD-PVA film, producing a unique dual color-emitting, flexible and transparent bilayered composite film. Tri-colored white QD-LED integrated with the bilayered QD film possesses an exceptional color rendering property through reinforcing a red spectral component and balancing a white spectral distribution.

Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Colloidal Silicon Quantum Dots with Octyl and Phenylpropyl Ligands.

PubMed

Liu, Xiangkai; Zhao, Shuangyi; Gu, Wei; Zhang, Yuting; Qiao, Xvsheng; Ni, Zhenyi; Pi, Xiaodong; Yang, Deren

2018-02-14

Colloidal silicon quantum dots (Si QDs) hold ever-growing promise for the development of novel optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Although it has been proposed that ligands at the surface of colloidal Si QDs may significantly impact the performance of LEDs based on colloidal Si QDs, little systematic work has been carried out to compare the performance of LEDs that are fabricated using colloidal Si QDs with different ligands. Here, colloidal Si QDs with rather short octyl ligands (Octyl-Si QDs) and phenylpropyl ligands (PhPr-Si QDs) are employed for the fabrication of LEDs. It is found that the optical power density of PhPr-Si QD LEDs is larger than that of Octyl-Si QD LEDs. This is due to the fact that the surface of PhPr-Si QDs is more oxidized and less defective than that of Octyl-Si QDs. Moreover, the benzene rings of phenylpropyl ligands significantly enhance the electron transport of QD LEDs. It is interesting that the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of PhPr-Si QD LEDs is lower than that of Octyl-Si QD LEDs because the benzene rings of phenylpropyl ligands suppress the hole transport of QD LEDs. The unbalance between the electron and hole injection in PhPr-Si QD LEDs is more serious than that in Octyl-Si QD LEDs. The currently obtained highest optical power density of ∼0.64 mW/cm 2 from PhPr-Si QD LEDs and highest EQE of ∼6.2% from Octyl-Si QD LEDs should encourage efforts to further advance the development of high-performance optoelectronic devices based on colloidal Si QDs.

CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dot-Labeled Lateral Flow Strips for Rapid and Quantitative Detection of Gastric Cancer Carbohydrate Antigen 72-4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Xinyu; Wang, Kan; Lu, Wenting; Qin, Weijian; Cui, Daxiang; He, Jinghua

2016-03-01

Carbohydrate antigen 72-4 (CA72-4) is an important biomarker associated closely with diagnosis and prognosis of early gastric cancer. How to realize quick, sensitive, specific, and quantitative detection of CA72-4 in clinical specimens has become a great requirement. Herein, we reported a CdSe/ZnS quantum dot-labeled lateral flow test strip combined with a charge-coupled device (CCD)-based reader was developed for rapid, sensitive, and quantitative detection of CA72-4. Two mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against CA72-4 were employed. One of them was coated as a test line, while another mAb was labeled with quantum dots and coated onto conjugate pad. The goat anti-mouse IgG was immobilized as a control line. After sample was added, a sandwich structure was formed with CA72-4 and these two mAbs. The fluorescent signal from quantum dots (QD)-labeled mAb in sandwich structure was related to the amount of detected CA72-4. A CCD-based reader was used to realize quantitative detection of CA72-4. Results showed that developed QD-labeled lateral flow strips to detect CA72-4 biomarker with the sensitivity of 2 IU/mL and 10 min detection time. One hundred sera samples from clinical patients with gastric cancer and healthy people were used to confirm specificity of this strip method; results showed that established strip method own 100 % reproducibility and 100 % specificity compared with Roche electrochemiluminescence assay results. In conclusion, CdSe/ZnS quantum dot-labeled lateral flow strips for detection of CA72-4 could realize rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of clinical samples and could own great potential in clinical translation in near future.

Recombination Suppression in PbS Quantum Dot Heterojunction Solar Cells by Energy-Level Alignment in the Quantum Dot Active Layers.

PubMed

Ding, Chao; Zhang, Yaohong; Liu, Feng; Nakazawa, Naoki; Huang, Qingxun; Hayase, Shuzi; Ogomi, Yuhei; Toyoda, Taro; Wang, Ruixiang; Shen, Qing

2017-09-22

Using spatial energy-level gradient engineering with quantum dots (QDs) of different sizes to increase the generated carrier collection at the junction of a QD heterojunction solar cell (QDHSC) is a hopeful route for improving the energy-conversion efficiency. However, the results of current related research have shown that a variable band-gap structure in a QDHSC will create an appreciable increase, not in the illumination current density, but rather in the fill factor. In addition, there are a lack of studies on the mechanism of the effect of these graded structures on the photovoltaic performance of QDHSCs. This study presents the development of air atmosphere solution-processed TiO 2 /PbS QDs/Au QDHSCs by engineering the energy-level alignment (ELA) of the active layer via the use of a sorted order of differently sized QD layers (four QD sizes). In comparison to the ungraded device (without the ELA), the optimized graded architecture (containing the ELA) solar cells exhibited a great increase (21.4%) in short-circuit current density (J sc ). As a result, a J sc value greater than 30 mA/cm 2 has been realized in planar, thinner absorption layer (∼300 nm) PbS QDHSCs, and the open-circuit voltage (V oc ) and power-conversion efficiency (PCE) were also improved. Through characterization by the light intensity dependences of the J sc and V oc and transient photovoltage decay, we find that (i) the ELA structure, serving as an electron-blocking layer, reduces the interfacial recombination at the PbS/anode interface, and (ii) the ELA structure can drive more carriers toward the desirable collection electrode, and the additional carriers can fill the trap states, reducing the trap-assisted recombination in the PbS QDHSCs. This work has clearly elucidated the mechanism of the recombination suppression in the graded QDHSCs and demonstrated the effects of ELA structure on the improvement of J sc . The charge recombination mechanisms characterized in this work would be able to shed light on further improvements of QDHSCs, which could even benefit other types of solar cells.

Highly pure yellow light emission of perovskite CsPb(BrxI1-x)3 quantum dots and their application for yellow light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yuandan; Gong, Jinhui; Zhu, Yiyuan; Feng, Xingcan; Peng, Hong; Wang, Wei; He, Haiyang; Liu, Hu; Wang, Li

2018-06-01

High-quality all-inorganic perovskite CsPb(BrxI1-x)3 quantum dots (QDs) with quantum yield of 50% were systematically studied as yellow light convertor for light emitting diodes (LEDs). A novel heat insulation structure was designed for the QD-converted yellow LEDs. In this structure, a silicone layer was set on top of the GaN LED chip to prevent directly heating of the QDs by the LED chip. Then the CsPb(BrxI1-x)3 QDs were filled in the bowl-shaped silicone layer after ultrasonic dispersion treatment. Finally, an Al2O3 passivation layer was grown on the QDs layer by Atomic Layer Disposition at 40 °C. When x = 0.55, highly pure yellow LEDs with an emission peak at ∼570 nm and a full width at half maximum of 25 nm were achieved. The chromaticity coordinates of the QD-converted yellow LEDs (0.4920 ± 0.0017, 0.4988 ± 0.0053) showed almost no variation under driving current from 5 mA to 150 mA. During an operation period of 60 min, the emission wavelength of the yellow LEDs showed no distinct shift. Moreover, the luminous efficiency of the QD-converted yellow LEDs achieved 13.51 l m/W at 6 mA. These results demonstrated that CsPb(BrxI1-x)3 QDs and the heat insulation structure are promising candidate for high purity yellow LEDs.

Three-dimensional imaging for precise structural control of Si quantum dot networks for all-Si solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kourkoutis, Lena F.; Hao, Xiaojing; Huang, Shujuan; Puthen-Veettil, Binesh; Conibeer, Gavin; Green, Martin A.; Perez-Wurfl, Ivan

2013-07-01

All-Si tandem solar cells based on Si quantum dots (QDs) are a promising approach to future high-performance, thin film solar cells using abundant, stable and non-toxic materials. An important prerequisite to achieve a high conversion efficiency in such cells is the ability to control the geometry of the Si QD network. This includes the ability to control both, the size and arrangement of Si QDs embedded in a higher bandgap matrix. Using plasmon tomography we show the size, shape and density of Si QDs, that form in Si rich oxide (SRO)/SiO2 multilayers upon annealing, can be controlled by varying the SRO stoichiometry. Smaller, more spherical QDs of higher densities are obtained at lower Si concentrations. In richer SRO layers ellipsoidal QDs tend to form. Using electronic structure calculations within the effective mass approximation we show that ellipsoidal QDs give rise to reduced inter-QD coupling in the layer. Efficient carrier transport via mini-bands is in this case more likely across the multilayers provided the SiO2 spacer layer is thin enough to allow coupling in the vertical direction.All-Si tandem solar cells based on Si quantum dots (QDs) are a promising approach to future high-performance, thin film solar cells using abundant, stable and non-toxic materials. An important prerequisite to achieve a high conversion efficiency in such cells is the ability to control the geometry of the Si QD network. This includes the ability to control both, the size and arrangement of Si QDs embedded in a higher bandgap matrix. Using plasmon tomography we show the size, shape and density of Si QDs, that form in Si rich oxide (SRO)/SiO2 multilayers upon annealing, can be controlled by varying the SRO stoichiometry. Smaller, more spherical QDs of higher densities are obtained at lower Si concentrations. In richer SRO layers ellipsoidal QDs tend to form. Using electronic structure calculations within the effective mass approximation we show that ellipsoidal QDs give rise to reduced inter-QD coupling in the layer. Efficient carrier transport via mini-bands is in this case more likely across the multilayers provided the SiO2 spacer layer is thin enough to allow coupling in the vertical direction. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Electron tomography reconstruction movies. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr01998e

Size-confined fixed-composition and composition-dependent engineered band gap alloying induces different internal structures in L-cysteine-capped alloyed quaternary CdZnTeS quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adegoke, Oluwasesan; Park, Enoch Y.

2016-06-01

The development of alloyed quantum dot (QD) nanocrystals with attractive optical properties for a wide array of chemical and biological applications is a growing research field. In this work, size-tunable engineered band gap composition-dependent alloying and fixed-composition alloying were employed to fabricate new L-cysteine-capped alloyed quaternary CdZnTeS QDs exhibiting different internal structures. Lattice parameters simulated based on powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) revealed the internal structure of the composition-dependent alloyed CdxZnyTeS QDs to have a gradient nature, whereas the fixed-composition alloyed QDs exhibited a homogenous internal structure. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis confirmed the size-confined nature and monodispersity of the alloyed nanocrystals. The zeta potential values were within the accepted range of colloidal stability. Circular dichroism (CD) analysis showed that the surface-capped L-cysteine ligand induced electronic and conformational chiroptical changes in the alloyed nanocrystals. The photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (QY) values of the gradient alloyed QDs were 27-61%, whereas for the homogenous alloyed QDs, the PL QY values were spectacularly high (72-93%). Our work demonstrates that engineered fixed alloying produces homogenous QD nanocrystals with higher PL QY than composition-dependent alloying.

Control of Energy Flow Dynamics between Tetracene Ligands and PbS Quantum Dots by Size Tuning and Ligand Coverage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kroupa, Daniel M.; Arias, Dylan H.; Blackburn, Jeffrey L.

We have prepared a series of samples with the ligand 6,13-bistri(iso-propyl)silylethynyl tetracene 2-carboxylic acid (TIPS-Tc-COOH) attached to PbS quantum dot (QD) samples of three different sizes in order to monitor and control the extent and time scales of energy flow after photoexcitation. Fast energy transfer (~1 ps) to the PbS QD occurs upon direct excitation of the ligand for all samples. The largest size QD maintains the microsecond exciton lifetime characteristic of the as-prepared oleate terminated PbS QDs. However, two smaller QD sizes with lowest exciton energies similar to or larger than the TIPS-Tc-COO- triplet energy undergo energy transfer betweenmore » QD core and ligand triplet on nanosecond to microsecond timescales. For the intermediate size QDs in particular, energy can be recycled many times between ligand and core, but the triplet remains the dominant excited species at long times, living for ~3 us for fully exchanged QDs and up to 30 us for partial ligand exchange, which is revealed as a method for controlling the triplet lifetime. A unique upconverted luminescence spectrum is observed that results from annihilation of triplets after exclusive excitation of the QD core.« less

Control of Energy Flow Dynamics between Tetracene Ligands and PbS Quantum Dots by Size Tuning and Ligand Coverage

DOE PAGES

Kroupa, Daniel M.; Arias, Dylan H.; Blackburn, Jeffrey L.; ...

2018-01-24

We have prepared a series of samples with the ligand 6,13-bistri(iso-propyl)silylethynyl tetracene 2-carboxylic acid (TIPS-Tc-COOH) attached to PbS quantum dot (QD) samples of three different sizes in order to monitor and control the extent and time scales of energy flow after photoexcitation. Fast energy transfer (~1 ps) to the PbS QD occurs upon direct excitation of the ligand for all samples. The largest size QD maintains the microsecond exciton lifetime characteristic of the as-prepared oleate terminated PbS QDs. However, two smaller QD sizes with lowest exciton energies similar to or larger than the TIPS-Tc-COO- triplet energy undergo energy transfer betweenmore » QD core and ligand triplet on nanosecond to microsecond timescales. For the intermediate size QDs in particular, energy can be recycled many times between ligand and core, but the triplet remains the dominant excited species at long times, living for ~3 us for fully exchanged QDs and up to 30 us for partial ligand exchange, which is revealed as a method for controlling the triplet lifetime. A unique upconverted luminescence spectrum is observed that results from annihilation of triplets after exclusive excitation of the QD core.« less

Green Synthesis of InP/ZnS Core/Shell Quantum Dots for Application in Heavy-Metal-Free Light-Emitting Diodes.

PubMed

Kuo, Tsung-Rong; Hung, Shih-Ting; Lin, Yen-Ting; Chou, Tzu-Lin; Kuo, Ming-Cheng; Kuo, Ya-Pei; Chen, Chia-Chun

2017-09-19

Quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) have been considered as potential display technologies with the characterizations of high color purity, flexibility, transparency, and cost efficiency. For the practical applications, the development of heavy-metal-free QD-LEDs from environment-friendly materials is the most important issue to reduce the impacts on human health and environmental pollution. In this work, heavy-metal-free InP/ZnS core/shell QDs with different fluorescence were prepared by green synthesis method with low cost, safe, and environment-friendly precursors. The InP/ZnS core/shell QDs with maximum fluorescence peak at ~ 530 nm, superior fluorescence quantum yield of 60.1%, and full width at half maximum of 55 nm were applied as an emission layer to fabricate multilayered QD-LEDs. The multilayered InP/ZnS core/shell QD-LEDs showed the turn-on voltage at ~ 5 V, the highest luminance (160 cd/m 2 ) at 12 V, and the external quantum efficiency of 0.223% at 6.7 V. Overall, the multilayered InP/ZnS core/shell QD-LEDs reveal potential to be the heavy-metal-free QD-LEDs for future display applications.

On-off QD switch that memorizes past recovery from quenching by diazonium salts.

PubMed

Liras, Marta; González-Béjar, María; Scaiano, J C

2010-09-07

The understanding of the interaction of CdSe/ZnS semiconductor quantum dots (QD) with their chemical environment is fundamental, yet far from being fully understood. p-Methylphenyldiazonium tetrafluoroborate has been used to get some insight into the effect of diazonium salts on the spectroscopy of QD. Our study reveals that the surface of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots can be modified by diazonium salts (although not functionalized), showing and on-off fluorescence behaviour that memorizes past quenching recoveries. Facile modification of the surface confers protection against quenching by new molecules of diazonium salt and other known quenchers such as 4-amino-TEMPO. The reaction mechanism has been explored in detail by using different spectroscopic techniques. At the first time after addition of diazonium salt over QD the fluorescent is turned off with Stern-Volmer behaviour; the fluorescence recovers following irradiation. Subsequent additions of diazonium salts do not cause the same degree of quenching. We have noted that the third addition (following two cycles of addition and irradiation) is unable to quench the fluorescence. Monitoring the process using NMR techniques reveals the formation of p-difluoroborane toluene as a result of the irradiation of diazonium-treated QD; the treatment leads to the fluorination of the QD surface.

Voltage-Dependent Charge Storage in Cladded Zn0.56Cd0.44Se Quantum Dot MOS Capacitors for Multibit Memory Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, J.; Lingalugari, M.; Al-Amoody, F.; Jain, F.

2013-11-01

As conventional memories approach scaling limitations, new storage methods must be utilized to increase Si yield and produce higher on-chip memory density. Use of II-VI Zn0.56Cd0.44Se quantum dots (QDs) is compatible with epitaxial gate insulators such as ZnS-ZnMgS. Voltage-dependent charging effects in cladded Zn0.56Cd0.44Se QDs are presented in a conventional metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor structure. Charge storage capabilities in Si and ZnMgS QDs have been reported by various researchers; this work is focused on II-VI material Zn0.56Cd0.44Se QDs nucleated using photoassisted microwave plasma metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Using capacitance-voltage hysteresis characterization, the multistep charging and discharging capabilities of the QDs at room temperature are presented. Three charging states are presented within a 10 V charging voltage range. These characteristics exemplify discrete charge states in the QD layer, perfect for multibit, QD-functionalized high-density memory applications. Multiple charge states with low operating voltage provide device characteristics that can be used for multibit storage by allowing varying charges to be stored in a QD layer based on the applied "write" voltage.

Hybrid Donor-Dot Devices made using Top-down Ion Implantation for Quantum Computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bielejec, Edward; Bishop, Nathan; Carroll, Malcolm

2012-02-01

We present progress towards fabricating hybrid donor -- quantum dots (QD) for quantum computing. These devices will exploit the long coherence time of the donor system and the surface state manipulation associated with a QD. Fabrication requires detection of single ions implanted with 10's of nanometer precision. We show in this talk, 100% detection efficiency for single ions using a single ion Geiger mode avalanche (SIGMA) detector integrated into a Si MOS QD process flow. The NanoImplanter (nI) a focused ion beam system is used for precision top-down placement of the implanted ion. This machine has a 10 nm resolution combined with a mass velocity filter, allowing for the use of multi-species liquid metal ion sources (LMIS) to implant P and Sb ions, and a fast blanking and chopping system for single ion implants. The combination of the nI and integration of the SIGMA with the MOS QD process flow establishes a path to fabricate hybrid single donor-dot devices. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

On the design of composite protein-quantum dot biomaterials via self-assembly.

PubMed

Majithia, Ravish; Patterson, Jan; Bondos, Sarah E; Meissner, Kenith E

2011-10-10

Incorporation of nanoparticles during the hierarchical self-assembly of protein-based materials can impart function to the resulting composite materials. Herein we demonstrate that the structure and nanoparticle distribution of composite fibers are sensitive to the method of nanoparticle addition and the physicochemical properties of both the nanoparticle and the protein. Our model system consists of a recombinant enhanced green fluorescent protein-Ultrabithorax (EGFP-Ubx) fusion protein and luminescent CdSe-ZnS core-shell quantum dots (QDs), allowing us to optically assess the distribution of both the protein and nanoparticle components within the composite material. Although QDs favorably interact with EGFP-Ubx monomers, the relatively rough surface morphology of composite fibers suggests EGFP-Ubx-QD conjugates impact self-assembly. Indeed, QDs templated onto EGFP-Ubx film post-self-assembly can be subsequently drawn into smooth composite fibers. Additionally, the QD surface charge impacts QD distribution within the composite material, indicating that surface charge plays an important role in self-assembly. QDs with either positively or negatively charged coatings significantly enhance fiber extensibility. Conversely, QDs coated with hydrophobic moieties and suspended in toluene produce composite fibers with a heterogeneous distribution of QDs and severely altered fiber morphology, indicating that toluene severely disrupts Ubx self-assembly. Understanding factors that impact the protein-nanoparticle interaction enables manipulation of the structure and mechanical properties of composite materials. Since proteins interact with nanoparticle surface coatings, these results should be applicable to other types of nanoparticles with similar chemical groups on the surface.

Competition between Förster resonance energy transfer and electron transfer in stoichiometrically assembled semiconductor quantum dot-fullerene conjugates.

PubMed

Stewart, Michael H; Huston, Alan L; Scott, Amy M; Oh, Eunkeu; Algar, W Russ; Deschamps, Jeffrey R; Susumu, Kimihiro; Jain, Vaibhav; Prasuhn, Duane E; Blanco-Canosa, Juan; Dawson, Philip E; Medintz, Igor L

2013-10-22

Understanding how semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) engage in photoinduced energy transfer with carbon allotropes is necessary for enhanced performance in solar cells and other optoelectronic devices along with the potential to create new types of (bio)sensors. Here, we systematically investigate energy transfer interactions between C60 fullerenes and four different QDs, composed of CdSe/ZnS (type I) and CdSe/CdS/ZnS (quasi type II), with emission maxima ranging from 530 to 630 nm. C60-pyrrolidine tris-acid was first coupled to the N-terminus of a hexahistidine-terminated peptide via carbodiimide chemistry to yield a C60-labeled peptide (pepC60). This peptide provided the critical means to achieve ratiometric self-assembly of the QD-(pepC60) nanoheterostructures by exploiting metal affinity coordination to the QD surface. Controlled QD-(pepC60)N bioconjugates were prepared by discretely increasing the ratio (N) of pepC60 assembled per QD in mixtures of dimethyl sulfoxide and buffer; this mixed organic/aqueous approach helped alleviate issues of C60 solubility. An extensive set of control experiments were initially performed to verify the specific and ratiometric nature of QD-(pepC60)N assembly. Photoinitiated energy transfer in these hybrid organic-inorganic systems was then interrogated using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence along with ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy. Coordination of pepC60 to the QD results in QD PL quenching that directly tracks with the number of peptides displayed around the QD. A detailed photophysical analysis suggests a competition between electron transfer and Förster resonance energy transfer from the QD to the C60 that is dependent upon a complex interplay of pepC60 ratio per QD, the presence of underlying spectral overlap, and contributions from QD size. These results highlight several important factors that must be considered when designing QD-donor/C60-acceptor systems for potential optoelectronic and biosensing applications.

Coffee-Ring-Free Quantum Dot Thin Film Using Inkjet Printing from a Mixed-Solvent System on Modified ZnO Transport Layer for Light-Emitting Devices.

PubMed

Jiang, Congbiao; Zhong, Zhiming; Liu, Baiquan; He, Zhiwei; Zou, Jianhua; Wang, Lei; Wang, Jian; Peng, JunBiao; Cao, Yong

2016-10-05

Inkjet printing has been considered an available way to achieve large size full-color RGB quantum dots LED display, and the key point is to obtain printed film with uniform and flat surface profile. In this work, mixed solvent of 20 vol % 1,2-dichlorobenzene (oDCB) with cyclohexylbenzene (CHB) was used to dissolve green quantum dots (QDs) with CdSe@ZnS/ZnS core/shell structure. Then, by inkjet printing, a flat dotlike QDs film without the coffee ring was successfully obtained on polyetherimide (PEI)-modified ZnO layer, and the printed dots array exhibited great stability and repeatability. Here, adding oDCB into CHB solutions was used to reduce surface tension, and employing ZnO nanoparticle layer with PEI-modified was used to increase the surface free energy. As a result, a small contact angle is formed, which leads to the enhancement of evaporation rate, and then the coffee ring effect was suppressed. The printed dots with flat surface profile were eventually realized. Moreover, inverted green QD-LEDs with PEI-modified ZnO film as electron transport layer (ETL) and printed green QDs film as emission layer were successfully fabricated. The QD-LEDs exhibited the maximum luminance of 12 000 cd/m 2 and the peak current efficiency of 4.5 cd/A at luminance of 1500 cd/m 2 .

Incorporation of nanoparticles within mammalian spermatozoa using in vitro capacitation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There is still much unknown about the journey of spermatozoa within the female genital tract. Recent studies have investigated mammalian spermatozoa labeling with fluorescent quantum dot nanoparticles (QD) for non-invasive imaging. Furthermore, the incorporation of these QD within the spermatozoa ma...

AC-dielectrophoretic force assisted fabrication of conducting quantum dot aggregates in the electrical breakdown-induced CNT nanogap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shim, Hyung Cheoul; Choi, Hyekyoung; Jeong, Sohee

2018-03-01

In this paper, we fabricated quantum dot (QD) aggregates at desired locations using dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces induced in the carbon nanotube (CNT) nanogap created by Joule heating-induced electrical breakdown. Nanogaps with a size of at least 20-30 nm can be effectively fabricated in the ambient condition, and fabrication yield can be monitored through in-situ electrical signal without post morphological analysis. The geometry of CNT electrodes with high aspect ratio as well as the gap size of the electrodes to a few tens of nanometers scale enabled the derivation of sufficiently high DEP forces that facilitate the trapping of QD in the CNT nanogap. Above all, we were able to fabricate a conducting crack-free QD aggregates by exchanging the ligands on the surface of the QDs in the presence of a DEP force and this approach showed the possibility of being applied as a QD based optoelectronic devices.

Small signal analysis of four-wave mixing in InAs/GaAs quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Shaozhen; Chen, Zhe; Dutta, Niloy K.

2009-02-01

A model to study four-wave mixing (FWM) wavelength conversion in InAs-GaAs quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier is proposed. Rate equations involving two QD states are solved to simulate the carrier density modulation in the system, results show that the existence of QD excited state contributes to the ultra fast recover time for single pulse response by serving as a carrier reservoir for the QD ground state, its speed limitations are also studied. Nondegenerate four-wave mixing process with small intensity modulation probe signal injected is simulated using this model, a set of coupled wave equations describing the evolution of all frequency components in the active region of QD-SOA are derived and solved numerically. Results show that better FWM conversion efficiency can be obtained compared with the regular bulk SOA, and the four-wave mixing bandwidth can exceed 1.5 THz when the detuning between pump and probe lights is 0.5 nm.

Synthetic Conditions for High-Accuracy Size Control of PbS Quantum Dots

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Jianbing; Crisp, Ryan W.; Gao, Jianbo; ...

2015-05-04

Decreasing the variability in quantum dot (QD) syntheses is desirable for better uniformity of samples for use in QD-based studies and applications. Here we report a highly reproducible linear relationship between the concentration of ligand (in this case oleic acid, OA) and the lowest energy exciton peak position (nm) of the resulting PbS QDs for various hot-injection temperatures. Thus, for a given injection temperature, the size of the PbS QD product is purely controlled by the amount of OA. We used this relationship to study PbS QD solar cells that are fabricated from the same size of PbS QDs butmore » synthesized using four different injection temperatures: 95, 120, 150, and 185 °C. We find that the power conversion efficiency does not depend on injection temperature but that the V oc is higher for QDs synthesized at lower temperatures while the J sc is improved in higher temperature QDs.« less

Covalent Linking Greatly Enhances Photoinduced Electron Transfer in Fullerene-Quantum Dot Nanocomposites: Time-Domain Ab Initio Study.

PubMed

Chaban, Vitaly V; Prezhdo, Victor V; Prezhdo, Oleg V

2013-01-03

Nonadiabatic molecular dynamics combined with time-domain density functional theory are used to study electron transfer (ET) from a CdSe quantum dot (QD) to the C60 fullerene, occurring in several types of hybrid organic/inorganic nanocomposites. By unveiling the time dependence of the ET process, we show that covalent bonding between the QD and C60 is particularly important to ensure ultrafast transmission of the excited electron from the QD photon-harvester to the C60 electron acceptor. Despite the close proximity of the donor and acceptor species provided by direct van der Waals contact, it leads to a notably weaker QD-C60 interaction than a lengthy molecular bridge. We show that the ET rate in a nonbonded mixture of QDs and C60 can be enhanced by doping. The photoinduced ET is promoted primarily by mid- and low-frequency vibrations. The study establishes the basic design principles for enhancing photoinduced charge separation in nanoscale light harvesting materials.

Polymers mediate a one-pot route for functionalized quantum dot barcodes with a large encoding capacity.

PubMed

Zhang, Ding Sheng-Zi; Jiang, Yang; Wei, Dan; Wei, Xunbin; Xu, Hong; Gu, Hongchen

2018-06-21

With the increasing demands for high-throughput multiplexed bioassays, quantum dot (QD)-encoded microbeads as biocarriers for various bioreactions have attracted considerable attention. However, three key requirements for these biocarriers are still longstanding issues: a stable fluorescence intensity, a large encoding capacity and abundant surface functional groups. Here, a novel one-pot strategy is developed, generating functionalized QD-encoded microspheres with a strong fluorescence intensity and optical stability. With poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (PSMA) molecules as mediators, the encapsulation of QDs and carboxylation of the bead surface are integrated together, greatly improving the preparation efficiency and guaranteeing their potential application in biodetection. Moreover, the mechanism for preparing QD-doped beads is further proposed, which helps to precisely manipulate the preparation process and accurately encode the beads. Through this approach, a single- and dual-color barcode library of QD-encoded microspheres has been successfully established, which demonstrates their great potential in suspension arrays.

Computational analysis of the amplified spontaneous emission in quantum dot doped plastic optical fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Xuefeng; Wu, Pinghui; Han, Yinxia; Hu, Guoqiang

2014-11-01

The properties of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) in CdSe/ZnS quantum dot (QD) doped step-index polymer optical fibers (POFs) were computationally analyzed in this paper. A theoretical model based on the rate equations between two main energy levels of CdSe/ZnS QD was built in terms of time (t), distance traveled by light (z) and wavelength (λ), which can describe the ASE successfully. Through analyzing the spectral evolution with distance of the pulses propagating along the CdSe/ZnS QD doped POFs, dependences of the ASE threshold and the slope efficiency on the numerical aperture were obtained. Compared to the ASE in common dye-doped POFs, the pump threshold was just about 1/1000, but the slope efficiency was much higher.

Impact of the wetting layer thickness on the emission wavelength of direct band gap GeSn/Ge quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilahi, Bouraoui; Al-Saigh, Reem; Salem, Bassem

2017-07-01

The effects of the wetting layer thickness (t WL) on the electronic properties of direct band gap type-I strained dome shaped Ge(1-x)Sn x quantum dot (QD) embedded in Ge matrix is numerically studied. The emission wavelength and the energy difference between S and P electron levels have been evaluated as a function of t WL for different QD size and composition with constant height to diameter ratio. The emission wavelength is found to be red shifted by increasing the wetting layer thickness, with smaller size QD being more sensitive to the variation of t WL. Furthermore, the minimum Sn composition required to fit the directness criteria is found to reduce by increasing the wetting layer thickness.

Highly selective luminescent nanostructures for mitochondrial imaging and targeting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fanizza, E.; Iacobazzi, R. M.; Laquintana, V.; Valente, G.; Caliandro, G.; Striccoli, M.; Agostiano, A.; Cutrignelli, A.; Lopedota, A.; Curri, M. L.; Franco, M.; Depalo, N.; Denora, N.

2016-02-01

Here a luminescent hybrid nanostructure based on functionalized quantum dots (QDs) is used as a fluorescent imaging agent able to target selectively mitochondria thanks to the molecular recognition of the translocator protein (TSPO). The selective targeting of such an 18 kDa protein mainly located in the outer mitochondrial membrane and overexpressed in several pathological states including neurodegenerative diseases and cancers may provide valuable information for the early diagnosis and therapy of human disorders. In particular, the rational design of amino functionalized luminescent silica coated QD nanoparticles (QD@SiO2 NPs) provides a versatile nanoplatform to anchor a potent and selective TSPO ligand, characterized by a 2-phenyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine acetamide structure along with a derivatizable carboxylic end group, useful to conjugate the TSPO ligand and achieve TSPO-QD@SiO2 NPs by means of a covalent amide bond. The colloidal stability and optical properties of the proposed nanomaterials are comprehensively investigated and their potential as mitochondrial imaging agents is fully assessed. Sub-cellular fractionation, together with confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy and co-localization analysis of targeted TSPO-QD@SiO2 NPs in C6 glioma cells overexpressing the TSPO, proves the great potential of these multifunctional nanosystems as in vitro selective mitochondrial imaging agents.Here a luminescent hybrid nanostructure based on functionalized quantum dots (QDs) is used as a fluorescent imaging agent able to target selectively mitochondria thanks to the molecular recognition of the translocator protein (TSPO). The selective targeting of such an 18 kDa protein mainly located in the outer mitochondrial membrane and overexpressed in several pathological states including neurodegenerative diseases and cancers may provide valuable information for the early diagnosis and therapy of human disorders. In particular, the rational design of amino functionalized luminescent silica coated QD nanoparticles (QD@SiO2 NPs) provides a versatile nanoplatform to anchor a potent and selective TSPO ligand, characterized by a 2-phenyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine acetamide structure along with a derivatizable carboxylic end group, useful to conjugate the TSPO ligand and achieve TSPO-QD@SiO2 NPs by means of a covalent amide bond. The colloidal stability and optical properties of the proposed nanomaterials are comprehensively investigated and their potential as mitochondrial imaging agents is fully assessed. Sub-cellular fractionation, together with confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy and co-localization analysis of targeted TSPO-QD@SiO2 NPs in C6 glioma cells overexpressing the TSPO, proves the great potential of these multifunctional nanosystems as in vitro selective mitochondrial imaging agents. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Additional TEM micrographs, fluorescence and UV-Vis absorbance spectra of silica coated QD nanoparticles and TSPO ligand. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr08139d

Size-dependent energy levels of InSb quantum dots measured by scanning tunneling spectroscopy.

PubMed

Wang, Tuo; Vaxenburg, Roman; Liu, Wenyong; Rupich, Sara M; Lifshitz, Efrat; Efros, Alexander L; Talapin, Dmitri V; Sibener, S J

2015-01-27

The electronic structure of single InSb quantum dots (QDs) with diameters between 3 and 7 nm was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). In this size regime, InSb QDs show strong quantum confinement effects which lead to discrete energy levels on both valence and conduction band states. Decrease of the QD size increases the measured band gap and the spacing between energy levels. Multiplets of equally spaced resonance peaks are observed in the tunneling spectra. There, multiplets originate from degeneracy lifting induced by QD charging. The tunneling spectra of InSb QDs are qualitatively different from those observed in the STS of other III-V materials, for example, InAs QDs, with similar band gap energy. Theoretical calculations suggest the electron tunneling occurs through the states connected with L-valley of InSb QDs rather than through states of the Γ-valley. This observation calls for better understanding of the role of indirect valleys in strongly quantum-confined III-V nanomaterials.

Exciton dynamics in a site-controlled quantum dot coupled to a photonic crystal cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarlov, C.; Lyasota, A.; Ferrier, L.; Gallo, P.; Dwir, B.; Rudra, A.; Kapon, E.

2015-11-01

Exciton and cavity mode (CM) dynamics in site-controlled pyramidal quantum dots (QDs), integrated with linear photonic crystal membrane cavities, are investigated for a range of temperatures and photo-excitation power levels. The absence of spurious multi-excitonic effects, normally observed in similar structures based on self-assembled QDs, permits the observation of effects intrinsic to two-level systems embedded in a solid state matrix and interacting with optical cavity modes. The coupled exciton and CM dynamics follow the same trend, indicating that the CM is fed only by the exciton transition. The Purcell reduction of the QD and CM decay times is reproduced well by a theoretical model that includes exciton linewidth broadening and temperature dependent non-radiative processes, from which we extract a Purcell factor of 17 ± 5. For excitation powers above QD saturation, we show the influence of quantum wire barrier states at short delay time, and demonstrate the absence of multiexcitonic background emission.

Fluorescence spectral shift of QD films with electron injection: Dependence on counterion proximity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Meilin; Li, Bo; Zhang, Yaxin; Liu, Weilong; Yang, Yanqiang; Wang, Yuxiao; Yang, Qingxin

2017-05-01

Due to the promising application of quantum dot (QD) films in solar cells, LEDs and environmental detectors, the fluorescence of charged QD films has achieved much attention during recent years. In this work, we observe the spectral shift of photoluminescence (PL) in charged CdSe/ZnS QD films controlled by electrochemical potential. The spectral center under negative bias changes from red-shift to blue-shift while introducing smaller inorganic counterions (potassium ions) into the electrolyte. This repeatable effect is attributed to the enhanced electron injection with smaller cations and the electronic perturbations of QD luminescence by these excess charges.

Tailoring of quantum dot emission efficiency by localized surface plasmon polaritons in self-organized mesoscopic rings.

PubMed

Margapoti, Emanuela; Gentili, Denis; Amelia, Matteo; Credi, Alberto; Morandi, Vittorio; Cavallini, Massimiliano

2014-01-21

We report on the tailoring of quantum dot (QD) emission efficiency by localized surface plasmon polaritons in self-organized mesoscopic rings. Ag nanoparticles (NPs) with CdSe QDs embedded in a polymeric matrix are spatially organised in mesoscopic rings and coupled in a tuneable fashion by breath figure formation. The mean distance between NPs and QDs and consequently the intensity of QD photoluminescence, which is enhanced by the coupling of surface plasmons and excitons, are tuned by acting on the NP concentration.

Stability of the mode-locking regime in tapered quantum-dot lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardella, P.; Drzewietzki, L.; Rossetti, M.; Weber, C.; Breuer, S.

2018-02-01

We study numerically and experimentally the role of the injection current and reverse bias voltage on the pulse stability of tapered, passively mode-locked, Quantum Dot (QD) lasers. By using a multi-section delayed differential equation and introducing in the model the QD inhomogenous broadening, we are able to predict the onset of leading and trailing edge instabilities in the emitted pulse trains and to identify specific trends of stability in dependence on the laser biasing conditions. The numerical results are confirmed experimentally trough amplitude and timing stability analysis of the pulses.

Layer-by-layer-assembled quantum dot multilayer sensitizers: how the number of layers affects the photovoltaic properties of one-dimensional ZnO nanowire electrodes.

PubMed

Jin, Ho; Choi, Sukyung; Lim, Sang-Hoon; Rhee, Shi-Woo; Lee, Hyo Joong; Kim, Sungjee

2014-01-13

Layer cake: Multilayered CdSe quantum dot (QD) sensitizers are layer-by-layer assembled onto ZnO nanowires by making use of electrostatic interactions to study the effect of the layer number on the photovoltaic properties. The photovoltaic performance of QD-sensitized solar cells critically depends on this number as a result of the balance between light-harvesting efficiency and carrier-recombination probability. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Decoherence of spin states induced by Rashba coupling for an electron confined to a semiconductor quantum dot in the presence of a magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poszwa, A.

2018-05-01

We investigate quantum decoherence of spin states caused by Rashba spin-orbit (SO) coupling for an electron confined to a planar quantum dot (QD) in the presence of a magnetic field (B). The Schrödinger equation has been solved in a frame of second-order perturbation theory. The relationship between the von Neumann (vN) entropy and the spin polarization is obtained. The relation is explicitly demonstrated for the InSb semiconductor QD.

Intermediate-band dynamics of quantum dots solar cell in concentrator photovoltaic modules

PubMed Central

Sogabe, Tomah; Shoji, Yasushi; Ohba, Mitsuyoshi; Yoshida, Katsuhisa; Tamaki, Ryo; Hong, Hwen-Fen; Wu, Chih-Hung; Kuo, Cherng-Tsong; Tomić, Stanko; Okada, Yoshitaka

2014-01-01

We report for the first time a successful fabrication and operation of an InAs/GaAs quantum dot based intermediate band solar cell concentrator photovoltaic (QD-IBSC-CPV) module to the IEC62108 standard with recorded power conversion efficiency of 15.3%. Combining the measured experimental results at Underwriters Laboratory (UL®) licensed testing laboratory with theoretical simulations, we confirmed that the operational characteristics of the QD-IBSC-CPV module are a consequence of the carrier dynamics via the intermediate-band at room temperature. PMID:24762433

Dielectric impedance and optical performance of quantum dots doped OLEDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jobin, Marc; Pellodi, Cédric; Emmenegger, Nicolas

2016-04-01

We investigate the effect of the incorporation of CdSe quantum dots (QD) in the standard ITO/TPD/Alq3/Al organic light emitting diodes (OLED's). The OLED's structures have been prepared in a double glove box coupled to a vacuum chamber containing both low and high temperature evaporators. For the standard (undoped) OLED's, the hole transport layer (HTL) consisting of 50nm of TPD is deposited by spin coating (8000rpm during 60 sec) and the 40nm of Alq3 were deposited at 2A/sec (organic crucible Radak-I). 150nm of Al were finally evaporated at 5A/s. For the CdSe-doped OLED's, the procedure was the same expect that the QD's were mixed with TPD in toluene before spin coating. During the thermal processing if the film, the QD's are expected to segregate to the surface, and then will be located at the TPD/Alq3 interface. The various layers were imaged by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) at each phase of the structure deposition, and we could indeed visualize the segregated QD's above the TPD film. AFM was systematically used to monitor the homogeneity and the thickness of the various films. The impedance of the non-encapsulated films structures were measured in air in the 40-40MHz frequency range, with bias at 0V (non-emitting), 2V (low emission) and 8V (strong emission). The corresponding dielectric spectra were analyzed with the standard Havriliak-Negami (HV) formula, where the conductive term has been subtracted from the data in case of light emission. We have measured a relaxation ranging from 100kHZ for the unbiased structure to 1MHz for 8V (strong emission). Apart from this expected relaxation, we found a second relaxation mechanism around 10 MHz. The origin of this second peak will be discussed. To monitor the optical emission of the OLED's, we have built a specific bench which allows for the quantitative measurement of the emission spectra and the dynamics behavior of the OLED's (raising and falling time). We found that the incorporation of the QD's unfortunately results in the decrease of the light emission but with a favorable modification of the light spectrum (around 700nm).

Annealing effects on capacitance-voltage characteristics of a-Si/SiN(x) multilayer prepared using hot-wire chemical vapour deposition.

PubMed

Panchal, A K; Rai, D K; Solanki, C S

2011-04-01

Post-deposition annealing of a-Si/SiN(x) multilayer films at different temperature shows varying shift in high frequency (1 MHz) capacitance-voltage (HFCV) characteristics. Various a-Si/SiN(x) multilayer films were deposited using hot wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) and annealed in the temperature range of 800 to 900 degrees C to precipitate Si quantum dots (Si-QD) in a-Si layers. HFCV measurements of the as-deposited and annealed films in metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structures show hysterisis in C-V curves. The hysteresis in the as-deposited films and annealed films is attributed to charge trapping in Si-dangling bonds in a-Si layer and in Si-QD respectively. The charge trapping density in Si-QD increases with temperature while the interface defects density (D(it)) remains constant.

Effect of antimony incorporation on the density, shape, and luminescence of InAs quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, J. F.; Chiang, C. H.; Wu, Y. H.; Chang, L.; Chi, J. Y.

2008-07-01

This work investigates the surfactant effect on exposed and buried InAs quantum dots (QDs) by incorporating Sb into the QD layers with various Sb beam equivalent pressures (BEPs). Secondary ion mass spectroscopy shows the presence of Sb in the exposed and buried QD layers with the Sb intensity in the exposed layer substantially exceeding that in the buried layer. Incorporating Sb can reduce the density of the exposed QDs by more than two orders of magnitude. However, a high Sb BEP yields a surface morphology with a regular periodic structure of ellipsoid terraces. A good room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) at ˜1600 nm from the exposed QDs is observed, suggesting that the Sb incorporation probably improves the emission efficiency by reducing the surface recombination velocity at the surface of the exposed QDs. Increasing Sb BEP causes a blueshift of the emission from the exposed QDs due to a reduction in the dot height as suggested by atomic force microscopy. Increasing Sb BEP can also blueshift the ˜1300 nm emission from the buried QDs by decreasing the dot height. However, a high Sb BEP yields a quantum well-like PL feature formed by the clustering of the buried QDs into an undulated planar layer. These results indicate a marked Sb surfactant effect that can be used to control the density, shape, and luminescence of the exposed and buried QDs.

Subpicosecond Photoinduced Hole Transfer from a CdS Quantum Dot to a Molecular Acceptor Bound Through an Exciton-Delocalizing Ligand.

PubMed

Lian, Shichen; Weinberg, David J; Harris, Rachel D; Kodaimati, Mohamad S; Weiss, Emily A

2016-06-28

This paper describes the enhancement of the rate of hole transfer from a photoexcited CdS quantum dot (QD), with radius R = 2.0 nm, to a molecular acceptor, phenothiazine (PTZ), by linking the donor and acceptor through a phenyldithiocarbamate (PTC) linker, which is known to lower the confinement energy of the excitonic hole. Upon adsorption of PTC, the bandgap of the QD decreases due to delocalization of the exciton, primarily the excitonic hole, into interfacial states of mixed QD/PTC character. This delocalization enables hole transfer from the QD to PTZ in <300 fs (within the instrument response of the laser system) when linked by PTC, but not when linked by a benzoate group, which has a similar length and conjugation as PTC but does not delocalize the excitonic hole. Comparison of the two systems was aided by quantification of the surface coverage of benzoate and PTC-linked PTZ by (1)H NMR. This work provides direct spectroscopic evidence of the enhancement of the rate of hole extraction from a colloidal QD through covalent linkage of a hole acceptor through an exciton-delocalizing ligand.

Self-assembled GaInNAs/GaAsN quantum dot lasers: solid source molecular beam epitaxy growth and high-temperature operation

PubMed Central

Liu, CY; Sun, ZZ; Yew, KC

2006-01-01

Self-assembled GaInNAs quantum dots (QDs) were grown on GaAs (001) substrate using solid-source molecular-beam epitaxy (SSMBE) equipped with a radio-frequency nitrogen plasma source. The GaInNAs QD growth characteristics were extensively investigated using atomic-force microscopy (AFM), photoluminescence (PL), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. Self-assembled GaInNAs/GaAsN single layer QD lasers grown using SSMBE have been fabricated and characterized. The laser worked under continuous wave (CW) operation at room temperature (RT) with emission wavelength of 1175.86 nm. Temperature-dependent measurements have been carried out on the GaInNAs QD lasers. The lowest obtained threshold current density in this work is ∼1.05 kA/cm2from a GaInNAs QD laser (50 × 1,700 µm2) at 10 °C. High-temperature operation up to 65 °C was demonstrated from an unbonded GaInNAs QD laser (50 × 1,060 µm2), with high characteristic temperature of 79.4 K in the temperature range of 10–60 °C.

Quantum Dot Solar Cell Fabrication Protocols

DOE PAGES

Chernomordik, Boris D.; Marshall, Ashley R.; Pach, Gregory F.; ...

2016-09-26

Colloidally synthesized quantum-confined semiconducting spherical nanocrystals, often referred to as quantum dots (QDs), offer a high degree of chemical, optical, and electronic tunability. As a result, there is an increasing interest in employing colloidal QDs for electronic and optical applications that is reflected in a growing number of publications. In this protocol we provide detailed procedures for the fabrication of QD solar cells specifically employing PbSe and PbS QDs. Here we include details that are learned through experience, beyond those in typical methodology sections, and include example pictures and videos to aid in fabricating QD solar cells. Although successful solarmore » cell fabrication is ultimately learned through experience, this protocol is intended to accelerate that process. The protocol developed here is intended to be a general starting point for developing PbS and PbSe QD test bed solar cells. We include steps for forming conductive QD films via dip coating as well as spin coating. Finally, we provide protocols that detail the synthesis of PbS and PbSe QDs through a unique cation exchange reaction and discuss how different QD synthetic routes could impact the resulting solar cell performance.« less

Photometric optimization and comparison of hybrid white LEDs for mesopic road lighting.

PubMed

Zhang, Chuanwen; Xiao, Licai; Zhong, Ping; He, Guoxing

2018-06-01

The photometric model for the mesopic luminous efficacy (LE m ) of hybrid white LEDs, including the radiant efficiency of both blue and red LEDs as well as the overall quantum efficiency of the phosphor layer or the quantum dot (QD) film, was developed. The optimal spectral parameters of integrated with quantum dots (QD-WLED), phosphor-converted white LED (pc-WLED) with red LEDs instead of red phosphor (pc/R WLED) for both color fidelity index (R f ) and color rendering index (R a ) above 70, 80, and 90 at correlated color temperatures of 2700-6500 K were obtained by maximizing the average LE m of four road lighting standards. By comparing among pc-WLED, QD-WLED, and pc/R WLED, it was suggested that the pc/R WLEDs make strong candidates for mesopic road lighting. The requirements of the overall efficiency of QD film were presented if the QD-WLEDs were competitive to the pc-WLEDs. Finally, the three real pc/R WLEDs with both R f and R a about 80 at CCTs of 2982 K, 4560 K, and 5683 K were demonstrated.

Perovskite Quantum Dots with Near Unity Solution and Neat-Film Photoluminescent Quantum Yield by Novel Spray Synthesis.

PubMed

Dai, Shu-Wen; Hsu, Bo-Wei; Chen, Chien-Yu; Lee, Chia-An; Liu, Hsiao-Yun; Wang, Hsiao-Fang; Huang, Yu-Ching; Wu, Tien-Lin; Manikandan, Arumugam; Ho, Rong-Ming; Tsao, Cheng-Si; Cheng, Chien-Hong; Chueh, Yu-Lun; Lin, Hao-Wu

2018-02-01

In this study, a novel perovskite quantum dot (QD) spray-synthesis method is developed by combining traditional perovskite QD synthesis with the technique of spray pyrolysis. By utilizing this new technique, the synthesis of cubic-shaped perovskite QDs with a homogeneous size of 14 nm is demonstrated, which shows an unprecedented stable absolute photoluminescence quantum yield ≈100% in the solution and even in the solid-state neat film. The highly emissive thin films are integrated with light emission devices (LEDs) and organic light emission displays (OLEDs). The color conversion type QD-LED (ccQD-LED) hybrid devices exhibit an extremely saturated green emission, excellent external quantum efficiency of 28.1%, power efficiency of 121 lm W -1 , and extraordinary forward-direction luminescence of 8 500 000 cd m -2 . The conceptual ccQD-OLED hybrid display also successfully demonstrates high-definition still images and moving pictures with a 119% National Television System Committee 1931 color gamut and 123% Digital Cinema Initiatives-P3 color gamut. These very-stable, ultra-bright perovskite QDs have the properties necessary for a variety of useful applications in optoelectronics. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Quantum Dot Solar Cell Fabrication Protocols

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chernomordik, Boris D.; Marshall, Ashley R.; Pach, Gregory F.

Colloidally synthesized quantum-confined semiconducting spherical nanocrystals, often referred to as quantum dots (QDs), offer a high degree of chemical, optical, and electronic tunability. As a result, there is an increasing interest in employing colloidal QDs for electronic and optical applications that is reflected in a growing number of publications. In this protocol we provide detailed procedures for the fabrication of QD solar cells specifically employing PbSe and PbS QDs. Here we include details that are learned through experience, beyond those in typical methodology sections, and include example pictures and videos to aid in fabricating QD solar cells. Although successful solarmore » cell fabrication is ultimately learned through experience, this protocol is intended to accelerate that process. The protocol developed here is intended to be a general starting point for developing PbS and PbSe QD test bed solar cells. We include steps for forming conductive QD films via dip coating as well as spin coating. Finally, we provide protocols that detail the synthesis of PbS and PbSe QDs through a unique cation exchange reaction and discuss how different QD synthetic routes could impact the resulting solar cell performance.« less

Tuning exciton energy and fine-structure splitting in single InAs quantum dots by applying uniaxial stress

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Su, Dan; Dou, Xiuming; Wu, Xuefei

2016-04-15

Exciton and biexciton emission energies as well as excitonic fine-structure splitting (FSS) in single InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) have been continuously tuned in situ in an optical cryostat using a developed uniaxial stress device. With increasing tensile stress, the red shift of excitonic emission is up to 5 nm; FSS decreases firstly and then increases monotonically, reaching a minimum value of approximately 10 μeV; biexciton binding energy decreases from 460 to 106 μeV. This technique provides a simple and convenient means to tune QD structural symmetry, exciton energy and biexciton binding energy and can be used for generating entangled andmore » indistinguishable photons.« less

Fabrication of a white electroluminescent device based on bilayered yellow and blue quantum dots.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Hoon; Lee, Ki-Heon; Kang, Hee-Don; Park, Byoungnam; Hwang, Jun Yeon; Jang, Ho Seong; Do, Young Rag; Yang, Heesun

2015-03-12

Until now most work on colloidal quantum dot-light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) has been focused on the improvement of the electroluminescent (EL) performance of monochromatic devices, and multi-colored white QLEDs comprising more than one type of QD emitter have been rarely investigated. To demonstrate a white EL as a result of color mixing between blue and yellow, herein a unique combination of two dissimilar QDs of blue- CdZnS/ZnS plus a yellow-emitting Cu-In-S (CIS)/ZnS is used for the formation of the emitting layer (EML) of a multilayered QLED. First, the QLED consisting of a single EML randomly mixed with two QDs is fabricated, however, its EL is dominated by blue emission with the contribution of yellow emission substantially weaker. Thus, another EML configuration is devised in the form of a QD bilayer with two stacking sequences of CdZnS/ZnS//CIS/ZnS QD and vice versa. The QLED with the former stacking sequence shows an overwhelming contribution of blue EL, similar to the mixed QD EML-based device. Upon applying the oppositely stacked QD bilayer of CIS/ZnS//CdZnS/ZnS, however, a bicolored white EL can be successfully achieved by means of the effective extension of the radiative excitonic recombination zone throughout both QD EML regions. Such QD EML configuration-dependent EL results, which are discussed primarily using the proposed device energy level diagram, strongly suggest that the positional design of individual QD emitters is a critical factor for the realization of multicolored, white emissive devices.

All Solution-processed Stable White Quantum Dot Light-emitting Diodes with Hybrid ZnO@TiO2 as Blue Emitters

PubMed Central

Chen, Jing; Zhao, Dewei; Li, Chi; Xu, Feng; Lei, Wei; Sun, Litao; Nathan, Arokia; Sun, Xiao Wei

2014-01-01

White quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) have been a promising candidate for high-efficiency and color-saturated displays. However, it is challenging to integrate various QD emitters into one device and also to obtain efficient blue QDs. Here, we report a simply solution-processed white QD-LED using a hybrid ZnO@TiO2 as electron injection layer and ZnCdSeS QD emitters. The white emission is obtained by integrating the yellow emission from QD emitters and the blue emission generated from hybrid ZnO@TiO2 layer. We show that the performance of white QD-LEDs can be adjusted by controlling the driving force for hole transport and electroluminescence recombination region via varying the thickness of hole transport layer. The device is demonstrated with a maximum luminance of 730 cd/m2 and power efficiency of 1.7 lm/W, exhibiting the Commission Internationale de l'Enclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.33, 0.33). The unencapsulated white QD-LED has a long lifetime of 96 h at its initial luminance of 730 cd/m2, primarily due to the fact that the device with hybrid ZnO@TiO2 has low leakage current and is insensitive to the oxygen and the moisture. These results indicate that hybrid ZnO@TiO2 provides an alternate and effective approach to achieve high-performance white QD-LEDs and also other optoelectronic devices. PMID:24522341

A quantum dot-aptamer beacon using a DNA intercalating dye as the FRET reporter: application to label-free thrombin detection.

PubMed

Chi, Chun-Wei; Lao, Yeh-Hsing; Li, Yi-Shan; Chen, Lin-Chi

2011-03-15

A new quantum dot (QD)-aptamer (apt) beacon that acts by folding-induced dissociation of a DNA intercalating dye, BOBO-3(B), is demonstrated with label-free thrombin detection. The beacon, denoted as QD-apt:B, is constructed by (1) coupling of a single-stranded thrombin aptamer to Qdot 565 via EDC/Sulfo-NHS chemistry and (2) staining the duplex regions of the aptamer on QD with excess BOBO-3 before thrombin binding. When mixing a thrombin sample with QD-apt:B, BOBO-3 is competed away from the beacon due to target-induced aptamer folding, which then causes a decrease in QD fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-mediated BOBO-3 emission and achieves thrombin quantitation. In this work, the effects of Mg(2+), coupling time, and aptamer type on the beacon's performances are investigated and discussed thoroughly with various methods, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and two-color differential gel electrophoresis. Using the best aptamer beacon (HTQ37), we attain highly specific and wide-range detection (from nM to μM) of thrombin in buffer, and the beacon can sense nM-range thrombin in 15% diluted serum. Compared to the reported QD aptamer assays, our method is advantageous from the aspect of using a simple sensory unit design without losing the detection sensitivity. Therefore, we consider the QD-apt:B beacon a potential alternative to immuno-reagents and an effective tool to study nucleic acid folding on QD as well. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Integrated InAs/InP quantum-dot coherence comb lasers (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Zhenguo; Liu, Jiaren; Poole, Philip J.; Song, Chun-Ying; Webber, John; Mao, Linda; Chang, Shoude; Ding, Heping; Barrios, Pedro J.; Poitras, Daniel; Janz, Siegfried

2017-02-01

Current communication networks needs to keep up with the exponential growth of today's internet traffic, and telecommunications industry is looking for radically new integrated photonics components for new generation optical networks. We at National Research Council (NRC) Canada have successfully developed nanostructure InAs/InP quantum dot (QD) coherence comb lasers (CCLs) around 1.55 μm. Unlike uniform semiconductor layers in most telecommunication lasers, in these QD CCLs light is emitted and amplified by millions of semiconductor QDs less than 60 nm in diameter. Each QD acts like an isolated light source acting independently of its neighbours, and each QD emits light at its own unique wavelength. The end result is a QD CCL is more stable and has ultra-low timing jitter. But most importantly, a single QD CCL can simultaneously produce 50 or more separate laser beams at distinct wavelengths over the telecommunications C-band. Utilizing those unique properties we have put considerable effort well to design, grow and fabricate InAs/InP QD gain materials. After our integrated packaging and using electrical feedback-loop control systems, we have successfully demonstrated ultra-low intensity and phase noise, frequency-stabilized integrated QD CCLs with the repetition rates from 10 GHz to 100 GHz and the total output power up to 60 mW at room temperature. We have investigated their relative intensity noises, phase noises, RF beating signals and other performance of both filtered individual channel and the whole CCLs. Those highly phase-coherence comb lasers are the promising candidates for flexible bandwidth terabit coherent optical networks and signal processing applications.

Thermoelectric effect in an Aharonov-Bohm ring with an embedded quantum dot

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Thermoelectric effect is studied in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer with an embedded quantum dot (QD) in the Coulomb blockade regime. The electrical conductance, electron thermal conductance, thermopower, and thermoelectric figure-of-merit are calculated by using the Keldysh Green's function method. It is found that the figure-of-merit ZT of the QD ring may be quite high due to the Fano effect originated from the quantum interference effect. Moreover, the thermoelectric efficiency is sensitive to the magnitude of the dot-lead and inter-lead coupling strengthes. The effect of intradot Coulomb repulsion on ZT is significant in the weak-coupling regime, and then large ZT values can be obtained at rather high temperature. PMID:22369454

Optical Absorbance Enhancement in PbS QD/Cinnamate Ligand Complexes.

PubMed

Kroupa, Daniel M; Vörös, Márton; Brawand, Nicholas P; Bronstein, Noah; McNichols, Brett W; Castaneda, Chloe V; Nozik, Arthur J; Sellinger, Alan; Galli, Giulia; Beard, Matthew C

2018-06-08

We studied the optical absorption enhancement in colloidal suspensions of PbS quantum dots (QD) upon ligand exchange from oleate to a series of cinnamate ligands. By combining experiments and ab initio simulations, we elucidate physical parameters that govern the optical absorption enhancement. We find that, within the cinnamate/PbS QD system, the optical absorption enhancement scales linearly with the electronic gap of the ligand, indicating that the ligand/QD coupling occurs equally efficient between the QD and ligand HOMO and their respective LUMO levels. Disruption of the conjugation that connects the aromatic ring and its substituents to the QD core causes a reduction of the electronic coupling. Our results further support the notion that the ligand/QD complex should be considered as a distinct chemical system with emergent behavior rather than a QD core with ligands whose sole purpose is to passivate surface dangling bonds and prevent agglomeration.

Fabrication of quantum dot/silica core-shell particles immobilizing Au nanoparticles and their dual imaging functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Yoshio; Matsudo, Hiromu; Li, Ting-ting; Shibuya, Kyosuke; Kubota, Yohsuke; Oikawa, Takahiro; Nakagawa, Tomohiko; Gonda, Kohsuke

2016-03-01

The present work proposes preparation methods for quantum dot/silica (QD/SiO2) core-shell particles that immobilize Au nanoparticles (QD/SiO2/Au). A colloid solution of QD/SiO2 core-shell particles with an average size of 47.0 ± 6.1 nm was prepared by a sol-gel reaction of tetraethyl orthosilicate in the presence of the QDs with an average size of 10.3 ± 2.1 nm. A colloid solution of Au nanoparticles with an average size of 17.9 ± 1.3 nm was prepared by reducing Au3+ ions with sodium citrate in water at 80 °C. Introduction of amino groups to QD/SiO2 particle surfaces was performed using (3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (QD/SiO2-NH2). The QD/SiO2/Au particles were fabricated by mixing the Au particle colloid solution and the QD/SiO2-NH2 particle colloid solution. Values of radiant efficiency and computed tomography for the QD/SiO2/Au particle colloid solution were 2.23 × 107 (p/s/cm2/sr)/(μW/cm2) at a QD concentration of 8 × 10-7 M and 1180 ± 314 Hounsfield units and an Au concentration of 5.4 × 10-2 M. The QD/SiO2/Au particle colloid solution was injected into a mouse chest wall. Fluorescence emitted from the colloid solution could be detected on the skin covering the chest wall. The colloid solution could also be X-ray-imaged in the chest wall. Consequently, the QD/SiO2/Au particle colloid solution was found to have dual functions, i.e., fluorescence emission and X-ray absorption in vivo, which makes the colloid solution suitable to function as a contrast agent for dual imaging processes.

MIGRATION OF INTRADERMALLY INJECTED QUANTUM DOTS TO SENTINEL ORGANS IN MICE

PubMed Central

Gopee, Neera V.; Roberts, Dean W.; Webb, Peggy; Cozart, Christy R.; Siitonen, Paul H.; Warbritton, Alan R.; Yu, William W.; Colvin, Vicki L.; Walker, Nigel J.; Howard, Paul C.

2012-01-01

Topical exposure to nanoscale materials is likely from a variety of sources including sunscreens and cosmetics. Because the in vivo disposition of nanoscale materials is not well understood, we have evaluated the distribution of quantum dots (QD) following intradermal injection into female SKH-1 hairless mice as a model system for determining tissue localization following intradermal infiltration. The QD [CdSe core, CdS capped, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) coated, 37 nm diameter, 621 nm fluorescence emission] were injected intradermally on the right dorsal flank. Within minutes following intradermal injection, the highly UV fluorescent QD could be observed moving from the injection sites apparently through the lymphatic duct system to regional lymph nodes. Residual fluorescent QD remained at the site of injection until necropsy at 24 hours. Quantification of cadmium and selenium levels after 0, 4, 8, 12 or 24 hours in multiple tissues, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) showed a time-dependent loss of cadmium from the injection site, and accumulation in the liver, regional draining lymph nodes, kidney, spleen, and hepatic lymph node. Fluorescence microscopy corroborated the ICP-MS results regarding the tissue distribution of QD. The results indicated that (a) intradermally injected nanoscale QD remained as a deposit in skin and penetrated the surrounding viable subcutis, (b) QD were distributed to draining lymph nodes through the subcutaneous lymphatics and to the liver and other organs, and (c) sentinel organs are effective locations for monitoring transdermal penetration of nanoscale materials into animals. PMID:17404394

Size and Temperature Dependence of Electron Transfer between CdSe Quantum Dots and a TiO 2 Nanobelt

DOE PAGES

Tafen, De Nyago; Prezhdo, Oleg V.

2015-02-24

Understanding charge transfer reactions between quantum dots (QD) and metal oxides is fundamental for improving photocatalytic, photovoltaic and electronic devices. The complexity of these processes makes it difficult to find an optimum QD size with rapid charge injection and low recombination. We combine time-domain density functional theory with nonadiabatic molecular dynamics to investigate the size and temperature dependence of the experimentally studied electron transfer and charge recombination at CdSe QD-TiO 2 nanobelt (NB) interfaces. The electron injection rate shows strong dependence on the QD size, increasing for small QDs. The rate exhibits Arrhenius temperature dependence, with the activation energy ofmore » the order of millielectronvolts. The charge recombination process occurs due to coupling of the electronic subsystem to vibrational modes of the TiO 2 NB. Inelastic electron-phonon scattering happens on a picosecond time scale, with strong dependence on the QD size. Our simulations demonstrate that the electron-hole recombination rate decreases significantly as the QD size increases, in excellent agreement with experiments. The temperature dependence of the charge recombination rates can be successfully modeled within the framework of the Marcus theory through optimization of the electronic coupling and the reorganization energy. Our simulations indicate that by varying the QD size, one can modulate the photoinduced charge separation and charge recombination, fundamental aspects of the design principles for high efficiency devices.« less

Synthesis, characterization and target protein binding of drug-conjugated quantum dots in vitro and in living cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Youngseon; Kim, Minjung; Cho, Yoojin; Yun, Eunsuk; Song, Rita

2013-02-01

Elucidation of unknown target proteins of a drug is of great importance in understanding cell biology and drug discovery. There have been extensive studies to discover and identify target proteins in the cell. Visualization of targets using drug-conjugated probes has been an important approach to gathering mechanistic information of drug action at the cellular level. As quantum dot (QD) nanocrystals have attracted much attention as a fluorescent probe in the bioimaging area, we prepared drug-conjugated QD to explore the potential of target discovery. As a model drug, we selected a well-known anticancer drug, methotrexate (MTX), which has been known to target dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) with high affinity binding (Kd = 0.54 nM). MTX molecules were covalently attached to amino-PEG-polymer-coated QDs. Specific interactions of MTX-conjugated QDs with DHFR were identified using agarose gel electrophoresis and fluorescence microscopy. Cellular uptake of the MTX-conjugated QDs in living CHO cells was investigated with regard to their localization and distribution pattern. MTX-QD was found to be internalized into the cells via caveolae-medicated endocytosis without significant sequestration in endosomes. A colocalization experiment of the MTX-QD conjugate with antiDHFR-TAT-QD also confirmed that MTX-QD binds to the target DHFR. This study showed the potential of the drug-QD conjugate to identify or visualize drug-target interactions in the cell, which is currently of great importance in the area of drug discovery and chemical biology.

Long-wavelength (1.3-1.5 micron) quantum dot lasers based on GaAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovsh, Alexey R.; Ledentsov, Nikolai N.; Mikhrin, Sergei S.; Zhukov, Alexey E.; Livshits, Daniil A.; Maleev, Nikolay A.; Maximov, Mikhail V.; Ustinov, Victor M.; Gubenko, Alexey E.; Gadjiev, Igor M.; Portnoi, Efim L.; Wang, Jyh Shyang; Chi, Jim Y.; Ouyang, Donald N.; Bimberg, Dieter; Lott, James A.

2004-06-01

The molecular beam epitaxy of self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) has reached a level such that the principal advantages of QD lasers can now be fully realized. We overview the most important recent results achieved to date including excellent device performance of 1.3 μm broad area and ridge waveguide lasers (Jth<150A/cm2, Ith=1.4 mA, differential efficiency above 70%, CW 300 mW single lateral mode operation), suppression of non-linearity of QD lasers, which results to improved beam quality, reduced wavelength chirp and sensitivity to optical feedback. Effect of suppression of side wall recombination in QD lasers is also described. These effects give a possibility to further improve and simplify processing and fabrication of laser modules targeting their cost reduction. Recent realization of 2 mW single mode CW operation of QD VCSEL with all-semiconductor DBR is also presented. Long-wavelength QD lasers are promising candidate for mode-locking lasers for optical computer application. Very recently 1.7-ps-wide pulses at repetition rate of 20 GHz were obtained on mode-locked QD lasers with clear indication of possible shortening of pulse width upon processing optimization. First step of unification of laser technology for telecom range with QD-lasers grown on GaAs has been done. Lasing at 1.5 μm is achieved with threshold current density of 0.8 kA/cm2 and pulsed output power 7W.

Probing the dependence of electron transfer on size and coverage in carbon nanotube-quantum dot heterostructures

DOE PAGES

Wang, Lei; Wong, Stanislaus S.; Han, Jinkyu; ...

2015-11-16

As a model system for understanding charge transfer in novel architectural designs for solar cells, double-walled carbon nanotube (DWNT)–CdSe quantum dot (QD) (QDs with average diameters of 2.3, 3.0, and 4.1 nm) heterostructures have been fabricated. The individual nanoscale building blocks were successfully attached and combined using a hole-trapping thiol linker molecule, i.e., 4-mercaptophenol (MTH), through a facile, noncovalent π–π stacking attachment strategy. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the attachment of QDs onto the external surfaces of the DWNTs. We herein demonstrate a meaningful and unique combination of near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) and Raman spectroscopies bolstered by complementary electricalmore » transport measurements in order to elucidate the synergistic interactions between CdSe QDs and DWNTs, which are facilitated by the bridging MTH molecules that can scavenge photoinduced holes and potentially mediate electron redistribution between the conduction bands in CdSe QDs and the C 2p-derived states of the DWNTs. Specifically, we correlated evidence of charge transfer as manifested by (i) changes in the NEXAFS intensities of π* resonance in the C K-edge and Cd M3-edge spectra, (ii) a perceptible outer tube G-band downshift in frequency in Raman spectra, as well as (iii) alterations in the threshold characteristics present in transport data as a function of CdSe QD deposition onto the DWNT surface. Furthermore, the separate effects of (i) varying QD sizes and (ii) QD coverage densities on the electron transfer were independently studied.« less

Hybrid structures based on gold nanoparticles and semiconductor quantum dots for biosensor applications.

PubMed

Kurochkina, Margarita; Konshina, Elena; Oseev, Aleksandr; Hirsch, Soeren

2018-01-01

The luminescence amplification of semiconductor quantum dots (QD) in the presence of self-assembled gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) is one of way for creating biosensors with highly efficient transduction. The objective of this study was to fabricate the hybrid structures based on semiconductor CdSe/ZnS QDs and Au NP arrays and to use them as biosensors of protein. In this paper, the hybrid structures based on CdSe/ZnS QDs and Au NP arrays were fabricated using spin coating processes. Au NP arrays deposited on a glass wafer were investigated by optical microscopy and absorption spectroscopy depending on numbers of spin coating layers and their baking temperature. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as the target protein analyte in a phosphate buffer. A confocal laser scanning microscope was used to study the luminescent properties of Au NP/QD hybrid structures and to test BSA. The dimensions of Au NP aggregates increased and the space between them decreased with increasing processing temperature. At the same time, a blue shift of the plasmon resonance peak in the absorption spectra of Au NP arrays was observed. The deposition of CdSe/ZnS QDs with a core diameter of 5 nm on the surface of the Au NP arrays caused an increase in absorption and a red shift of the plasmon peak in the spectra. The exciton-plasmon enhancement of the QDs' photoluminescence intensity has been obtained at room temperature for hybrid structures with Au NPs array pretreated at temperatures of 100°C and 150°C. It has been found that an increase in the weight content of BSA increases the photoluminescence intensity of such hybrid structures. The ability of the qualitative and quantitative determination of protein content in solution using the Au NP/QD structures as an optical biosensor has been shown experimentally.

Hybrid structures based on gold nanoparticles and semiconductor quantum dots for biosensor applications

PubMed Central

Kurochkina, Margarita; Konshina, Elena; Oseev, Aleksandr; Hirsch, Soeren

2018-01-01

Background The luminescence amplification of semiconductor quantum dots (QD) in the presence of self-assembled gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) is one of way for creating biosensors with highly efficient transduction. Aims The objective of this study was to fabricate the hybrid structures based on semiconductor CdSe/ZnS QDs and Au NP arrays and to use them as biosensors of protein. Methods In this paper, the hybrid structures based on CdSe/ZnS QDs and Au NP arrays were fabricated using spin coating processes. Au NP arrays deposited on a glass wafer were investigated by optical microscopy and absorption spectroscopy depending on numbers of spin coating layers and their baking temperature. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as the target protein analyte in a phosphate buffer. A confocal laser scanning microscope was used to study the luminescent properties of Au NP/QD hybrid structures and to test BSA. Results The dimensions of Au NP aggregates increased and the space between them decreased with increasing processing temperature. At the same time, a blue shift of the plasmon resonance peak in the absorption spectra of Au NP arrays was observed. The deposition of CdSe/ZnS QDs with a core diameter of 5 nm on the surface of the Au NP arrays caused an increase in absorption and a red shift of the plasmon peak in the spectra. The exciton–plasmon enhancement of the QDs’ photoluminescence intensity has been obtained at room temperature for hybrid structures with Au NPs array pretreated at temperatures of 100°C and 150°C. It has been found that an increase in the weight content of BSA increases the photoluminescence intensity of such hybrid structures. Conclusion The ability of the qualitative and quantitative determination of protein content in solution using the Au NP/QD structures as an optical biosensor has been shown experimentally. PMID:29731613

Effects of Shape and Strain Distribution of Quantum Dots on Optical Transition in the Quantum Dot Infrared Photodetectors

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

We present a systemic theoretical study of the electronic properties of the quantum dots inserted in quantum dot infrared photodetectors (QDIPs). The strain distribution of three different shaped quantum dots (QDs) with a same ratio of the base to the vertical aspect is calculated by using the short-range valence-force-field (VFF) approach. The calculated results show that the hydrostatic strain ɛHvaries little with change of the shape, while the biaxial strain ɛBchanges a lot for different shapes of QDs. The recursion method is used to calculate the energy levels of the bound states in QDs. Compared with the strain, the shape plays a key role in the difference of electronic bound energy levels. The numerical results show that the deference of bound energy levels of lenslike InAs QD matches well with the experimental results. Moreover, the pyramid-shaped QD has the greatest difference from the measured experimental data. PMID:20596318

Three-dimensional imaging for precise structural control of Si quantum dot networks for all-Si solar cells.

PubMed

Kourkoutis, Lena F; Hao, Xiaojing; Huang, Shujuan; Puthen-Veettil, Binesh; Conibeer, Gavin; Green, Martin A; Perez-Wurfl, Ivan

2013-08-21

All-Si tandem solar cells based on Si quantum dots (QDs) are a promising approach to future high-performance, thin film solar cells using abundant, stable and non-toxic materials. An important prerequisite to achieve a high conversion efficiency in such cells is the ability to control the geometry of the Si QD network. This includes the ability to control both, the size and arrangement of Si QDs embedded in a higher bandgap matrix. Using plasmon tomography we show the size, shape and density of Si QDs, that form in Si rich oxide (SRO)/SiO2 multilayers upon annealing, can be controlled by varying the SRO stoichiometry. Smaller, more spherical QDs of higher densities are obtained at lower Si concentrations. In richer SRO layers ellipsoidal QDs tend to form. Using electronic structure calculations within the effective mass approximation we show that ellipsoidal QDs give rise to reduced inter-QD coupling in the layer. Efficient carrier transport via mini-bands is in this case more likely across the multilayers provided the SiO2 spacer layer is thin enough to allow coupling in the vertical direction.

In Situ Crystallization Synthesis of CsPbBr3 Perovskite Quantum Dot-Embedded Glasses with Improved Stability for Solid-State Lighting and Random Upconverted Lasing.

PubMed

Yuan, Shuo; Chen, Daqin; Li, Xinyue; Zhong, Jiasong; Xu, Xuhui

2018-06-06

All-inorganic cesium lead bromide CsPbBr 3 perovskite quantum dots (QDs) are emerging as potential candidates for their applications in optoelectronic devices but they suffer from poor long-term stability due to their high sensitivity to UV irradiation, heat, and especially to moisture. Although great advances in improving stability of perovskite QDs have been achieved by surface modification or encapsulation in polymer and silica, they are not sufficiently refrained from external environment due to nondense structures of these protective layers. In this work, in situ nanocrystallization strategy is developed to directly grow CsPbBr 3 QDs among a specially designed TeO 2 -based glass matrix. As a result, QD-embedded glass shows typical bright green emission assigned to exciton recombination radiation and significant improvement of photon/thermal stability and water resistance due to the effective protecting role of dense structural glass. Particularly, ∼90% of emission intensity is even remained after immersing QD-embedded glass in water up to 120 h, enabling them to find promising applications in white-light-emitting device with superior color stability and low-threshold random upconverted laser under ambient air condition.

Large Negative Differential of Heat Generation in a Two-Level Quantum Dot Coupled to Ferromagnetic Leads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Ya-Jing; Zheng, Jun; Chi, Feng

2015-12-01

Heat current exchanged between a two-level quantum dot (QD) and a phonon reservoir coupled to it is studied within the nonequilibrium Green's function method. We consider that the QD is connected to the left and right ferromagnetic leads. It is found that the negative differential of the heat generation (NDHG) phenomenon, i.e., the intensity of the heat generation decreases with increasing bias voltage, is obviously enhanced as compared to that in single-level QD system. The NDHG can emerge in the absence of the negative differential conductance of the electric current, and occurs in different bias voltage regions when the magnetic moments of the two leads are arranged in parallel or antiparallel configurations. The characteristics of the found phenomena can be understood by examining the change of the electron number on the dot. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 61274101 and the Liaoning Excellent Talents Programand (LJQ2013118), the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology of Beijing Institute of Technology (KFJJ14-08M)

Influence of phonon reservoir on photon blockade in a driven quantum dot-cavity system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gao, Bo; Li, Gao-xiang, E-mail: gaox@phy.ccnu.edu.cn; Zhu, Jia-pei, E-mail: fengxue0506@163.com

2016-03-14

We theoretically investigate the influence of the phonon bath on photon blockade in a simultaneously driven dot-cavity system. An optimal condition for avoiding two-photon excitation of a cavity field is put forward which can be achieved by modulating the phase difference and the strengths of the driving fields. The second-order correlation function and the mean photon number of the cavity field are discussed. In the absence of phonon effect, the strong photon blockade in a moderate quantum dot (QD)-cavity coupling regime occurs, which can be attributed to the destructive quantum interference arisen from different transition paths induced by simultaneously drivingmore » the dressed QD-cavity system. The participation of acoustic-phonon reservoir produces new transition channels for the QD-cavity system, which leads to the damage of destructive interference. As a result, the photon blockade effect is hindered when taking the electron-phonon interaction into account. It is also found that the temperature of the phonon reservoir is disadvantageous for the generation of photon blockade.« less

Single photon emission of a charge-tunable GaAs/Al{sub 0.25}Ga{sub 0.75}As droplet quantum dot device

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Langer, Fabian, E-mail: fabian.langer@physik.uni-wuerzburg.de; Plischke, David; Kamp, Martin

2014-08-25

In this work, we report the fabrication of a charge-tunable GaAs/Al{sub 0.25}Ga{sub 0.75}As quantum dot (QD) device containing QDs deposited by modified droplet epitaxy producing almost strain and composition gradient free QDs. We obtained a QD density in the low 10{sup 9 }cm{sup −2} range that enables us to perform spectroscopy on single droplet QDs showing linewidths as narrow as 40 μeV. The integration of the QDs into a Schottky diode allows us to controllably charge a single QD with up to four electrons, while non-classical photoluminescence is proven by photon auto-correlation measurements showing photon-antibunching (g{sup (2)}(0) = 0.05).

Bandgap Tuning of Silicon Quantum Dots by Surface Functionalization with Conjugated Organic Groups.

PubMed

Zhou, Tianlei; Anderson, Ryan T; Li, Huashan; Bell, Jacob; Yang, Yongan; Gorman, Brian P; Pylypenko, Svitlana; Lusk, Mark T; Sellinger, Alan

2015-06-10

The quantum confinement and enhanced optical properties of silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) make them attractive as an inexpensive and nontoxic material for a variety of applications such as light emitting technologies (lighting, displays, sensors) and photovoltaics. However, experimental demonstration of these properties and practical application into optoelectronic devices have been limited as SiQDs are generally passivated with covalently bound insulating alkyl chains that limit charge transport. In this work, we show that strategically designed triphenylamine-based surface ligands covalently bonded to the SiQD surface using conjugated vinyl connectivity results in a 70 nm red-shifted photoluminescence relative to their decyl-capped control counterparts. This suggests that electron density from the SiQD is delocalized into the surface ligands to effectively create a larger hybrid QD with possible macroscopic charge transport properties.

Passive and active targeting of quantum dots for whole-body fluorescence imaging of breast cancer xenografts.

PubMed

Balalaeva, Irina V; Zdobnova, Tatiana A; Krutova, Irina V; Brilkina, Anna A; Lebedenko, Ekaterina N; Deyev, Sergey M

2012-11-01

Far-red and near-infrared fluorescent quantum dots (QDs) have become advancing contrast agents for efficient whole-body tumor imaging. In this study, we investigated the possibility of the vital fluorescence imaging of tumor using two contrast agents on the basis of QDs: bioinert QDs coated with polyethyleneglycol and QDs bound with anti-HER2/neu scFv antibodies. HER2/neu-positive breast cancer tumor xenografts in nude mice were used as a model. It was shown that both bioinert and tumor-targeted QD probes can be successfully applied for visualization of the tumor using in vivo imaging method, but fluorescent signal of QD-4D5scFv in tumors was considerably stronger than that of QD-PEG. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effects of hydrostatic pressure on the donor impurity in a cylindrical quantum dot with Morse confining potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayrapetyan, David B.; Kotanjyan, Tigran V.; Tevosyan, Hovhannes Kh.; Kazaryan, Eduard M.

2016-12-01

The effects of hydrostatic pressure and size quantization on the binding energies of a hydrogen-like donor impurity in cylindrical GaAs quantum dot (QD) with Morse confining potential are studied using the variational method and effective-mass approximation. In the cylindrical QD, the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the binding energy of electron has been investigated and it has been found that the application of the hydrostatic pressure leads to the blue shift. The dependence of the absorption edge on geometrical parameters of cylindrical QD is obtained. Selection rules are revealed for transitions between levels with different quantum numbers. It is shown that for the radial quantum number, transitions are allowed between the levels with the same quantum numbers, and any transitions between different levels are allowed for the principal quantum number.

Excitation power dependence of photoluminescence spectra of GaSb type-II quantum dots in GaAs grown by droplet epitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kawazu, T., E-mail: KAWAZU.Takuya@nims.go.jp; Noda, T.; Sakuma, Y.

2016-04-15

We investigated the excitation power P dependence of photoluminescence (PL) spectra of GaSb type-II quantum dots (QDs) in GaAs grown by droplet epitaxy. We prepared two QD samples annealed at slightly different temperatures (380 {sup o}C and 400 {sup o}C) and carried out PL measurements. The 20 {sup o}C increase of the annealing temperature leads to (1) about 140 and 60 times stronger wetting layer (WL) luminescence at low and high P, (2) about 45% large energy shift of QD luminescence with P, and (3) the different P dependence of the PL intensity ratio between the QD and the WL. These differences ofmore » the PL characteristics are explained by the effects of the WL.« less

Electronic properties of single Ge/Si quantum dot grown by ion beam sputtering deposition.

PubMed

Wang, C; Ke, S Y; Yang, J; Hu, W D; Qiu, F; Wang, R F; Yang, Y

2015-03-13

The dependence of the electronic properties of a single Ge/Si quantum dot (QD) grown by the ion-beam sputtering deposition technique on growth temperature and QD diameter is investigated by conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM). The Si-Ge intermixing effect is demonstrated to be important for the current distribution of single QDs. The current staircase induced by the Coulomb blockade effect is observed at higher growth temperatures (>700 °C) due to the formation of an additional barrier between dislocated QDs and Si substrate for the resonant tunneling of holes. According to the proposed single-hole-tunneling model, the fact that the intermixing effect is observed to increase as the incoherent QD size decreases may explain the increase in the starting voltage of the current staircase and the decrease in the current step width.

Mysteries of TOPSe revealed: insights into quantum dot nucleation.

PubMed

Evans, Christopher M; Evans, Meagan E; Krauss, Todd D

2010-08-18

We have investigated the reaction mechanism responsible for QD nucleation using optical absorption and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. For typical II-VI and IV-VI quantum dot (QD) syntheses, pure tertiary phosphine selenide sources (e.g., trioctylphosphine selenide (TOPSe)) were surprisingly found to be unreactive with metal carboxylates and incapable of yielding QDs. Rather, small quantities of secondary phosphines, which are impurities in tertiary phosphines, are entirely responsible for the nucleation of QDs; their low concentrations account for poor synthetic conversion yields. QD yields increase to nearly quantitative levels when replacing TOPSe with a stoiciometric amount of a secondary phosphine chalcogenide such as diphenylphosphine selenide. Based on our observations, we have proposed potential monomer identities, reaction pathways, and transition states and believe this mechanism to be universal to all II-VI and IV-VI QDs synthesized using phosphine based methods.

Mysteries of TOPSe Revealed: Insights into Quantum Dot Nucleation

PubMed Central

Evans, Christopher M.; Evans, Meagan E.

2010-01-01

We have investigated the reaction mechanism responsible for QD nucleation using optical absorption and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. For typical II-VI and IV-VI quantum dot (QD) syntheses, pure tertiary phosphine selenide sources (e.g. trioctylphosphine selenide (TOPSe)) were surprisingly found to be unreactive with metal carboxylates and incapable of yielding QDs. Rather, small quantities of secondary phosphines, which are impurities in tertiary phosphines, are entirely responsible for the nucleation of QDs; their low concentrations account for poor synthetic conversion yields. QD yields increase to nearly quantitative levels when replacing TOPSe with a stoiciometric amount of a secondary phosphine chalcogenide such as diphenylphosphine selenide. Based on our observations, we have proposed potential monomer identities, reaction pathways and transition states, and believe this mechanism to be universal to all II-VI and IV-VI QDs synthesized using phosphine based methods. PMID:20698646

Electron-Electron and Electron-Phonon interactions effects on the tunnel electronic spectrum of PbS quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hongyue; Lhuillier, Emmanuel; Yu, Qian; Mottaghizadeh, Alireza; Ulysse, Christian; Zimmers, Alexandre; Dubertret, Benoit; Aubin, Herve

2015-03-01

We present a tunnel spectroscopy study of the electronic spectrum of single PbS Quantum Dots (QDs) trapped between nanometer-spaced electrodes, measured at low temperature T=5 K. The carrier filling of the QD can be controlled either by the drain voltage in the shell filling regime or by a gate voltage. In the empty QD, the tunnel spectrum presents the expected signature of the 8x degenerated excited levels. In the drain controlled shell filling regime, the levels degeneracies are lifted by the global electrostatic Coulomb energy of the QD; in the gate controlled shell filling regime, the levels degeneracies are lifted by the intra-Coulomb interactions. In the charged quantum dot, electron-phonons interactions lead to the apparition of Franck-Condon side bands on the single excited levels and possibly Franck Condon blockade at low energy. The sharpening of excited levels at higher gate voltage suggests that the magnitude of electron-phonon interactions is decreased upon increasing the electron filling in the quantum dot. This work was supported by the French ANR Grants 10-BLAN-0409-01, 09-BLAN-0388-01, by the Region Ile-de-France in the framework of DIM Nano-K and by China Scholarship Council.

Highly efficient near-infrared light-emitting diodes by using type-II CdTe/CdSe core/shell quantum dots as a phosphor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Huaibin; Zheng, Ying; Wang, Hongzhe; Xu, Weiwei; Qian, Lei; Yang, Yixing; Titov, Alexandre; Hyvonen, Jake; Li, Lin Song

2013-11-01

In this paper, we present an innovative method for the synthesis of CdTe/CdSe type-II core/shell structure quantum dots (QDs) using ‘greener’ chemicals. The PL of CdTe/CdSe type-II core/shell structure QDs ranges from 600 to 820 nm, and the as-synthesized core/shell structures show narrow size distributions and stable and high quantum yields (50-75%). Highly efficient near-infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been demonstrated by employing the CdTe/CdSe type-II core/shell QDs as emitters. The devices fabricated based on these type-II core/shell QDs show color-saturated near-infrared emission from the QD layers, a low turn-on voltage of 1.55 V, an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 1.59%, and a current density and maximum radiant emittance of 2.1 × 103 mA cm-2 and 17.7 mW cm-2 at 8 V it is the first report to use type-II core/shell QDs as near-infrared emitters and these results may offer a practicable platform for the realization of near-infrared QD-based light-emitting diodes, night-vision-readable displays, and friend/foe identification system.

Assessment of Quantum Dot Penetration into Skin in Different Species Under Different Mechanical Actions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monteiro-Riviere, N. A.; Zhang, L. W.

Skin penetration is one of the major routes of exposure for nanoparticles to gain access to a biological system. QD nanoparticles have received a great deal of attention due to their fluorescent characteristics and potential use in medical applications. However, little is known about their permeability in skin. This study focuses on three types of quantum dots (QD) with different surface coatings and concentrations on their ability to penetrate skin. QD621 (polyethylene glycol coated, PEG) was studied for 24 h in porcine skin flow-through diffusion cells. QD565 and QD655 coated with carboxylic acid were studied for 8 and 24 h in flow-through diffusion cells with flexed, tape stripped and abraded rat skin to determine if these mechanical actions could perturb the barrier and affect penetration. Confocal microscopy depicted QD621 penetration through the uppermost layers of the stratum corneum (SC) and fluorescence was found in the SC and near hair follicles. QD621 were found in the intercellular lipid layers of the SC by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). QD565 and 655 with flexed and tape-stripped skin did not show penetration; only abraded skin showed penetration in the viable dermal layers. In all QD studies, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis for cadmium (Cd) and fluorescence for QD did not detect Cd or fluorescence signal in the perfusate at any time point, concentration or type of QD. These results indicate that porcine skin penetration of QD621 is minimal and limited primarily to the outer SC layers, while QD565 and 655 penetrated into the dermis of abraded skin. The anatomical complexity of skin and species differences should be taken into consideration when selecting an animal model to study nanoparticle absorption/penetration. These findings are of importance to risk assessment for nanoscale materials because it indicates that if skin barrier is altered such as in wounds, scrapes, or dermatitis conditions could affect nanoparticle penetration deeper into the dermal layers and skin is an important organ and can serve as a potential route of exposure and should not be overlooked.

Waveguide and active region structure optimization for low-divergence InAs/InGaAs quantum dot comb lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korenev, Vladimir V.; Savelyev, Artem V.; Zhukov, Alexey E.; Maximov, Mikhail V.; Omelchenko, Alexander V.

2015-05-01

Ways to improve beam divergence and energy consumption of quantum dot lasers emitting via the ground-state optical transitions by optimization of the key parameters of laser active region are discussed. It is shown that there exist an optimal cavity length, dispersion of inhomogeneous broadening and number of QD layers in active region allowing to obtain lasing spectrum of a given width at minimum injection current. The planar dielectric waveguide of the laser is optimized by analytical means for a better trade-off between high Γ-factor and low beam divergence.

Multifunctional quantum dot-polypeptide hybrid nanogel for targeted imaging and drug delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jie; Yao, Ming-Hao; Wen, Lang; Song, Ji-Tao; Zhang, Ming-Zhen; Zhao, Yuan-Di; Liu, Bo

2014-09-01

A new type of multifunctional quantum dot (QD)-polypeptide hybrid nanogel with targeted imaging and drug delivery properties has been developed by metal-affinity driven self-assembly between artificial polypeptides and CdSe-ZnS core-shell QDs. On the surface of QDs, a tunable sandwich-like microstructure consisting of two hydrophobic layers and one hydrophilic layer between them was verified by capillary electrophoresis, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering measurements. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs can be simultaneously loaded in a QD-polypeptide nanogel. In vitro drug release of drug-loaded QD-polypeptide nanogels varies strongly with temperature, pH, and competitors. A drug-loaded QD-polypeptide nanogel with an arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif exhibited efficient receptor-mediated endocytosis in αvβ3 overexpressing HeLa cells but not in the control MCF-7 cells as analyzed by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. In contrast, non-targeted QD-polypeptide nanogels revealed minimal binding and uptake in HeLa cells. Compared with the original QDs, the QD-polypeptide nanogels showed lower in vitro cytotoxicity for both HeLa cells and NIH 3T3 cells. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of the targeted QD-polypeptide nanogel was lower for normal NIH 3T3 cells than that for HeLa cancer cells. These results demonstrate that the integration of imaging and drug delivery functions in a single QD-polypeptide nanogel has the potential for application in cancer diagnosis, imaging, and therapy.A new type of multifunctional quantum dot (QD)-polypeptide hybrid nanogel with targeted imaging and drug delivery properties has been developed by metal-affinity driven self-assembly between artificial polypeptides and CdSe-ZnS core-shell QDs. On the surface of QDs, a tunable sandwich-like microstructure consisting of two hydrophobic layers and one hydrophilic layer between them was verified by capillary electrophoresis, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering measurements. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs can be simultaneously loaded in a QD-polypeptide nanogel. In vitro drug release of drug-loaded QD-polypeptide nanogels varies strongly with temperature, pH, and competitors. A drug-loaded QD-polypeptide nanogel with an arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif exhibited efficient receptor-mediated endocytosis in αvβ3 overexpressing HeLa cells but not in the control MCF-7 cells as analyzed by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. In contrast, non-targeted QD-polypeptide nanogels revealed minimal binding and uptake in HeLa cells. Compared with the original QDs, the QD-polypeptide nanogels showed lower in vitro cytotoxicity for both HeLa cells and NIH 3T3 cells. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of the targeted QD-polypeptide nanogel was lower for normal NIH 3T3 cells than that for HeLa cancer cells. These results demonstrate that the integration of imaging and drug delivery functions in a single QD-polypeptide nanogel has the potential for application in cancer diagnosis, imaging, and therapy. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr03058c

Equilibrium charge fluctuations of a charge detector and its effect on a nearby quantum dot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz-Tijerina, David; Vernek, Edson; Ulloa, Sergio

2014-03-01

We study the Kondo state of a spin-1/2 quantum dot (QD), in close proximity to a quantum point contact (QPC) charge detector near the conductance regime of the 0.7 anomaly. The electrostatic coupling between the QD and QPC introduces a remote gate on the QD level, which varies with the QPC gate voltage. Furthermore, models for the 0.7 anomaly [Y. Meir et al., PRL 89,196802(2002)] suggest that the QPC lodges a Kondo-screened level with charge-correlated hybridization, which may be also affected by capacitive coupling to the QD, giving rise to a competition between the two Kondo ground states. We model the QD-QPC system as two capacitively-coupled Kondo impurities, and explore the zero-bias transport of both the QD and the QPC for different local gate voltages and coupling strengths, using the numerical renormalization group and variational methods. We find that the capacitive coupling produces a remote gating effect, non-monotonic in the gate voltages, which reduces the gate voltage window for Kondo screening in either impurity, and which can also drive a quantum phase transition out of the Kondo regime. Our study is carried out for intermediate coupling strengths, and as such is highly relevant to experiments; particularly, to recent studies of decoherence effects on QDs. Supported by MWN/CIAM and NSF PIRE.

Quantum dots and duplex-specific nuclease enabled ultrasensitive detection and serotyping of Dengue viruses in one step in a single tube.

PubMed

Shen, Wei; Gao, Zhiqiang

2015-03-15

Leveraging on the enzymatic processing of Dengue virus (DV) RNA hybridized quantum dot-capped DNA capture probes (QD-CPs), an ultrasensitive assay for the detection and serotyping of DVs is described in the report. Briefly, DV-specific DNA CPs are first capped by QDs and then conjugated to magnetic beads. In a sample solution, strands of DV RNA form heteroduplexes with the QD-CPs on the magnetic beads. The CPs together with the QDs in the heteroduplexes are subsequently cleaved off the magnetic beads by a duplex-specific nuclease (DSN), releasing the QDs to the solution, freeing the target RNA strands, and availing them for another around of hybridization with the remaining QD-CPs. After removing the magnetic beads along with unreacted (uncleaved) QD-CPs by using a permanent magnet, ultrasensitive fluorescent detection of DV is realized through the cleaved QDs. Serotyping of DV is accomplished by a judicious design of the QD-CPs. The assay combines excellent signal generation by the highly fluorescent QDs and the effortlessness of utilizing magnetic beads in the removal of the unreacted QD-CPs. The highly efficient DSN cleavage in conjunction with its excellent mismatch discrimination ability permits serotyping of DVs in one tube with excellent sensitivity and selectivity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coexistence of strongly and weakly confined energy levels in (Cd,Zn)Se quantum dots: Tailoring the near-band-edge and defect-levels for white light emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Tapan Kumar; Ilaiyaraja, P.; Sudakar, C.

2017-05-01

We demonstrate white light emission (WLE) from (Cd,Zn)Se system, which is a composite of Zn alloyed CdSe quantum dot and ZnSe-amorphous (ZnSe-a) phase. Detailed structural and photoluminescence emission studies on pure CdSe and (Cd,Zn)Se show cubic zinc blende structure in the size range of 2.5 to 5 nm. (Cd,Zn)Se quantum dots (QDs) also have a significant fraction of ZnSe-a phase. The near-band-edge green-emission in crystalline CdSe and (Cd,Zn)Se is tunable between 500 to 600 nm. The (Cd,Zn)Se system also exhibits a broad, deep defect level (DL) red-emission in the range 600 to 750 nm and a sharp ZnSe near-band-edge blue-emission (ZS-NBE) between 445 to 465 nm. While DL and CdSe near-band-edge (CS-NBE) emissions significantly shift with the size of QD due to strong confinement effect, the ZS-NBE show minimal change in peak position indicating a weak confinement effect. The intensities of ZS-NBE and DL emissions also exhibit a strong dependence on the QD size. A gamut of emission colors is obtained by combining the CS-NBE with the ZS-NBE emission and broad DL emission in (Cd,Zn)Se system. Interestingly, we find the convergence of Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates towards the white light with increasing Zn concentration in CdSe. We demonstrate by combining these three emissions in a proper weight ratio WLE can be achieved. Cd1-yZnySe (y = 0. 5; QD size ˜4.9 nm) alloy with a maximum quantum yield of 57% exhibits CIE coordinates of (0.39, 0.4), color rendering index (CRI) of 82, correlated color temperature (CCT) of 3922 K, and Duv of 0.0078 which is very promising for white light applications.

Quantum-dot light-emitting diodes utilizing CdSe /ZnS nanocrystals embedded in TiO2 thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Seung-Hee; Kumar, Ch. Kiran; Lee, Zonghoon; Kim, Kyung-Hyun; Huh, Chul; Kim, Eui-Tae

2008-11-01

Quantum-dot (QD) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are demonstrated on Si wafers by embedding core-shell CdSe /ZnS nanocrystals in TiO2 thin films via plasma-enhanced metallorganic chemical vapor deposition. The n-TiO2/QDs /p-Si LED devices show typical p-n diode current-voltage and efficient electroluminescence characteristics, which are critically affected by the removal of QD surface ligands. The TiO2/QDs /Si system we presented can offer promising Si-based optoelectronic and electronic device applications utilizing numerous nanocrystals synthesized by colloidal solution chemistry.

High speed all optical logic gates based on quantum dot semiconductor optical amplifiers.

PubMed

Ma, Shaozhen; Chen, Zhe; Sun, Hongzhi; Dutta, Niloy K

2010-03-29

A scheme to realize all-optical Boolean logic functions AND, XOR and NOT using semiconductor optical amplifiers with quantum-dot active layers is studied. nonlinear dynamics including carrier heating and spectral hole-burning are taken into account together with the rate equations scheme. Results show with QD excited state and wetting layer serving as dual-reservoir of carriers, as well as the ultra fast carrier relaxation of the QD device, this scheme is suitable for high speed Boolean logic operations. Logic operation can be carried out up to speed of 250 Gb/s.

Elliptical quantum dots as on-demand single photons sources with deterministic polarization states

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Teng, Chu-Hsiang; Demory, Brandon; Ku, Pei-Cheng, E-mail: peicheng@umich.edu

In quantum information, control of the single photon's polarization is essential. Here, we demonstrate single photon generation in a pre-programmed and deterministic polarization state, on a chip-scale platform, utilizing site-controlled elliptical quantum dots (QDs) synthesized by a top-down approach. The polarization from the QD emission is found to be linear with a high degree of linear polarization and parallel to the long axis of the ellipse. Single photon emission with orthogonal polarizations is achieved, and the dependence of the degree of linear polarization on the QD geometry is analyzed.

Infrared absorption and admittance spectroscopy of Ge quantum dots on a strained SiGe layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakimov, A. I.; Nikiforov, A. I.; Timofeev, V. A.; Dvurechenskii, A. V.

2011-12-01

A combined infrared absorption and admittance spectroscopy is carried out in examining the energy level structure and the hole emission process in self-assembled Ge quantum dots (QDs) placed on a strained Si0.65Ge0.35 quantum well (QW), which, in turn, is incorporated in a Si matrix. In the midinfrared spectral range, the dots exhibit three dominant absorption bands peaked at 130, 250 and 390 meV. By a comparison between absorption measurements and six-band {\\bf k}\\;{\\bm \\cdot}\\;{\\bf p} calculations, the long-wave (~130 meV) resonance is attributed to a transition from the QD hole ground state to the two-dimensional heavy-hole states confined in the Si0.65Ge0.35 layer. The mid-wave absorption band around 390 meV is ascribed to a transition from the QD hole ground state to the three-dimensional continuum states of the Si matrix. An equivalent absorption cross section for these two types of transitions is determined to be 1.2 × 10-15 cm2 and 1.2 × 10-16 cm2, respectively. The origin of the transmission minimum around 250 meV is more ambiguous. We tentatively propose that it can be due to transition either from the highest heavy-hole subband of the Si0.65Ge0.35 QW to continuum states above the Si barrier or from the dot states to the light-hole and split-off subbands of the Si0.65Ge0.35 layer. The photoinduced bleaching of the near-infrared absorption is detected under interband optical excitation of undoped samples. This finding is explained by blocking the interband transitions inside the dots due to the state filling effect. By using the admittance spectroscopy, the mechanism of hole escape from QDs in the presence of an ac vertical electric field is identified. A thermally activated emission from the QD ground state into the two-dimensional states of the Si0.65Ge0.35 well is observed. From the temperature- and frequency-dependent measurements the QD hole ground state is determined to be located ~160 meV below the heavy-hole subband of the Si0.65Ge0.35 layer in good agreement with the results obtained by infrared absorption spectroscopy and six-band {\\bf k}\\;{\\bm \\cdot}\\;{\\bf p} theory. The information acquired from our experimental observations is valuable for feasible device applications.

Towards Scalable Entangled Photon Sources with Self-Assembled InAs /GaAs Quantum Dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jianping; Gong, Ming; Guo, G.-C.; He, Lixin

2015-08-01

The biexciton cascade process in self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) provides an ideal system for realizing deterministic entangled photon-pair sources, which are essential to quantum information science. The entangled photon pairs have recently been generated in experiments after eliminating the fine-structure splitting (FSS) of excitons using a number of different methods. Thus far, however, QD-based sources of entangled photons have not been scalable because the wavelengths of QDs differ from dot to dot. Here, we propose a wavelength-tunable entangled photon emitter mounted on a three-dimensional stressor, in which the FSS and exciton energy can be tuned independently, thereby enabling photon entanglement between dissimilar QDs. We confirm these results via atomistic pseudopotential calculations. This provides a first step towards future realization of scalable entangled photon generators for quantum information applications.

Biological interactions of quantum dot nanoparticles in skin and in human epidermal keratinocytes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Leshuai W.; Yu, William W.; Colvin, Vicki L.

2008-04-15

Quantum dots nanoparticles have novel optical properties for biomedical applications and electronics, but little is known about their skin permeability and interaction with cells. QD621 are nail-shaped nanoparticles that contain a cadmium/selenide core with a cadmium sulfide shell coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and are soluble in water. QD were topically applied to porcine skin flow-through diffusion cells to assess penetration at 1 {mu}M, 2 {mu}M and 10 {mu}M for 24 h. QD were also studied in human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK) to determine cellular uptake, cytotoxicity and inflammatory potential. Confocal microscopy depicted the penetration of QD621 through the uppermost stratummore » corneum (SC) layers of the epidermis and fluorescence was found primarily in the SC and near hair follicles. QD were found in the intercellular lipid bilayers of the SC by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis for cadmium (Cd) and fluorescence for QD both did not detect Cd nor fluorescence signal in the perfusate at any time point or concentration. In HEK, viability decreased significantly (p < 0.05) from 1.25 nM to 10nM after 24 h and 48 h. There was a significant increase in IL-6 at 1.25 nM to 10 nM, while IL-8 increased from 2.5nM to 10nM after 24 h and 48 h. TEM of HEK treated with 10 nM of QD621 at 24 h depicted QD in cytoplasmic vacuoles and at the periphery of the cell membranes. These results indicate that porcine skin penetration of QD621 is minimal and limited primarily to the outer SC layers, yet if the skin were damaged allowing direct QD exposure to skin or keratinocytes, an inflammatory response could be initiated.« less

Tunneling conductance in superconductor-hybrid double quantum dots Josephson junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chamoli, Tanuj; Ajay

2018-05-01

The present work deals with the theoretical model study to analyse the tunneling conductance across a superconductor hybrid double quantum dots tunnel junction (S-DQD-S). Recently, there are many experimental works where the Josephson current across such nanoscopic junction is found to be dependent on nature of the superconducting electrodes, coupling of the hybrid double quantum dot's electronic states with the electronic states of the superconductors and nature of electronic structure of the coupled dots. For this, we have attempted a theoretical model containing contributions of BCS superconducting leads, magnetic coupled quantum dot states and coupling of superconducting leads with QDs. In order to include magnetic coupled QDs the contributions of competitive Kondo and Ruderman-Kittel- Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction terms are also introduced through many body effects in the model Hamiltonian at low temperatures (where Kondo temperature TK < superconducting transition temperature TC). Employing non-equilibrium Green's function approach within mean field approximation, we have obtained expressions for density of states (DOS) and analysed the same using numerical computation to underline the nature of DOS close to Fermi level in S-DQD-S junctions. On the basis of numerical computation, it is pointed out that indirect exchange interaction between impurities (QD) i.e. RKKY interaction suppresses the screening of magnetic QD due to Cooper pair electrons i.e. Kondo effect in the form of reduction in the magnitude of sharp DOS peak close to Fermi level which is in qualitative agreement with the experimental observations in such tunnel junctions. Tunneling conductance is proportional to DOS, hence we can analyse it's behaviour with the help of DOS.

Bioconjugates of luminescent CdSe-ZnS quantum dots with an engineered two-domain protein G for use in fluoroimmunoassays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Phan T.; Goldman, Ellen R.; Mattoussi, Hedi M.; Anderson, George P.; Mauro, J. Matthew

2001-06-01

Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) seem suitable for labeling certain biomolecules for use in fluorescent tagging applications, such as fluoro-immunoassays. Compared to organic dye labels, Qds are resistant to photo-degradation, and these luminescent nanoparticles have size-dependent emission spectra spanning a wide range of wavelengths in the visible and near IR. We previously described an electrostatic self-assembly approach for conjugating highly luminescent colloidal CdSe-ZnS core-shell Qds with engineered two-domain recombinant proteins. Here we describe the application of this approach to prepare QD conjugates with the (Beta) 2 immunoglobin G (IgG) binding domain of streptococcal protein G (PG) appended with a basic lucine zipper attachment domain (PG-zb). We also demonstrate that the QD/PG conjugates retain their ability to bind IgG antibodies, and that a specific antibody coupled to QD via the PG functional domain efficiently binds its antigen. These preliminary results indicate that electrostatically self-assembled QD/PG-zb/IgG bioconjugates can be used in fluoro-immunoassays.

Ring-shaped active mode-locked tunable laser using quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Mingxiao; Wang, Yongjun; Liu, Xinyu

2018-03-01

In this paper, a lot of simulations has been done for ring-shaped active mode-locked lasers with quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier (QD-SOA). Based on the simulation model of QD-SOA, we discussed about the influence towards mode-locked waveform frequency and pulse caused by QD-SOA maximum mode peak gain, active layer loss coefficient, bias current, incident light pulse, fiber nonlinear coefficient. In the meantime, we also take the tunable performance of the laser into consideration. Results showed QD-SOA a better performance than original semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) in recovery time, line width, and nonlinear coefficients, which makes it possible to output a locked-mode impulse that has a higher impulse power, narrower impulse width as well as the phase is more easily controlled. After a lot of simulations, this laser can realize a 20GHz better locked-mode output pulse after 200 loops, where the power is above 17.5mW, impulse width is less than 2.7ps, moreover, the tunable wavelength range is between 1540nm-1580nm.

Improving Si solar cell performance using Mn:ZnSe quantum dot-doped PLMA thin film

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Poly(lauryl methacrylate) (PLMA) thin film doped with Mn:ZnSe quantum dots (QDs) was spin-deposited on the front surface of Si solar cell for enhancing the solar cell efficiency via photoluminescence (PL) conversion. Significant solar cell efficiency enhancements (approximately 5% to 10%) under all-solar-spectrum (AM0) condition were observed after QD-doped PLMA coatings. Furthermore, the real contribution of the PL conversion was precisely assessed by investigating the photovoltaic responses of the QD-doped PLMA to monochromatic and AM0 light sources as functions of QD concentration, combined with reflectance and external quantum efficiency measurements. At a QD concentration of 1.6 mg/ml for example, among the efficiency enhancement of 5.96%, about 1.04% was due to the PL conversion, and the rest came from antireflection. Our work indicates that for the practical use of PL conversion in solar cell performance improvement, cautions are to be taken, as the achieved efficiency enhancement might not be wholly due to the PL conversion. PMID:23787125

All-solution-processed PbS quantum dot solar modules.

PubMed

Jang, Jihoon; Shim, Hyung Cheoul; Ju, Yeonkyeong; Song, Jung Hoon; An, Hyejin; Yu, Jong-Su; Kwak, Sun-Woo; Lee, Taik-Min; Kim, Inyoung; Jeong, Sohee

2015-05-21

A rapid increase in power conversion efficiencies in colloidal quantum dot (QD) solar cells has been achieved recently with lead sulphide (PbS) QDs by adapting a heterojunction architecture, which consists of small-area devices associated with a vacuum-deposited buffer layer with metal electrodes. The preparation of QD solar modules by low-cost solution processes is required to further increase the power-to-cost ratio. Herein we demonstrate all-solution-processed flexible PbS QD solar modules with a layer-by-layer architecture comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate/indium tin oxide (ITO)/titanium oxide (TiO2)/PbS QD/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) : poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT : PSS)/Ag, with an active area of up to 30 cm(2), exhibiting a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 1.3% under AM 1.5 conditions (PCE of 2.2% for a 1 cm(2) unit cell). Our approach affords trade-offs between power and the active area of the photovoltaic devices, which results in a low-cost power source, and which is scalable to larger areas.

Hybrid quantum dot-tin disulfide field-effect transistors with improved photocurrent and spectral responsivity

DOE PAGES

Cotlet, Mircea; Huang, Yuan Zang; Chen, Jia -Shiang; ...

2016-03-24

We report an improved photosensitivity in few-layer tin disulfide (SnS 2) field-effect transistors(FETs) following doping with CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots(QDs). The hybrid QD-SnS 2 FET devices achieve more than 500% increase in the photocurrent response compared with the starting SnS 2-only FET device and a spectral responsivity reaching over 650 A/W at 400 nm wavelength. The negligible electrical conductance in a control QD-only FET device suggests that the energy transfer between QDs and SnS 2 is the main mechanism responsible for the sensitization effect, which is consistent with the strong spectral overlap between QDphotoluminescence and SnS 2 optical absorption asmore » well as the large nominal donor-acceptor interspacing between QD core and SnS 2. Furthermore, we also find enhanced charge carrier mobility in hybrid QD-SnS 2 FETs which we attribute to a reduced contact Schottky barrier width due to an elevated background charge carrier density.« less

Tuning of polarization sensitivity in closely stacked trilayer InAs/GaAs quantum dots induced by overgrowth dynamics.

PubMed

Tasco, Vittorianna; Usman, Muhammad; De Giorgi, Milena; Passaseo, Adriana

2014-02-07

Tailoring of electronic and optical properties of self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) is a critical limit for the design of several QD-based optoelectronic devices operating in the telecom frequency range. We describe how fine control of the strain-induced surface kinetics during the growth of vertically stacked multiple layers of QDs allows for the engineering of their self-organization process. Most noticeably, this study shows that the underlying strain field induced along a QD stack can be modulated and controlled by time-dependent intermixing and segregation effects occurring after capping with a GaAs spacer. This leads to a drastic increase of the TM/TE polarization ratio of emitted light, not accessible from conventional growth parameters. Our detailed experimental measurements, supported by comprehensive multi-million atom simulations of strain, electronic and optical properties, provide in-depth analysis of the grown QD samples allowing us to give a clear picture of the atomic scale phenomena affecting the proposed growth dynamics and consequent QD polarization response.

Silicon Quantum Dot Nanoparticles with Antifouling Coatings for Immunostaining on Live Cancer Cells.

PubMed

Tu, Chang-Ching; Chen, Kuang-Po; Yang, Tsu-An; Chou, Min-Yuan; Lin, Lih Y; Li, Yaw-Kuen

2016-06-08

Fluorescent silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) have shown a great potential as antiphotobleaching, nontoxic and biodegradable labels for various in vitro and in vivo applications. However, fabricating SiQDs with high water-solubility and high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) remains a challenge. Furthermore, for targeted imaging, their surface chemistry has to be capable of conjugating to antibodies, as well as sufficiently antifouling. Herein, antibody-conjugated SiQD nanoparticles (SiQD-NPs) with antifouling coatings composed of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) are demonstrated for immunostaining on live cancer cells. The monodisperse SiQD-NPs of diameter about 130 nm are synthesized by a novel top-down method, including electrochemical etching, photochemical hydrosilylation, high energy ball milling, and "selective-etching" in HNO3 and HF. Subsequently, the BSA and PEG are covalently grafted on to the SiQD-NP surface through presynthesized chemical linkers, resulting in a stable, hydrophilic, and antifouling organic capping layer with isothiocyanates as the terminal functional groups for facile conjugation to the antibodies. The in vitro cell viability assay reveals that the BSA-coated SiQD-NPs had exceptional biocompatibility, with minimal cytotoxicity at concentration up to 1600 μg mL(-1). Under 365 nm excitation, the SiQD-NP colloid emits bright reddish photoluminescence with PLQY = 45-55% in organic solvent and 5-10% in aqueous buffer. Finally, through confocal fluorescent imaging and flow cytometry analysis, the anti-HER2 conjugated SiQD-NPs show obvious specific binding to the HER2-overexpressing SKOV3 cells and negligible nonspecific binding to the HER2-nonexpressing CHO cells. Under similar experimental conditions, the immunofluorescence results obtained with the SiQD-NPs are comparable to those using conventional fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC).

Simultaneous detection of folic acid and methotrexate by an optical sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymers on dual-color CdTe quantum dots.

PubMed

Ensafi, Ali A; Nasr-Esfahani, Parisa; Rezaei, B

2017-12-15

In this work, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were used on the surface of cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdTe QDs) for the simultaneous determination of folic acid (FA) and methotrexate (MTX). For this purpose, two different sizes of CdTe QDs with emission peaks in the yellow (QD Y ) and orange (QD O ) spectral regions were initially synthesized and capped with MIPs. FA and MTX were used as templates for the synthesis of the two composites and designated as QD Y -MIPs and QD O -MIPs, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy were employed to characterize the composites. QD Y -MIPs and QD O -MIPs were then mixed (to form QDs-MIPs) and excited at identical excitation wavelengths; they emitted two different emission wavelengths without any spectral overlap. The fluorescence signals of QD Y -MIPs and QD O -MIPs diminished in intensity with increasing concentration of the corresponding template molecules. Under optimal conditions, the dynamic range was 0.5-20 μmol L -1 for FA and MTX, and the detection limits for FA and MTX were 32.0 nmol L -1 and 34.0 nmol L -1 , respectively. The reproducibility of the method was checked for 12.5 μmol L -1 of FA and MTX to find RSD values of 4.2% and 6.3%, respectively. Finally, the applicability of the method was checked using human blood plasma samples. Results indicated the successful application of the method as a fluorescent probe for the rapid and simultaneous detection of FA and MTX in real samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fully Stretchable and Humidity-Resistant Quantum Dot Gas Sensors.

PubMed

Song, Zhilong; Huang, Zhao; Liu, Jingyao; Hu, Zhixiang; Zhang, Jianbing; Zhang, Guangzu; Yi, Fei; Jiang, Shenglin; Lian, Jiabiao; Yan, Jia; Zang, Jianfeng; Liu, Huan

2018-05-25

Stretchable gas sensors that accommodate the shape and motion characteristics of human body are indispensable to a wearable or attachable smart sensing system. However, these gas sensors usually have poor response and recovery kinetics when operated at room temperature, and especially suffer from humidity interference and mechanical robustness issues. Here, we demonstrate the first fully stretchable gas sensors which are operated at room temperature with enhanced stability against humidity. We created a crumpled quantum dot (QD) sensing layer on elastomeric substrate with flexible graphene as electrodes. Through the control over the prestrain of the flexible substrate, we achieved a 5.8 times improvement in NO 2 response at room temperature with desirable stretchability even under 1000 stretch/relax cycles mechanism deformation. The uniformly wavy structural configuration of the crumpled QD gas-sensing layer enabled an improvement in the antihumidity interference. The sensor response shows a minor vibration of 15.9% at room temperature from relative humidity of 0 to 86.7% compared to that of the flat-film sensors with vibration of 84.2%. The successful assembly of QD solids into a crumpled gas-sensing layer enabled a body-attachable, mechanically robust, and humidity-resistant gas sensor, opening up a new pathway to room-temperature operable gas sensors which may be implemented in future smart sensing systems such as stretchable electronic nose and multipurpose electronic skin.

Tuning the electronic and optical properties of hexagonal boron-nitride nanosheet by inserting graphene quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Yi-Min; Shi, Jun-Jie; Zhang, Min; Wu, Meng; Wang, Hui; Cen, Yu-Lang; Pan, Shu-Hang; Guo, Wen-Hui

2018-02-01

It is difficult to integrate two-dimensional (2D) graphene and hexagonal boron-nitride (h-BN) in optoelectronic nanodevices, due to the semi-metal and insulator characteristic of graphene and h-BN, respectively. Using the state-of-the-art first-principles calculations based on many-body perturbation theory, we investigate the electronic and optical properties of h-BN nanosheet embedded with graphene dots. We find that C atom impurities doped in h-BN nanosheet tend to phase-separate into graphene quantum dots (QD), and BNC hybrid structure, i.e. a graphene dot within a h-BN background, can be formed. The band gaps of BNC hybrid structures have an inverse relationship with the size of graphene dot. The calculated optical band gaps for BNC structures vary from 4.71 eV to 3.77 eV, which are much smaller than that of h-BN nanosheet. Furthermore, the valence band maximum is located in C atoms bonded to B atoms and conduction band minimum is located in C atoms bonded to N atoms, which means the electron and hole wave functions are closely distributed around the graphene dot. The bound excitons, localized around the graphene dot, determine the optical spectra of the BNC hybrid structures, in which the exciton binding energies decrease with increase in the size of graphene dots. Our results provide an important theoretical basis for the design and development of BNC-based optoelectronic nanodevices.

A Comparative Study of QD and Nitrogen-Based 1.3 mu m VCSELs

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-06-01

molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) proposed as promising candidates for 1.3 /tm emitters. Among them InGaAsN quantum well (QW) and InGaAs quantum dots (QD... VCSELs DISTRIBUTION: Approved for public release, distribution unlimited Availability: Hard copy only. This paper is part of the following report: TITLE...and Technology" LOED.02 St Petersburg, Russia, June 18-22, 2001 ©0 2001 loffe Institute A comparative study of QD and nitrogen-based 1.3 /tm VCSELs A. P

Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells Based on Ternary Metal Oxide Nanowires

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Wenyong; Tang, Jinke; Dahnovsky, Yuri

In Phase I of this project we investigate quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) based on ternary metal oxide nanowires and study the physical and chemical mechanisms that govern device operation. Our research has the following five objectives: (1) synthesis of ternary metal oxide nanowires, (2) synthesis of QDs and exploration of non-solution based QD deposition methods, (3) physical and electro-optical characterizations of fabricated solar devices, (4) device modeling and first-principle theoretical study of transport physics, and (5) investigation of long-term stability issues of QD sensitized solar cells. In Phase II of this project our first major research goal ismore » to investigate magnetically doped quantum dots and related spin polarization effect, which could improve light absorption and suppress electron relaxation in the QDs. We will utilize both physical and chemical methods to synthesize these doped QDs. We will also study magnetically modified nanowires and introduce spin-polarized transport into QDSSCs, and inspect its impact on forward electron injection and back electron transfer processes. Our second goal is to study novel solid-state electrolytes for QDSSCs. Specifically, we will inspect a new type of polymer electrolytes based on a modified polysulfide redox couple, and examine the effect of their electrical properties on QDSSC performance. These solid-state electrolytes could also be used as filler materials for in situ sample fracturing in STM and enable cross-sectional interface examination of QD/nanowire structures. Our third research goal is to examine the interfacial properties such as energy level alignment at QD/nanowire interfaces using the newly developed Cross-sectional Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy technique for non-cleavable materials. This technique allows a direct probing of band structures and alignment at device interfaces, which could generate important insight into the mechanisms that govern QDSSC operation. These investigations will be carried out through a close collaboration between our experimental and theoretical efforts in this project. This project initiates an important research direction in the jurisdiction of Wyoming. It brings together researchers from different academic disciplines including physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering to work on one common scientific theme, and is a vital step towards the establishment of an nationally competitive research program in energy-related nanomaterials in the state of Wyoming.« less

Charge transport in quantum dot organic solar cells with Si quantum dots sandwiched between poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) absorber and bathocuproine (BCP) transport layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Upendra Kumar; Kumar, Brijesh

2017-10-01

We have modeled a multilayer quantum dot organic solar cell that explores the current-voltage characteristic of the solar cell whose characteristics can be tuned by varying the fabrication parameters of the quantum dots (QDs). The modeled device consists of a hole transport layer (HTL) which doubles up as photon absorbing layer, several quantum dot layers, and an electron transport layer (ETL). The conduction of charge carriers in HTL and ETL has been modeled by the drift-diffusion transport mechanism. The conduction and recombination in the quantum dot layers are described by a system of coupled rate equations incorporating tunneling and bimolecular recombination. Analysis of QD-solar cells shows improved device performance compared to the similar bilayer and trilayer device structures without QDs. Keeping other design parameters constant, solar cell characteristics can be controlled by the quantum dot layers. Bimolecular recombination coefficient of quantum dots is a prime factor which controls the open circuit voltage (VOC) without any significant reduction in short circuit current (JSC).

Constructions of secure entanglement channels assisted by quantum dots inside single-sided optical cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heo, Jino; Kang, Min-Sung; Hong, Chang-Ho; Choi, Seong-Gon; Hong, Jong-Phil

2017-08-01

We propose quantum information processing schemes to generate and swap entangled states based on the interactions between flying photons and quantum dots (QDs) confined within optical cavities for quantum communication. To produce and distribute entangled states (Bell and Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger [GHZ] states) between the photonic qubits of flying photons of consumers (Alice and Bob) and electron-spin qubits of a provider (trust center, or TC), the TC employs the interactions of the QD-cavity system, which is composed of a charged QD (negatively charged exciton) inside a single-sided cavity. Subsequently, the TC constructs an entanglement channel (Bell state and 4-qubit GHZ state) to link one consumer with another through entanglement swapping, which can be realized to exploit a probe photon with interactions of the QD-cavity systems and single-qubit measurements without Bell state measurement, for quantum communication between consumers. Consequently, the TC, which has quantum nodes (QD-cavity systems), can accomplish constructing the entanglement channel (authenticated channel) between two separated consumers from the distributions of entangled states and entanglement swapping. Furthermore, our schemes using QD-cavity systems, which are feasible with a certain probability of success and high fidelity, can be experimentally implemented with technology currently in use.

Micelle-templated composite quantum dots for super-resolution imaging.

PubMed

Xu, Jianquan; Fan, Qirui; Mahajan, Kalpesh D; Ruan, Gang; Herrington, Andrew; Tehrani, Kayvan F; Kner, Peter; Winter, Jessica O

2014-05-16

Quantum dots (QDs) have tremendous potential for biomedical imaging, including super-resolution techniques that permit imaging below the diffraction limit. However, most QDs are produced via organic methods, and hence require surface treatment to render them water-soluble for biological applications. Previously, we reported a micelle-templating method that yields nanocomposites containing multiple core/shell ZnS-CdSe QDs within the same nanocarrier, increasing overall particle brightness and virtually eliminating QD blinking. Here, this technique is extended to the encapsulation of Mn-doped ZnSe QDs (Mn-ZnSe QDs), which have potential applications in super-resolution imaging as a result of the introduction of Mn(2+) dopant energy levels. The size, shape and fluorescence characteristics of these doped QD-micelles were compared to those of micelles created using core/shell ZnS-CdSe QDs (ZnS-CdSe QD-micelles). Additionally, the stability of both types of particles to photo-oxidation was investigated. Compared to commercial QDs, micelle-templated QDs demonstrated superior fluorescence intensity, higher signal-to-noise ratios, and greater stability against photo-oxidization,while reducing blinking. Additionally, the fluorescence of doped QD-micelles could be modulated from a bright 'on' state to a dark 'off' state, with a modulation depth of up to 76%, suggesting the potential of doped QD-micelles for applications in super-resolution imaging.

An accurate homogenized tissue phantom for broad spectrum autofluorescence studies: a tool for optimizing quantum dot-based contrast agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Mathieu; Wilson, Brian C.

2008-02-01

We are investigating the use of ZnS-capped CdSe quantum dot (QD) bioconjugates combined with fluorescence endoscopy for improved early cancer detection in the esophagus, colon and lung. A major challenge in using fluorescent contrast agents in vivo is to extract the relevant signal from the tissue autofluorescence (AF). The present studies are aimed at maximizing the QD signal to AF background ratio (SBR) to facilitate detection. These contrast optimization studies require optical phantoms that simulate tissue autofluorescence, absorption and scattering over the entire visible spectrum, while allowing us to control the optical thickness. We present an optical phantom made of fresh homogenized tissue diluted in water. The homogenized tissue is poured into a clear polymer tank designed to hold a QD-loaded silica capillary in its center. Because of the non-linear effects of absorption and scattering on measured autofluorescence, direct comparison between results obtained using tissue phantoms of different concentration is not possible. We introduce mathematical models that make it possible to perform measurements on diluted tissue homogenates and subsequently extrapolate the results to intact (non-diluted) tissue. Finally, we present preliminary QD contrast data showing that the 380-420 nm spectral window is optimal for surface QD imaging.

Cavity Exciton-Polariton mediated, Single-Shot Quantum Non-Demolition measurement of a Quantum Dot Electron Spin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puri, Shruti; McMahon, Peter; Yamamoto, Yoshihisa

2014-03-01

The quantum non-demolition (QND) measurement of a single electron spin is of great importance in measurement-based quantum computing schemes. The current single-shot readout demonstrations exhibit substantial spin-flip backaction. We propose a QND readout scheme for quantum dot (QD) electron spins in Faraday geometry, which differs from previous proposals and implementations in that it relies on a novel physical mechanism: the spin-dependent Coulomb exchange interaction between a QD spin and optically-excited quantum well (QW) microcavity exciton-polaritons. The Coulomb exchange interaction causes a spin-dependent shift in the resonance energy of the polarized polaritons, thus causing the phase and intensity response of left circularly polarized light to be different to that of the right circularly polarized light. As a result the QD electron's spin can be inferred from the response to a linearly polarized probe. We show that by a careful design of the system, any spin-flip backaction can be eliminated and a QND measurement of the QD electron spin can be performed within a few 10's of nanoseconds with fidelity 99:95%. This improves upon current optical QD spin readout techniques across multiple metrics, including fidelity, speed and scalability. National Institute of Informatics, 2-1-2 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8430, Japan.

Optical imaging of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in vivo using arginine-glycine-aspartic acid peptide conjugated near-infrared quantum dots.

PubMed

Huang, Hao; Bai, Yun-Long; Yang, Kai; Tang, Hong; Wang, You-Wei

2013-01-01

Molecular imaging plays a key role in personalized medicine and tumor diagnosis. Quantum dots with near-infrared emission spectra demonstrate excellent tissue penetration and photostability, and have recently emerged as important tools for in vivo tumor imaging. Integrin αvβ3 has been shown to be highly and specifically expressed in endothelial cells of tumor angiogenic vessels in almost all types of tumors, and specifically binds to the peptide containing arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD). In this study, we conjugated RGD with quantum dots with emission wavelength of 800 nm (QD800) to generate QD800-RGD, and used it via intravenous injection as a probe to image tumors in nude mice bearing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Twelve hours after the injection, the mice were still alive and were sacrificed to isolate tumors and ten major organs for ex vivo analysis to localize the probe in these tissues. The results showed that QD800-RGD was specifically targeted to integrin αvβ3 in vitro and in vivo, producing clear tumor fluorescence images after the intravenous injection. The tumor-to-background ratio and size of tumor image were highest within 6 hours of the injection and declined significantly at 9 hours after the injection, but there was still a clearly visible tumor image at 12 hours. The greatest amount of QD800-RGD was found in liver and spleen, followed by tumor and lung, and a weak fluorescence signal was seen in tibia. No detectable signal of QD800-RGD was found in brain, heart, kidney, testis, stomach, or intestine. Our study demonstrated that using integrin αvβ3 as target, it is possible to use intravenously injected QD800-RGD to generate high quality images of HNSCC, and the technique offers great potential in the diagnosis and personalized therapy for HNSCC.

The role of surface ligands in quantum-dot devices: Villain or unsung hero?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pietryga, Jeffrey Michael

For over three decades, the study of nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs), which are solution-synthesized nanometer-scale bits of semiconductor materials, has produced singular advances in both our understanding of quantum confinement effects, and in our ability to make use of them in tech-relevant materials. Accordingly, QDs have found their way into the marketplace, specifically as high-performance fluorophores for, e.g., displays and biolabeling. In such applications, optimization of the QD surface, including the passivating ligands, is key to keeping photo-excited carriers from leaving the QD interior before recombining, resulting in a high fluorescence efficiency. Increasingly, attention has turned to realize the promisemore » of QDs for optoelectronic applications (e.g., solar cells, LEDs, sensors) which require charge carriers to controllably enter, exit and/or travel through QDs, a much more challenging problem. In this scenario, the role of the QD surface must be completely reimagined, from being an impenetrable wall to being a gateway, or even a ramp. In this talk, I’ll explore the inherent contrast between QD fluorophore and device applications, and describe how ligands, originally thought only to be impediments to QD electronic devices, may actually give the savvy QD device designer control over function and performance in a manner unknown in bulk semiconductor devices. Finally, I’ll survey recent efforts at Los Alamos to develop a universal tool box for deposition of conductive QD films that may finally allow the manufacturing of economical, high-performance devices for a wide range of applications.« less

Quantum dot-DNA aptamer conjugates coupled with capillary electrophoresis: A universal strategy for ratiometric detection of organophosphorus pesticides.

PubMed

Tang, Tingting; Deng, Jingjing; Zhang, Min; Shi, Guoyue; Zhou, Tianshu

2016-01-01

Based on the highly sensitivity and stable-fluorescence of water-soluble CdTe/CdS core-shell quantum dots (QDs) with broad-specificity DNA aptamers, a novel ratiometric detection strategy was proposed for the sensitive detection of organophosphorus pesticides by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF). The as-prepared QDs were first conjugated with the amino-modified oligonucleotide (AMO) by amidation reaction, which is partial complementary to the DNA aptamer of organophosphorus pesticides. Then QD-labeled AMO (QD-AMO) was incubated with the DNA aptamer to form QD-AMO-aptamer duplex. When the target organophosphorus pesticides were added, they could specifically bind the DNA aptamer, leading to the cleavage of QD-AMO-aptamer duplex, accompany with the release of QD-AMO. As a result, the ratio of peak height between QD-AMO and QD-AMO-aptamer duplex changed in the detection process of CE-LIF. This strategy was subsequently applied for the detection of phorate, profenofos, isocarbophos, and omethoate with the detection limits of 0.20, 0.10, 0.17, and 0.23μM, respectively. This is the first report about using QDs as the signal indicators for organophosphorus pesticides detection based on broad-specificity DNA aptamers by CE-LIF, thus contributing to extend the scope of application of QDs in different fields. The proposed method has great potential to be a universal strategy for rapid detection of aptamer-specific small molecule targets by simply changing the types of aptamer sequences. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photo-induced surface modification to improve the performance of lead sulfide quantum dot solar cell.

PubMed

Tulsani, Srikanth Reddy; Rath, Arup Kumar

2018-07-15

The solution-processed quantum dot (QD) solar cell technology has seen significant advancements in recent past to emerge as a potential contender for the next generation photovoltaic technology. In the development of high performance QD solar cell, the surface ligand chemistry has played the important role in controlling the doping type and doping density of QD solids. For instance, lead sulfide (PbS) QDs which is at the forefront of QD solar cell technology, can be made n-type or p-type respectively by using iodine or thiol as the surfactant. The advancements in surface ligand chemistry enable the formation of p-n homojunction of PbS QDs layers to attain high solar cell performances. It is shown here, however, that poor Fermi level alignment of thiol passivated p-type PbS QD hole transport layer with the n-type PbS QD light absorbing layer has rendered the photovoltaic devices from realizing their full potential. Here we develop a control surface oxidation technique using facile ultraviolet ozone treatment to increase the p-doping density in a controlled fashion for the thiol passivated PbS QD layer. This subtle surface modification tunes the Fermi energy level of the hole transport layer to deeper values to facilitate the carrier extraction and voltage generation in photovoltaic devices. In photovoltaic devices, the ultraviolet ozone treatment resulted in the average gain of 18% in the power conversion efficiency with the highest recorded efficiency of 8.98%. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

External modes in quantum dot light emitting diode with filtered optical feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Husseini, Hussein B.; Al Naimee, Kais A.; Al-Khursan, Amin H.; Khedir, Ali. H.

2016-06-01

This research reports a theoretical investigation on the role of filtered optical feedback (FOF) in the quantum dot light emitting diode (QD-LED). The underlying dynamics is affected by a sidle node, which returns to an elliptical shape when the wetting layer (WL) is neglected. Both filter width and time delay change the appearance of different dynamics (chaotic and mixed mode oscillations, MMOs). The results agree with the experimental observations. Here, the fixed point analysis for QDs was done for the first time. For QD-LED with FOF, the system transits from the coherence collapse case in conventional optical feedback to a coherent case with a filtered mode in FOF. It was found that the WL washes out the modes which is an unexpected result. This may attributed to the longer capture time of WL compared with that between QD states. Thus, WL reduces the chaotic behavior.

Decorating fiber nanotip with single perovskite quantum dot and other luminescent nanocrystals synthesized in oil-phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Yu; Xing, Xing; Xu, Ya; Lu, Zhenda; Zhang, Weihua

2017-11-01

We report a simple yet robust method for fabricating single perovskite quantum dot (QD) decorated fiber nanotips. In this method, a single QD is directly picked up and subsequently glued on the apex of a specially fabricated cantilever fiber tip with a high success rate (approx. 70%) without using expensive close-loop feedback systems. Thanks to the flexibility and robustness of the fiber tips, no damage of the tips was observed in the process. Moreover, nanocrystal (NC) dispersing technique was developed to avoid undesired aggregations of QDs, and it guarantees that only one QD is glued each time. Finally, we demonstrate that this technique can also be applied to other oil-phase synthesized NCs, including CdSe QDs and upconversion luminescent NCs. It leads to many important applications on probing the local environment using high performance luminescent nanoprobes.

External modes in quantum dot light emitting diode with filtered optical feedback

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al Husseini, Hussein B.; Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Al Jadiriyah, Baghdad; Al Naimee, Kais A.

2016-06-14

This research reports a theoretical investigation on the role of filtered optical feedback (FOF) in the quantum dot light emitting diode (QD-LED). The underlying dynamics is affected by a sidle node, which returns to an elliptical shape when the wetting layer (WL) is neglected. Both filter width and time delay change the appearance of different dynamics (chaotic and mixed mode oscillations, MMOs). The results agree with the experimental observations. Here, the fixed point analysis for QDs was done for the first time. For QD-LED with FOF, the system transits from the coherence collapse case in conventional optical feedback to amore » coherent case with a filtered mode in FOF. It was found that the WL washes out the modes which is an unexpected result. This may attributed to the longer capture time of WL compared with that between QD states. Thus, WL reduces the chaotic behavior.« less

Electrically controlled crossing of energy levels in quantum dots in two-dimensional topological insulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sukhanov, Aleksei A.

2017-05-01

We study the energy spectra of bound states in quantum dots (QDs) formed by an electrostatic potential in two-dimensional topological insulator (TI) and their transformation with changes in QD depth and radius. It is found that, unlike a trivial insulator, the energy difference between the levels of the ground state and first excited state can decrease with decreasing the radius and increasing the depth of the QD so that these levels intersect under some critical condition. The crossing of the levels results in unusual features of optical properties caused by intraceneter electron transitions. In particular, it leads to significant changes of light absorption due to electron transitions between such levels and to the transient electroluminescence induced by electrical tuning of QD and TI parameters. In the case of magnetic TIs, the polarization direction of the absorbed or emitted circularly polarized light is changed due to the level crossing.

Quantum-dot-based quantitative identification of pathogens in complex mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Sun Hee; Bestwater, Felix; Buchy, Philippe; Mardy, Sek; Yu, Alexey Dan Chin

2010-02-01

In the present study we describe sandwich design hybridization probes consisting of magnetic particles (MP) and quantum dots (QD) with target DNA, and their application in the detection of avian influenza virus (H5N1) sequences. Hybridization of 25-, 40-, and 100-mer target DNA with both probes was analyzed and quantified by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy on the scale of single particles. The following steps were used in the assay: (i) target selection by MP probes and (ii) target detection by QD probes. Hybridization efficiency between MP conjugated probes and target DNA hybrids was controlled by a fluorescent dye specific for nucleic acids. Fluorescence was detected by flow cytometry to distinguish differences in oligo sequences as short as 25-mer capturing in target DNA and by gel-electrophoresis in the case of QD probes. This report shows that effective manipulation and control of micro- and nanoparticles in hybridization assays is possible.

Phase Recovery Acceleration of Quantum-Dot Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers by Optical Pumping to Quantum-Well Wetting Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jungho

2013-11-01

We theoretically investigate the phase recovery acceleration of quantum-dot (QD) semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) by means of the optical pump injection to the quantum-well (QW) wetting layer (WL). We compare the ultrafast gain and phase recovery responses of QD SOAs in either the electrical or the optical pumping scheme by numerically solving 1088 coupled rate equations. The ultrafast gain recovery responses on the order of sub-picosecond are nearly the same for the two pumping schemes. The ultrafast phase recovery is not significantly accelerated by increasing the electrical current density, but greatly improved by increasing the optical pumping power to the QW WL. Because the phase recovery time of QD SOAs with the optical pumping scheme can be reduced down to several picoseconds, the complete phase recovery can be achieved when consecutive pulse signals with a repetition rate of 100 GHz is injected.

Broadening of Distribution of Trap States in PbS Quantum Dot Field-Effect Transistors with High-k Dielectrics

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

We perform a quantitative analysis of the trap density of states (trap DOS) in PbS quantum dot field-effect transistors (QD-FETs), which utilize several polymer gate insulators with a wide range of dielectric constants. With increasing gate dielectric constant, we observe increasing trap DOS close to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the QDs. In addition, this increase is also consistently followed by broadening of the trap DOS. We rationalize that the increase and broadening of the spectral trap distribution originate from dipolar disorder as well as polaronic interactions, which are appearing at strong dielectric polarization. Interestingly, the increased polaron-induced traps do not show any negative effect on the charge carrier mobility in our QD devices at the highest applied gate voltage, giving the possibility to fabricate efficient low-voltage QD devices without suppressing carrier transport. PMID:28084725

Zn(II)-Coordinated Quantum Dot-FRET Nanosensors for the Detection of Protein Kinase Activity

PubMed Central

Lim, Butaek; Park, Ji-In; Lee, Kyung Jin; Lee, Jin-Won; Kim, Tae-Wuk; Kim, Young-Pil

2015-01-01

We report a simple detection of protein kinase activity using Zn(II)-mediated fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) between quantum dots (QDs) and dye-tethered peptides. With neither complex chemical ligands nor surface modification of QDs, Zn(II) was the only metal ion that enabled the phosphorylated peptides to be strongly attached on the carboxyl groups of the QD surface via metal coordination, thus leading to a significant FRET efficiency. As a result, protein kinase activity in intermixed solution was efficiently detected by QD-FRET via Zn(II) coordination, especially when the peptide substrate was combined with affinity-based purification. We also found that mono- and di-phosphorylation in the peptide substrate could be discriminated by the Zn(II)-mediated QD-FRET. Our approach is expected to find applications for studying physiological function and signal transduction with respect to protein kinase activity. PMID:26213934

Zn(II)-Coordinated Quantum Dot-FRET Nanosensors for the Detection of Protein Kinase Activity.

PubMed

Lim, Butaek; Park, Ji-In; Lee, Kyung Jin; Lee, Jin-Won; Kim, Tae-Wuk; Kim, Young-Pil

2015-07-23

We report a simple detection of protein kinase activity using Zn(II)-mediated fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) between quantum dots (QDs) and dye-tethered peptides. With neither complex chemical ligands nor surface modification of QDs, Zn(II) was the only metal ion that enabled the phosphorylated peptides to be strongly attached on the carboxyl groups of the QD surface via metal coordination, thus leading to a significant FRET efficiency. As a result, protein kinase activity in intermixed solution was efficiently detected by QD-FRET via Zn(II) coordination, especially when the peptide substrate was combined with affinity-based purification. We also found that mono- and di-phosphorylation in the peptide substrate could be discriminated by the Zn(II)-mediated QD-FRET. Our approach is expected to find applications for studying physiological function and signal transduction with respect to protein kinase activity.

CdTe/ZnS quantum dots as fluorescent probes for ammonium determination.

PubMed

Yi, Kui-Yu

2016-06-01

Novel CdTe/ZnS quantum dot (QD) probes based on the quenching effect were proposed for the simple, rapid, and specific determination of ammonium in aqueous solutions. The QDs were modified using 3-mercaptopropionic acid, and the fluorescence responses of the CdTe/ZnS QD probes to ammonium were detected through regularity quenching. The quenching levels of the CdTe/ZnS QDs and ammonium concentration showed a good linear relationship between 4.0 × 10(-6) and 5.0 × 10(-4) mol/L; the detection limit was 3.0 × 10(-7) mol/L. Ammonium contents in synthetic explosion soil samples were measured to determine the practical applications of the QD probes and a probable quenching mechanism was described. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

High-fidelity quantum gates on quantum-dot-confined electron spins in low-Q optical microcavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tao; Gao, Jian-Cun; Deng, Fu-Guo; Long, Gui-Lu

2018-04-01

We propose some high-fidelity quantum circuits for quantum computing on electron spins of quantum dots (QD) embedded in low-Q optical microcavities, including the two-qubit controlled-NOT gate and the multiple-target-qubit controlled-NOT gate. The fidelities of both quantum gates can, in principle, be robust to imperfections involved in a practical input-output process of a single photon by converting the infidelity into a heralded error. Furthermore, the influence of two different decay channels is detailed. By decreasing the quality factor of the present microcavity, we can largely increase the efficiencies of these quantum gates while their high fidelities remain unaffected. This proposal also has another advantage regarding its experimental feasibility, in that both quantum gates can work faithfully even when the QD-cavity systems are non-identical, which is of particular importance in current semiconductor QD technology.

A homogeneous and "off-on" fluorescence aptamer-based assay for chloramphenicol using vesicle quantum dot-gold colloid composite probes.

PubMed

Miao, Yang-Bao; Ren, Hong-Xia; Gan, Ning; Zhou, You; Cao, Yuting; Li, Tianhua; Chen, Yinji

2016-07-27

In this work, a novel homogeneous and signal "off-on" aptamer based fluorescence assay was successfully developed to detect chloramphenicol (CAP) residues in food based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The vesicle nanotracer was prepared through labeling single stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) on limposome-CdSe/ZnS quantum dot (SSB/L-QD) complexes. It was worth mentioning that the signal tracer (SSB/L-QD) with vesicle shape, which was fabricated being encapsulated with a number of quantum dots and SSB. The nanotracer has excellent signal amplification effects. The vesicle composite probe was formed by combining aptamer labeled nano-gold (Au-Apt) and SSB/L-QD. Which based on SSB's specific affinity towards aptamer. This probe can't emit fluoresce which is in "off" state because the signal from SSB/L-QD as donor can be quenched by the Au-aptas acceptor. When CAP was added in the composite probe solution, the aptamer on the Au-Apt can be preferentially bounded with CAP then release from the composite probe, which can turn the "off" signal of SSB/L-QD tracer into "on" state. The assay indicates excellent linear response to CAP from 0.001 nM to 10 nM and detection limit down to 0.3 pM. The vesicle probes with size of 88 nm have strong signal amplification. Because a larger number of QDs can be labeled inside the double phosphorus lipid membrane. Besides, it was employed to detect CAP residues in the milk samples with results being agreed well with those from ELISA, verifying its accuracy and reliability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Correlation between size distribution and luminescence properties of spool-shaped InAs quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, H.; Prioli, R.; Torelly, G.; Liu, H.; Fischer, A. M.; Jakomin, R.; Mourão, R.; Kawabata, R.; Pires, M. P.; Souza, P. L.; Ponce, F. A.

2017-05-01

InAs QDs embedded in an AlGaAs matrix have been produced by MOVPE with a partial capping and annealing technique to achieve controllable QD energy levels that could be useful for solar cell applications. The resulted spool-shaped QDs are around 5 nm in height and have a log-normal diameter distribution, which is observed by TEM to range from 5 to 15 nm. Two photoluminescence peaks associated with QD emission are attributed to the ground and the first excited states transitions. The luminescence peak width is correlated with the distribution of QD diameters through the diameter dependent QD energy levels.

Optical Properties of Fluorescent Mixtures: Comparing Quantum Dots to Organic Dyes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchins, Benjamin M.; Morgan, Thomas T.; Ucak-Astarlioglu, Mine G.; Wlilliams, Mary Elizabeth

2007-01-01

The study describes and compares the size-dependent optical properties of organic dyes with those of semiconductor nanocrystals or quantum dots (QDs). The analysis shows that mixtures of QDs contain emission colors that are sum of the individual QD components.

All-solution-processed PbS quantum dot solar modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Jihoon; Shim, Hyung Cheoul; Ju, Yeonkyeong; Song, Jung Hoon; An, Hyejin; Yu, Jong-Su; Kwak, Sun-Woo; Lee, Taik-Min; Kim, Inyoung; Jeong, Sohee

2015-05-01

A rapid increase in power conversion efficiencies in colloidal quantum dot (QD) solar cells has been achieved recently with lead sulphide (PbS) QDs by adapting a heterojunction architecture, which consists of small-area devices associated with a vacuum-deposited buffer layer with metal electrodes. The preparation of QD solar modules by low-cost solution processes is required to further increase the power-to-cost ratio. Herein we demonstrate all-solution-processed flexible PbS QD solar modules with a layer-by-layer architecture comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate/indium tin oxide (ITO)/titanium oxide (TiO2)/PbS QD/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) : poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT : PSS)/Ag, with an active area of up to 30 cm2, exhibiting a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 1.3% under AM 1.5 conditions (PCE of 2.2% for a 1 cm2 unit cell). Our approach affords trade-offs between power and the active area of the photovoltaic devices, which results in a low-cost power source, and which is scalable to larger areas.A rapid increase in power conversion efficiencies in colloidal quantum dot (QD) solar cells has been achieved recently with lead sulphide (PbS) QDs by adapting a heterojunction architecture, which consists of small-area devices associated with a vacuum-deposited buffer layer with metal electrodes. The preparation of QD solar modules by low-cost solution processes is required to further increase the power-to-cost ratio. Herein we demonstrate all-solution-processed flexible PbS QD solar modules with a layer-by-layer architecture comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate/indium tin oxide (ITO)/titanium oxide (TiO2)/PbS QD/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) : poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT : PSS)/Ag, with an active area of up to 30 cm2, exhibiting a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 1.3% under AM 1.5 conditions (PCE of 2.2% for a 1 cm2 unit cell). Our approach affords trade-offs between power and the active area of the photovoltaic devices, which results in a low-cost power source, and which is scalable to larger areas. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr01508a

High Pressure Raman Spectroscopic Studies on CuInTe2 Quantum Dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanxon, Howard; Kumar, Ravhi; HiPSEC-University of Nevada Las Vegas Team

High pressure Raman spectroscopy studies were performed on CuInTe2 Quantum Dots (QD) up to 7.7 GPa. At ambient conditions, the Raman modes of the QD loaded into a high-pressure diamond anvil cell (DAC) were observed at 125.1 cm-1 (A1 mode) and 142.8 cm-1 (B2 or E mode). As the pressure increases, the A1 mode starts to split above 2 GPa and shifts to the left as indication of a structural change. A pressure-induced phase transition was observed around 2.9 GPa due to the collapse of the modes with the appearance of a new Raman peaks. The phase transition observed in our experiments compare well with the characteristics of bulk and larger nanoparticles. Further, it could be concluded that the phase transition pressure observed mainly depends on the particle size. H.Y. thanks McNair foundation for fellowship award. He also acknowledges Melanie White, Jason Baker and Phuc Tran for help in the experiments. He thanks Michael Pravica for using the Raman facility.

Surface functionalization of quantum dots with fine-structured pH-sensitive phospholipid polymer chains.

PubMed

Liu, Yihua; Inoue, Yuuki; Ishihara, Kazuhiko

2015-11-01

To add novel functionality to quantum dots (QDs), we synthesized water-soluble and pH-responsive block-type polymers by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The polymers were composed of cytocompatible 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer segments, which contain a small fraction of active ester groups and can be used to conjugate biologically active compounds to the polymer, and pH-responsive poly(2-(N,N-diethylamino) ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA)) segments. One terminal of the polymer chain had a hydrophobic alkyl group that originated from the RAFT initiator. This hydrophobic group can bind to the hydrophobic layer on the QD surface. A fluorescent dye was conjugated to the polymer chains via the active ester group. The block-type polymers have an amphiphilic nature in aqueous medium. The polymers were thus easily bound to the QD surface upon evaporation of the solvent from a solution containing the block-type polymer and QDs, yielding QD/fluorescence dye-conjugated polymer hybrid nanoparticles. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the QDs (donors) and the fluorescent dye molecules (acceptors) was used to obtain information on the conformational dynamics of the immobilized polymers. Higher FRET efficiency of the QD/fluorescent dye-conjugated polymer hybrid nanoparticles was observed at pH 7.4 as compared to pH 5.0 due to a stretching-shrinking conformational motion of the poly(DEAEMA) segments in response to changes in pH. We concluded that the block-type MPC polymer-modified nanoparticles could be used to evaluate the pH of cells via FRET fluorescence based on the cytocompatibility of the MPC polymer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An enzymatically-sensitized sequential and concentric energy transfer relay self-assembled around semiconductor quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samanta, Anirban; Walper, Scott A.; Susumu, Kimihiro; Dwyer, Chris L.; Medintz, Igor L.

2015-04-01

The ability to control light energy within de novo nanoscale structures and devices will greatly benefit their continuing development and ultimate application. Ideally, this control should extend from generating the light itself to its spatial propagation within the device along with providing defined emission wavelength(s), all in a stand-alone modality. Here we design and characterize macromolecular nanoassemblies consisting of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), several differentially dye-labeled peptides and the enzyme luciferase which cumulatively demonstrate many of these capabilities by engaging in multiple-sequential energy transfer steps. To create these structures, recombinantly-expressed luciferase and the dye-labeled peptides were appended with a terminal polyhistidine sequence allowing for controlled ratiometric self-assembly around the QDs via metal-affinity coordination. The QDs serve to provide multiple roles in these structures including as central assembly platforms or nanoscaffolds along with acting as a potent energy harvesting and transfer relay. The devices are activated by addition of coelenterazine H substrate which is oxidized by luciferase producing light energy which sensitizes the central 625 nm emitting QD acceptor by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). The sensitized QD, in turn, acts as a relay and transfers the energy to a first peptide-labeled Alexa Fluor 647 acceptor dye displayed on its surface. This dye then transfers energy to a second red-shifted peptide-labeled dye acceptor on the QD surface through a second concentric Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) process. Alexa Fluor 700 and Cy5.5 are both tested in the role of this terminal FRET acceptor. Photophysical analysis of spectral profiles from the resulting sequential BRET-FRET-FRET processes allow us to estimate the efficiency of each of the transfer steps. Importantly, the efficiency of each step within this energy transfer cascade can be controlled to some extent by the number of enzymes/peptides displayed on the QD. Further optimization of the energy transfer process(es) along with potential applications of such devices are finally discussed.The ability to control light energy within de novo nanoscale structures and devices will greatly benefit their continuing development and ultimate application. Ideally, this control should extend from generating the light itself to its spatial propagation within the device along with providing defined emission wavelength(s), all in a stand-alone modality. Here we design and characterize macromolecular nanoassemblies consisting of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), several differentially dye-labeled peptides and the enzyme luciferase which cumulatively demonstrate many of these capabilities by engaging in multiple-sequential energy transfer steps. To create these structures, recombinantly-expressed luciferase and the dye-labeled peptides were appended with a terminal polyhistidine sequence allowing for controlled ratiometric self-assembly around the QDs via metal-affinity coordination. The QDs serve to provide multiple roles in these structures including as central assembly platforms or nanoscaffolds along with acting as a potent energy harvesting and transfer relay. The devices are activated by addition of coelenterazine H substrate which is oxidized by luciferase producing light energy which sensitizes the central 625 nm emitting QD acceptor by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). The sensitized QD, in turn, acts as a relay and transfers the energy to a first peptide-labeled Alexa Fluor 647 acceptor dye displayed on its surface. This dye then transfers energy to a second red-shifted peptide-labeled dye acceptor on the QD surface through a second concentric Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) process. Alexa Fluor 700 and Cy5.5 are both tested in the role of this terminal FRET acceptor. Photophysical analysis of spectral profiles from the resulting sequential BRET-FRET-FRET processes allow us to estimate the efficiency of each of the transfer steps. Importantly, the efficiency of each step within this energy transfer cascade can be controlled to some extent by the number of enzymes/peptides displayed on the QD. Further optimization of the energy transfer process(es) along with potential applications of such devices are finally discussed. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: This material includes control experimental data and select deconvoluted spectra. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr00828j

Spatially confined synthesis of SiOx nano-rod with size-controlled Si quantum dots in nano-porous anodic aluminum oxide membrane.

PubMed

Pai, Yi-Hao; Lin, Gong-Ru

2011-01-17

By depositing Si-rich SiOx nano-rod in nano-porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane using PECVD, the spatially confined synthesis of Si quantum-dots (Si-QDs) with ultra-bright photoluminescence spectra are demonstrated after low-temperature annealing. Spatially confined SiOx nano-rod in nano-porous AAO membrane greatly increases the density of nucleated positions for Si-QD precursors, which essentially impedes the route of thermally diffused Si atoms and confines the degree of atomic self-aggregation. The diffusion controlled growth mechanism is employed to determine the activation energy of 6.284 kJ mole(-1) and diffusion length of 2.84 nm for SiO1.5 nano-rod in nano-porous AAO membrane. HRTEM results verify that the reduced geometric dimension of the SiOx host matrix effectively constrain the buried Si-QD size at even lower annealing temperature. The spatially confined synthesis of Si-QD essentially contributes the intense PL with its spectral linewidth shrinking from 210 to 140 nm and its peak intensity enhancing by two orders of magnitude, corresponding to the reduction on both the average Si-QD size and its standard deviation from 2.6 to 2.0 nm and from 25% to 12.5%, respectively. The red-shifted PL wavelength of the Si-QD reveals an inverse exponential trend with increasing temperature of annealing, which is in good agree with the Si-QD size simulation via the atomic diffusion theory.

Single-color, in situ photolithography marking of individual CdTe/ZnTe quantum dots containing a single Mn{sup 2+} ion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sawicki, K.; Malinowski, F. K.; Gałkowski, K.

2015-01-05

A simple, single-color method for permanent marking of the position of individual self-assembled semiconductor Quantum Dots (QDs) at cryogenic temperatures is reported. The method combines in situ photolithography with standard micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy. Its utility is proven by a systematic magnetooptical study of a single CdTe/ZnTe QD containing a Mn{sup 2+} ion, where a magnetic field of up to 10 T in two orthogonal, Faraday and Voigt, configurations is applied to the same QD. The presented approach can be applied to a wide range of solid state nanoemitters.

Dominant role of many-body effects on the carrier distribution function of quantum dot lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peyvast, Negin; Zhou, Kejia; Hogg, Richard A.; Childs, David T. D.

2016-03-01

The effects of free-carrier-induced shift and broadening on the carrier distribution function are studied considering different extreme cases for carrier statistics (Fermi-Dirac and random carrier distributions) as well as quantum dot (QD) ensemble inhomogeneity and state separation using a Monte Carlo model. Using this model, we show that the dominant factor determining the carrier distribution function is the free carrier effects and not the choice of carrier statistics. By using empirical values of the free-carrier-induced shift and broadening, good agreement is obtained with experimental data of QD materials obtained under electrical injection for both extreme cases of carrier statistics.

Electric-Field Sensing with a Scanning Fiber-Coupled Quantum Dot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cadeddu, D.; Munsch, M.; Rossi, N.; Gérard, J.-M.; Claudon, J.; Warburton, R. J.; Poggio, M.

2017-09-01

We demonstrate the application of a fiber-coupled quantum dot (QD) in a tip as a scanning probe for electric-field imaging. We map the out-of-plane component of the electric field induced by a pair of electrodes by the measurement of the quantum-confined Stark effect induced on a QD spectral line. Our results are in agreement with finite-element simulations of the experiment. Furthermore, we present results from analytic calculations and simulations which are relevant to any electric-field sensor embedded in a dielectric tip. In particular, we highlight the impact of the tip geometry on both the resolution and sensitivity.

Enhanced emission of quantum dots embedded within the high-index dielectric regions of photonic crystal slabs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

See, Gloria G.; Naughton, Matt S.; Kenis, Paul J. A.

2016-04-25

We demonstrate a method for combining sputtered TiO{sub 2} deposition with liquid phase dip-coating of a quantum dot (QD) layer that enables precise depth placement of QD emitters within a high-index dielectric film, using a photonic crystal (PC) slab resonator to demonstrate enhanced emission from the QDs when they are located at a specific depth within the film. The depth of the QDs within the PC is found to modulate the resonant wavelength of the PC as well as the emission enhancement efficiency, as the semiconducting material embedded within the dielectric changes its spatial overlap with the resonant mode.

CdTe/CdS-MPA quantum dots as fluorescent probes to label yeast cells: synthesis, characterization and conjugation with Concanavalin A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Ilka T.; Santos, Camila C.; Benetti, Endi; Tenório, Denise P. L. A.; Cabral Filho, Paulo E.; Sabino, Caetano P.; Fontes, Adriana; Santos, Beate S.; Prates, Renato A.; Ribeiro, Martha S.

2012-03-01

Candida albicans is the most frequent human opportunistic pathogenic fungus and one of the most important causes of nosocomial infections. In fact, diagnosis of invasive candidiasis presents unique problems. The aim of this work was to evaluate, by fluorescence image analysis, cellular labeling of C. albicans with CdTe/CdS quantum dots conjugated or not to concanavalin A (ConA). Yeast cells were incubated with CdTe/CdS quantum dots (QD) stabilized with mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) (emission peak at 530 nm) for 1 hour. In the overall study we observed no morphological alterations. The fluorescence microscopic analysis of the yeast cells showed that the non-functionalized QDs do not label C. albicans cells, while for the QD conjugated to ConA the cells showed a fluorescence profile indicating that the membrane was preferentially marked. This profile was expected since Concanavalin A is a protein that binds specifically to terminal carbohydrate residues at the membrane cell surface. The results suggest that the QD-labeled Candida cells represent a promising tool to open new possibilities for a precise evaluation of fungal infections in pathological conditions.

Polymer as an Additive in the Emitting Layer for High-Performance Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes.

PubMed

Liang, Feng; Liu, Yuan; Hu, Yun; Shi, Ying-Li; Liu, Yu-Qiang; Wang, Zhao-Kui; Wang, Xue-Dong; Sun, Bao-Quan; Liao, Liang-Sheng

2017-06-14

A facile but effective method is proposed to improve the performance of quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) by incorporating a polymer, poly(9-vinlycarbazole) (PVK), as an additive into the CdSe/CdS/ZnS quantum dot (QD) emitting layer (EML). It is found that the charge balance of the device with the PVK-added EML was greatly improved. In addition, the film morphology of the hole-transporting layer (HTL) which is adjacent to the EML, is substantially improved. The surface roughness of the HTL is reduced from 5.87 to 1.38 nm, which promises a good contact between the HTL and the EML, resulting in low leakage current. With the improved charge balance and morphology, a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 16.8% corresponding to the current efficiency of 19.0 cd/A is achievable in the red QLEDs. The EQE is 1.6 times as high as that (10.5%) of the reference QLED, comprising a pure QD EML. This work demonstrates that incorporating some polymer molecules into the QD EML as additives could be a facile route toward high-performance QLEDs.

Quantum Dot Enabled Molecular Sensing and Diagnostics

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yi; Wang, Tza-Huei

2012-01-01

Since its emergence, semiconductor nanoparticles known as quantum dots (QDs) have drawn considerable attention and have quickly extended their applicability to numerous fields within the life sciences. This is largely due to their unique optical properties such as high brightness and narrow emission band as well as other advantages over traditional organic fluorophores. New molecular sensing strategies based on QDs have been developed in pursuit of high sensitivity, high throughput, and multiplexing capabilities. For traditional biological applications, QDs have already begun to replace traditional organic fluorophores to serve as simple fluorescent reporters in immunoassays, microarrays, fluorescent imaging applications, and other assay platforms. In addition, smarter, more advanced QD probes such as quantum dot fluorescence resonance energy transfer (QD-FRET) sensors, quenching sensors, and barcoding systems are paving the way for highly-sensitive genetic and epigenetic detection of diseases, multiplexed identification of infectious pathogens, and tracking of intracellular drug and gene delivery. When combined with microfluidics and confocal fluorescence spectroscopy, the detection limit is further enhanced to single molecule level. Recently, investigations have revealed that QDs participate in series of new phenomena and exhibit interesting non-photoluminescent properties. Some of these new findings are now being incorporated into novel assays for gene copy number variation (CNV) studies and DNA methylation analysis with improved quantification resolution. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review on the latest developments of QD based molecular diagnostic platforms in which QD plays a versatile and essential role. PMID:22916072

Ultrasensitive dual-channel detection of matrix metalloproteinase-2 in human serum using gold-quantum dot core-satellite nanoprobes.

PubMed

Zheng, Tingting; Zhang, Rui; Zhang, Qingfeng; Tan, Tingting; Zhang, Kui; Zhu, Jun-Jie; Wang, Hui

2013-09-18

We have developed a robust enzymatic peptide cleavage-based assay for the ultrasensitive dual-channel detection of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in human serum using gold-quantum dot (Au-QD) core-satellite nanoprobes.

Electronic and Optical Properties of Core/Shell Pb16X16/Cd52X52 (X =S, Se, Te) Quantum Dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamukong, Patrick; Mayo, Michael; Kilina, Svetlana

2015-03-01

The electronic and optoelectronic properties of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are mediated by surface defects due to the presence of dangling bonds producing trap states within the HOMO-LUMO energy gap, and contributing to fluorescence quenching. Surface capping ligands are generally used to alleviate this problem and increase the quantum yields of QDs. An alternative way is to synthesize core-shell QD structures; i.e., a QD core with a shell of another semiconductor material. We have investigated the effects of Cd52X52 shells on the photoexcited dynamics of Pb16X16 (X =S, Se, Te) QDs. The thin (~ 0.50 nm) shells were found to result largely in type I core/shell structures and a blue shift of the absorption spectra. Our studies revealed fairly strong core-shell hybridization in the electronic states close to the conduction band (CB) edge for Pb16S16andPb16Se16 cores, whereas for the Pb16Te16 core, such CB states were largely shell-like in nature. Nonadiabatic DFT-based dynamics, coupled with the surface hopping method, was used to study the effects of the core and shell compositions on energy relaxation rates in these systems.

Band-structure tailoring and surface passivation for highly efficient near-infrared responsive PbS quantum dot photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ru; Niu, Haihong; Ji, Fengwei; Wan, Lei; Mao, Xiaoli; Guo, Huier; Xu, Jinzhang; Cao, Guozhong

2016-11-01

PbS is a promising light harvester for near-infrared (NIR) responsive quantum dot (QD) photovoltaics due to its narrow bulk band gap (0.41 eV) and large exciton Bohr radius (18 nm). However, the relatively low conduction band (CB) and high-density surface defects of PbS as two major drawbacks for its use in solar cells severely hamper the photovoltaic performance enhancement. In this work, a modified solution-based successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) utilizing mixed cationic precursors of Pb2+ and Cd2+ is explored, and such a scheme offers two benefits, band-structure tailoring and surface passivation. In-situ deposited CdS suppresses the excessive growth of PbS in the mesopores, thereby facilitating the favorable electron injection from PbS to TiO2 in view of the up-shifted CB level of QDs; the intimate interpenetration of two sulfides with each other leads to superior passivation of trap state defects on PbS, which suppresses the interfacial charge recombination. With the construction of photovoltaics based on such a hybrid (Pb,Cd)S/CdS configuration, impressive power conversion efficiency up to 4.08% has been reached, outperforming that of the conventional PbS/CdS pattern (2.95%). This work highlights the great importance of band-structure tailoring and surface passivation for constructing highly efficient PbS QD photovoltaics.

EGF receptor lysosomal degradation is delayed in the cells stimulated with EGF-Quantum dot bioconjugate but earlier key events of endocytic degradative pathway are similar to that of native EGF

PubMed Central

Leontieva, Ekaterina A.; Kornilova, Elena S.

2017-01-01

Quantum dots (QDs) complexed to ligands recognizing surface receptors undergoing internalization are an attractive tool for live cell imaging of ligand-receptor complexes behavior and for specific tracking of the cells of interest. However, conjugation of quasi-multivalent large QD-particle to monovalent small growth factors like EGF that bound their tyrosine-kinase receptors may affect key endocytic events tightly bound to signaling. Here, by means of confocal microscopy we have addressed the key endocytic events of lysosomal degradative pathway stimulated by native EGF or EGF-QD bioconjugate. We have demonstrated that the decrease in endosome number, increase in mean endosome integrated density and the pattern of EEA1 co-localization with EGF-EGFR complexes at early stages of endocytosis were similar for the both native and QD-conjugated ligands. In both cases enlarged hollow endosomes appeared after wortmannin treatment. This indicates that early endosomal fusions and their maturation proceed similar for both ligands. EGF-QD and native EGF similarly accumulated in juxtanuclear region, and live cell imaging of endosome motion revealed the behavior described elsewhere for microtubule-facilitated motility. Finally, EGF-QD and the receptor were found in lysosomes. However, degradation of receptor part of QD-EGF-EGFR-complex was delayed compared to native EGF, but not inhibited, while QDs fluorescence was detected in lysosomes even after 24 hours. Importantly, in HeLa and A549 cells the both ligands behaved similarly. We conclude that during endocytosis EGF-QD behaves as a neutral marker for degradative pathway up to lysosomal stage and can also be used as a long-term cell marker. PMID:28574831

NeutrAvidin Functionalization of CdSe/CdS Quantum Nanorods and Quantification of Biotin Binding Sites using Biotin-4-Fluorescein Fluorescence Quenching.

PubMed

Lippert, Lisa G; Hallock, Jeffrey T; Dadosh, Tali; Diroll, Benjamin T; Murray, Christopher B; Goldman, Yale E

2016-03-16

We developed methods to solubilize, coat, and functionalize with NeutrAvidin elongated semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum nanorods, QRs) for use in single molecule polarized fluorescence microscopy. Three different ligands were compared with regard to efficacy for attaching NeutrAvidin using the "zero-length cross-linker" 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide (EDC). Biotin-4-fluorescene (B4F), a fluorophore that is quenched when bound to avidin proteins, was used to quantify biotin binding activity of the NeutrAvidin coated QRs and biotin binding activity of commercially available streptavidin coated quantum dots (QDs). All three coating methods produced QRs with NeutrAvidin coating density comparable to the streptavidin coating density of the commercially available quantum dots (QDs) in the B4F assay. One type of QD available from the supplier (ITK QDs) exhibited ∼5-fold higher streptavidin surface density compared to our QRs, whereas the other type of QD (PEG QDs) had 5-fold lower density. The number of streptavidins per QD increased from ∼7 streptavidin tetramers for the smallest QDs emitting fluorescence at 525 nm (QD525) to ∼20 tetramers for larger, longer wavelength QDs (QD655, QD705, and QD800). QRs coated with NeutrAvidin using mercaptoundecanoicacid (MUA) and QDs coated with streptavidin bound to biotinylated cytoplasmic dynein in single molecule TIRF microscopy assays, whereas Poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-ocatdecene) (PMAOD) or glutathione (GSH) QRs did not bind cytoplasmic dynein. The coating methods require optimization of conditions and concentrations to balance between substantial NeutrAvidin binding vs tendency of QRs to aggregate and degrade over time.

FRET-based quantum dot immunoassay for rapid and sensitive detection of Aspergillus amstelodami.

PubMed

Kattke, Michele D; Gao, Elizabeth J; Sapsford, Kim E; Stephenson, Larry D; Kumar, Ashok

2011-01-01

In this study, a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based quantum dot (QD) immunoassay for detection and identification of Aspergillus amstelodami was developed. Biosensors were formed by conjugating QDs to IgG antibodies and incubating with quencher-labeled analytes; QD energy was transferred to the quencher species through FRET, resulting in diminished fluorescence from the QD donor. During a detection event, quencher-labeled analytes are displaced by higher affinity target analytes, creating a detectable fluorescence signal increase from the QD donor. Conjugation and the resulting antibody:QD ratios were characterized with UV-Vis spectroscopy and QuantiT protein assay. The sensitivity of initial fluorescence experiments was compromised by inherent autofluorescence of mold spores, which produced low signal-to-noise and inconsistent readings. Therefore, excitation wavelength, QD, and quencher were adjusted to provide optimal signal-to-noise over spore background. Affinities of anti-Aspergillus antibody for different mold species were estimated with sandwich immunoassays, which identified A. fumigatus and A. amstelodami for use as quencher-labeled- and target-analytes, respectively. The optimized displacement immunoassay detected A. amstelodami concentrations as low as 10(3) spores/mL in five minutes or less. Additionally, baseline fluorescence was produced in the presence of 10(5) CFU/mL heat-killed E. coli O157:H7, demonstrating high specificity. This sensing modality may be useful for identification and detection of other biological threat agents, pending identification of suitable antibodies. Overall, these FRET-based QD-antibody biosensors represent a significant advancement in detection capabilities, offering sensitive and reliable detection of targets with applications in areas from biological terrorism defense to clinical analysis.

Induction of Autophagy in Porcine Kidney Cells by Quantum Dots: A Common Cellular Response to Nanomaterials?

PubMed Central

Stern, Stephan T.; Zolnik, Banu S.; McLeland, Christopher B.; Clogston, Jeffery; Zheng, Jiwen; McNeil, Scott E.

2008-01-01

Quantum dots (QDs) are being investigated as novel in vivo imaging agents. The leaching of toxic metals from these QDs in biological systems is of great concern. This study compared the cytotoxic mechanisms of two QD species made of different core materials (cadmium selenide [CdSe] vs. indium gallium phosphide [InGaP]) but similar core sizes (5.1 vs. 3.7 nm) and surface compositions (both ZnS capped, lipid-coated and pegylated). The CdSe QD was found to be 10-fold more toxic to porcine renal proximal tubule cells (LLC-PK1) than the InGaP QD on a molar basis, as determined by MTT assay (48 h IC50 10nM for CdSe vs. 100nM for InGaP). Neither of the QD species induced appreciable oxidative stress, as determined by lipid peroxide and reduced glutathione content, suggesting that toxicity was not metal associated. In agreement, treatment of cells with CdSe QDs was not associated with changes in metallothionein-IA (MT-IA) gene expression or Cd-associated caspase 3 enzyme activation. By contrast, incubation of the LLC-PK1 cells with the InGaP QD resulted in a dramatic increase in MT-IA expression by 21- and 43-fold, at 8 and 24 h, respectively. The most remarkable finding was evidence of extensive autophagy in QD-treated cells, as determined by Lysotracker Red dye uptake, TEM, and LC3 immunobloting. Autophagy induction has also been described for other nanomaterials and may represent a common cellular response. These data suggest that QD cytotoxicity is dependent upon properties of the particle as a whole, and not exclusively the metal core materials. PMID:18632727

Impacts of quantum dots in molecular detection and bioimaging of cancer

PubMed Central

Mashinchian, Omid; Johari-Ahar, Mohammad; Ghaemi, Behnaz; Rashidi, Mohammad; Barar, Jaleh; Omidi, Yadollah

2014-01-01

Introduction: A number of assays have so far been exploited for detection of cancer biomarkers in various malignancies. However, the expression of cancer biomarker(s) appears to be extremely low, therefore accurate detection demands sensitive optical imaging probes. While optical detection using conventional fluorophores often fail due to photobleaching problems, quantum dots (QDs) offer stable optical imaging in vitro and in vivo. Methods: In this review, we briefly overview the impacts of QDs in biology and its applications in bioimaging of malignancies. We will also delineate the existing obstacles for early detection of cancer and the intensifying use of QDs in advancement of diagnostic devices. Results: Of the QDs, unlike the II-VI type QDs (e.g., cadmium (Cd), selenium (Se) or tellurium (Te)) that possess inherent cytotoxicity, the I-III-VI 2 type QDs (e.g., AgInS2, CuInS2, ZnS-AgInS2) appear to be less toxic bioimaging agents with better control of band-gap energies. As highly-sensitive bioimaging probes, advanced hybrid QDs (e.g., QD-QD, fluorochrome-QD conjugates used for sensing through fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), quenching, and barcoding techniques) have also been harnessed for the detection of biomarkers and the monitoring of delivery of drugs/genes to the target sites. Antibody-QD (Ab-QD) and aptamer- QD (Ap-QD) bioconjugates, once target the relevant biomarker, can provide highly stable photoluminescence (PL) at the target sites. In addition to their potential as nanobiosensors, the bioconjugates of QDs with homing devices have successfully been used for the development of smart nanosystems (NSs) providing targeted bioimaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Conclusion: Having possessed great deal of photonic characteristics, QDs can be used for development of seamless multifunctional nanomedicines, theranostics and nanobiosensors. PMID:25337468

FRET-Based Quantum Dot Immunoassay for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Aspergillus amstelodami

PubMed Central

Kattke, Michele D.; Gao, Elizabeth J.; Sapsford, Kim E.; Stephenson, Larry D.; Kumar, Ashok

2011-01-01

In this study, a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based quantum dot (QD) immunoassay for detection and identification of Aspergillus amstelodami was developed. Biosensors were formed by conjugating QDs to IgG antibodies and incubating with quencher-labeled analytes; QD energy was transferred to the quencher species through FRET, resulting in diminished fluorescence from the QD donor. During a detection event, quencher-labeled analytes are displaced by higher affinity target analytes, creating a detectable fluorescence signal increase from the QD donor. Conjugation and the resulting antibody:QD ratios were characterized with UV-Vis spectroscopy and QuantiT protein assay. The sensitivity of initial fluorescence experiments was compromised by inherent autofluorescence of mold spores, which produced low signal-to-noise and inconsistent readings. Therefore, excitation wavelength, QD, and quencher were adjusted to provide optimal signal-to-noise over spore background. Affinities of anti-Aspergillus antibody for different mold species were estimated with sandwich immunoassays, which identified A. fumigatus and A. amstelodami for use as quencher-labeled- and target-analytes, respectively. The optimized displacement immunoassay detected A. amstelodami concentrations as low as 103 spores/mL in five minutes or less. Additionally, baseline fluorescence was produced in the presence of 105 CFU/mL heat-killed E. coli O157:H7, demonstrating high specificity. This sensing modality may be useful for identification and detection of other biological threat agents, pending identification of suitable antibodies. Overall, these FRET-based QD-antibody biosensors represent a significant advancement in detection capabilities, offering sensitive and reliable detection of targets with applications in areas from biological terrorism defense to clinical analysis. PMID:22163961

Why surface chemistry matters for QD–QD resonance energy transfer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoffman, Jacob B.; Alam, Rabeka; Kamat, Prashant V.

Resonance energy transfer (RET) has been shown to occur in films of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) with variation in QD composition and size. When coupled with charge carrier transfer, RET could provide a complementary strategy for light harvesting in QD based solid state photovoltaic devices. Due to a direct dependence on the optical properties of the donor and acceptor, QD surface chemistry plays a drastic role in determining the efficiency of RET. Here, the impact of QD surface chemistry on RET in QD films was investigated using a pair of different sized CdSe QDs spin-cast onto a glass substrate. Themore » effects of QD surface passivation on RET were studied by removing surface ligands through QD washing and adding an insulating ZnS shell. In addition, QD films were subjected to solid state ligand exchanges with thiolated ligands in order to mimic a layer-by-layer deposition method commonly used in the construction of QD photovoltaics. These solid state ligand exchanges exhibit drastic quenching of RET in the films. As a result, these experiments highlight the importance of understanding surface chemistry when designing photovoltaics that utilize RET.« less

Why surface chemistry matters for QD–QD resonance energy transfer

DOE PAGES

Hoffman, Jacob B.; Alam, Rabeka; Kamat, Prashant V.

2017-01-12

Resonance energy transfer (RET) has been shown to occur in films of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) with variation in QD composition and size. When coupled with charge carrier transfer, RET could provide a complementary strategy for light harvesting in QD based solid state photovoltaic devices. Due to a direct dependence on the optical properties of the donor and acceptor, QD surface chemistry plays a drastic role in determining the efficiency of RET. Here, the impact of QD surface chemistry on RET in QD films was investigated using a pair of different sized CdSe QDs spin-cast onto a glass substrate. Themore » effects of QD surface passivation on RET were studied by removing surface ligands through QD washing and adding an insulating ZnS shell. In addition, QD films were subjected to solid state ligand exchanges with thiolated ligands in order to mimic a layer-by-layer deposition method commonly used in the construction of QD photovoltaics. These solid state ligand exchanges exhibit drastic quenching of RET in the films. As a result, these experiments highlight the importance of understanding surface chemistry when designing photovoltaics that utilize RET.« less

Electromagnetic-field dependence of the internal excited state of the polaron and the qubit in quantum dot with thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Xu-Fang; Xin, Wei; Yin, Hong-Wu; Eerdunchaolu

2017-06-01

The electromagnetic-field dependence of the ground and the first excited-state (GFES) energy eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the strong-coupling polaron in a quantum dot (QD) was studied for various QD thicknesses by using the variational method of the Pekar type (VMPT). On this basis, we construct a qubit in the quantum dot (QQD) by taking a two-level structure of the polaron as the carrier. The results of numerical calculations indicate that the oscillation period of the qubit, {itT}{in0}, increases with increasing the thickness of the quantum dot (TQD) {itL}, but decreases with increasing the cyclotron frequency of the magnetic field (CFMF) ω{in{itc}}, electric-field strength {itF}, and electron-phonon coupling strength (EPCS) α. The probability density of the qubit |Ψ({itρ}, {itz}, {itt})|{su2} presents a normal distribution of the electronic transverse coordinate ρ, significantly influenced by the TQD and effective radius of the quantum dot (ERQD) {itR}{in0}, and shows a periodic oscillation with variations in the electronic longitudinal coordinate {itz}, polar angle φ and time {itt}. The decoherence time τ and the quality factor {itQ} of the free rotation increase with increasing the CFMF ω{in{itc}}, dispersion coefficient η, and EPCS α, but decrease with increasing the electric-field strength {itF}, TQD {itL}, and ERQD {itR}{in0}. The TQD is an important parameter of the qubit. Theoretically, the target, which is to regulate the oscillation period, decoherence time and quality factor of the free rotation of the qubit, can be achieved by designing different TQDs and regulating the strength of the electromagnetic field.

Metal Halide Solid-State Surface Treatment for High Efficiency PbS and PbSe QD Solar Cells

PubMed Central

Crisp, Ryan W.; Kroupa, Daniel M.; Marshall, Ashley R.; Miller, Elisa M.; Zhang, Jianbing; Beard, Matthew C.; Luther, Joseph M.

2015-01-01

We developed a layer-by-layer method of preparing PbE (E = S or Se) quantum dot (QD) solar cells using metal halide (PbI2, PbCl2, CdI2, or CdCl2) salts dissolved in dimethylformamide to displace oleate surface ligands and form conductive QD solids. The resulting QD solids have a significant reduction in the carbon content compared to films treated with thiols and organic halides. We find that the PbI2 treatment is the most successful in removing alkyl surface ligands and also replaces most surface bound Cl- with I-. The treatment protocol results in PbS QD films exhibiting a deeper work function and band positions than other ligand exchanges reported previously. The method developed here produces solar cells that perform well even at film thicknesses approaching a micron, indicating improved carrier transport in the QD films. We demonstrate QD solar cells based on PbI2 with power conversion efficiencies above 7%. PMID:25910183

Metal halide solid-state surface treatment for high efficiency PbS and PbSe QD solar cells.

PubMed

Crisp, Ryan W; Kroupa, Daniel M; Marshall, Ashley R; Miller, Elisa M; Zhang, Jianbing; Beard, Matthew C; Luther, Joseph M

2015-04-24

We developed a layer-by-layer method of preparing PbE (E = S or Se) quantum dot (QD) solar cells using metal halide (PbI2, PbCl2, CdI2, or CdCl2) salts dissolved in dimethylformamide to displace oleate surface ligands and form conductive QD solids. The resulting QD solids have a significant reduction in the carbon content compared to films treated with thiols and organic halides. We find that the PbI2 treatment is the most successful in removing alkyl surface ligands and also replaces most surface bound Cl(-) with I(-). The treatment protocol results in PbS QD films exhibiting a deeper work function and band positions than other ligand exchanges reported previously. The method developed here produces solar cells that perform well even at film thicknesses approaching a micron, indicating improved carrier transport in the QD films. We demonstrate QD solar cells based on PbI2 with power conversion efficiencies above 7%.

Metal Halide Solid-State Surface Treatment for High Efficiency PbS and PbSe QD Solar Cells

DOE PAGES

Crisp, R. W.; Kroupa, D. M.; Marshall, A. R.; ...

2015-04-24

We developed a layer-by-layer method of preparing PbE (E = S or Se) quantum dot (QD) solar cells using metal halide (PbI 2, PbCl 2, CdI 2, or CdCl 2) salts dissolved in dimethylformamide to displace oleate surface ligands and form conductive QD solids. The resulting QD solids have a significant reduction in the carbon content compared to films treated with thiols and organic halides. We find that the PbI 2 treatment is the most successful in removing alkyl surface ligands and also replaces most surface bound Cl- with I-. The treatment protocol results in PbS QD films exhibiting amore » deeper work function and band positions than other ligand exchanges reported previously. The method developed here produces solar cells that perform well even at film thicknesses approaching a micron, indicating improved carrier transport in the QD films. We demonstrate QD solar cells based on PbI 2 with power conversion efficiencies above 7%.« less

Exploration of dynamic dipole polarizability of impurity doped quantum dots in presence of noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Anuja; Bera, Aindrila; Saha, Surajit; Arif, Sk. Md.; Ghosh, Manas

2018-02-01

Present study strives to perform a rigorous exploration of dynamic dipole polarizability (DDP) of GaAs quantum dot (QD) containing dopant with special reference to influence of Gaussian white noise. Several physical quantities have been varied over a range to observe the modulations of the DDP profiles. Aforesaid physical quantities include magnetic field, confinement potential, dopant location, dopant potential, noise strength, aluminium concentration (only for Alx Ga1 - x As alloy QD), position-dependent effective mass (PDEM), position-dependent dielectric screening function (PDDSF), anisotropy, hydrostatic pressure (HP) and temperature. The DDP profiles reveal noticeable characteristics governed by the particular physical quantity involved, presence/absence of noise, the manner (additive/multiplicative) noise is applied to the system and the incoming photon frequency. As a general observation we have found that additive noise causing greater deviation of the DDP profile from noise-free state than its multiplicative neighbor. The study highlights viable means of harnessing DDP of doped QD under the governance of noise by appropriate adjustment of several relevant factors. The study merits importance in the light of technological applications of QD-based devices where noise appears as an integral component.

Complete pulse characterization of quantum dot mode-locked lasers suitable for optical communication up to 160 Gbit/s.

PubMed

Schmeckebier, H; Fiol, G; Meuer, C; Arsenijević, D; Bimberg, D

2010-02-15

A complete characterization of pulse shape and phase of a 1.3 microm, monolithic-two-section, quantum-dot mode-locked laser (QD-MLL) at a repetition rate of 40 GHz is presented, based on frequency resolved optical gating. We show that the pulse broadening of the QD-MLL is caused by linear chirp for all values of current and voltage investigated here. The chirp increases with the current at the gain section, whereas larger bias at the absorber section leads to less chirp and therefore to shorter pulses. Pulse broadening is observed at very high bias, likely due to the quantum confined stark effect. Passive- and hybrid-QD-MLL pulses are directly compared. Improved pulse intensity profiles are found for hybrid mode locking. Via linear chirp compensation pulse widths down to 700 fs can be achieved independent of current and bias, resulting in a significantly increased overall mode-locking range of 101 MHz. The suitability of QD-MLL chirp compensated pulse combs for optical communication up to 160 Gbit/s using optical-time-division multiplexing are demonstrated by eye diagrams and autocorrelation measurements.

Adsorption of quantum dots onto polymer and Gemini surfactant films: a quartz crystal microbalance study.

PubMed

Alejo, T; Merchán, M D; Velázquez, M M

2014-08-26

We used quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation to study the mechanical properties, the kinetics of adsorption, and the amount of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) adsorbed onto a SiO2 sensor, referred as bare sensor, onto the sensor modified with a film of the polymer poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene), PMAO, or with a film of the Gemini surfactant ethyl-bis(dimethyl octadecyl ammonium bromide), abbreviated as 18-2-18. Results showed that when the sensor is coated with polymer or surfactant molecules, the coverage increases compared with that obtained for the bare sensor. On the other hand, rheological properties and kinetics of adsorption of QDs are driven by QD nanoparticles. Thus, the QD films present elastic behavior, and the elasticity values are independent of the molecule used as coating and similar to the elasticity value obtained for QDs films on the bare sensor. The QD adsorption is a two-step mechanism in which the fastest process is attributed to the QD adsorption onto the solid substrate and the slowest one is ascribed to rearrangement movements of the nanoparticles adsorbed at the surface.

Valley dependent g-factor anisotropy in Silicon quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferdous, Rifat; Kawakami, Erika; Scarlino, Pasquale; Nowak, Michal; Klimeck, Gerhard; Friesen, Mark; Coppersmith, Susan N.; Eriksson, Mark A.; Vandersypen, Lieven M. K.; Rahman, Rajib

Silicon (Si) quantum dots (QD) provide a promising platform for a spin based quantum computer, because of the exceptionally long spin coherence times in Si and the existing industrial infrastructure. Due to the presence of an interface and a vertical electric field, the two lowest energy states of a Si QD are primarily composed of two conduction band valleys. Confinement by the interface and the E-field not only affect the charge properties of these states, but also their spin properties through the spin-orbit interaction (SO), which differs significantly from the SO in bulk Si. Recent experiments have found that the g-factors of these states are different and dependent on the direction of the B-field. Using an atomistic tight-binding model, we investigate the electric and magnetic field dependence of the electron g-factor of the valley states in a Si QD. We find that the g-factors are valley dependent and show 180-degree periodicity as a function of an in-plane magnetic field orientation. However, atomic scale roughness can strongly affect the anisotropic g-factors. Our study helps to reconcile disparate experimental observations and to achieve better external control over electron spins in Si QD, by electric and magnetic fields.

Realization of solid-state nanothermometer using Ge quantum-dot single-hole transistor in few-hole regime

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, I. H.; Lai, W. T.; Li, P. W., E-mail: pwli@ee.ncu.edu.tw

2014-06-16

Semiconductor Ge quantum-dot (QD) thermometry has been demonstrated based on extraordinary temperature-dependent oscillatory differential conductance (G{sub D}) characteristics of Ge-QD single-hole transistors (SHTs) in the few-hole regime. Full-voltage width-at-half-minimum, V{sub 1/2}, of G{sub D} valleys appears to be fairly linear in the charge number (n) and temperature within the QD in a relationship of eV{sub 1/2} ≅ (1 − 0.11n) × 5.15k{sub B}T, providing the primary thermometric quantity. The depth of G{sub D} valley is also proportional to charging energy (E{sub C}) and 1/T via ΔG{sub D} ≅ E{sub C}/9.18k{sub B}T, providing another thermometric quantity. This experimental demonstration suggests our Ge-QD SHT offering effective building blocks for nanothermometersmore » over a wide temperature range with a detection temperature as high as 155 K in a spatial resolution less than 10 nm and temperature accuracy of sub-kelvin.« less

Investigation of the open-circuit voltage in wide-bandgap InGaP-host InP quantum dot intermediate-band solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aihara, Taketo; Tayagaki, Takeshi; Nagato, Yuki; Okano, Yoshinobu; Sugaya, Takeyoshi

2018-04-01

To analyze the open-circuit voltage (V oc) in intermediate-band solar cells, we investigated the current-voltage characteristics in wide-bandgap InGaP-based InP quantum dot (QD) solar cells. From the temperature dependence of the current-voltage curves, we show that the V oc in InP QD solar cells increases with decreasing temperature. We use a simple diode model to extract V oc at the zero-temperature limit, V 0, and the temperature coefficient C of the solar cells. Our results show that, while the C of InP QD solar cells is slightly larger than that of the reference InGaP solar cells, V 0 significantly decreases and coincides with the bandgap energy of the InP QDs rather than that of the InGaP host. This V 0 indicates that the V oc reduction in the InP QD solar cells is primarily caused by the breaking of the Fermi energy separation between the QDs and the host semiconductor in intermediate-band solar cells, rather than by enhanced carrier recombination.

Ultrasensitive lateral-flow assays based on quantum dot encapsulations with signal amplification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xue; Gong, Xiaoqun; Zhang, Bo; Liu, Yajuan; Chang, Jin; Zhang, Xuening

2018-05-01

Lateral-flow assays (LFAs), with its convenience and low cost, promise to become the in-home test format for early diagnosis and monitoring of tumor marker. However, the insufficient signal intensity was generated by signal reporters reducing the sensitivity of this format. In this study, a novel nanoscale signal reporter capable of amplifying the fluorescence signal is fabricated by encapsulating quantum dots (QDs) into modified tri-copolymer (poly(tert-butyl acrylate-co-ethyl acrylate-co-methacrylic acid)) (ODA- g-tri-copolymer). The amplified signal varied by simply adjusting the ratio of QDs to the ODA- g-tri-copolymer for obtaining QD nanospheres with high QD loading. They exhibits outstanding stability compared to the individual QDs both in the biological buffer and strong acid solutions. Here, human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) is employed as the model protein of LFAs. The results show that the detection limit of the QD nanospheres is pushed down to 0.016 IU/L, which is about 38.5 times enhanced compared to the individual QD-based LFAs without any signal amplifying. The ultrasensitive LFAs were attributed to the signal amplification strategy, and their efficiency and robustness demonstrated the great potential in clinical applications. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Highly luminescent and photostable quantum dot-silica monolith and its application to light-emitting diodes.

PubMed

Jun, Shinae; Lee, Junho; Jang, Eunjoo

2013-02-26

A highly luminescent and photostable quantum dot-silica monolith (QD-SM) substance was prepared by preliminary surface exchange of the QDs and base-catalyzed sol-gel condensation of silica. The SM was heavily doped with 6-mercaptohexanol exchanged QDs up to 12 vol % (26 wt %) without particle aggregation. Propylamine catalyst was important in maintaining the original luminescence of the QDs in the SM during sol-gel condensation. The silica layer was a good barrier against oxygen and moisture, so that the QD-SM maintained its initial luminescence after high-power UV radiation (∼1 W) for 200 h and through the 150 °C LED encapsulant curing process. Green and red light-emitting QD-SMs were applied as color-converting layers on blue LEDs, and the external quantum efficiency reached up to 89% for the green QD-SM and 63% for the red one. A white LED made with a mixture of green and red QDs in the SM, in which the color coordinate was adjusted at (0.23, 0.21) in CIE1931 color space for a backlight application, showed an efficacy of 47 lm/W, the highest value yet reported.

Magnesium effects on CdSe self-assembled quantum dot formation on Zn xCd yMg 1-x-ySe layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noemi Perez-Paz, M.; Lu, Hong; Shen, Aidong; Jean Mary, F.; Akins, Daniel; Tamargo, Maria C.

2006-09-01

Optical and morphological studies are used to investigate the effects of chemical composition and, in particular, the magnesium content of the Zn xCd yMg 1-x-ySe barrier layers on the size, density and uniformity of CdSe self-assembled quantum dots (QDs). A reduction of the uncapped QD size, as well as a blue shift of the capped QD photoluminescence peak position by increasing Mg concentration in the Zn xCd yMg 1-x-ySe barrier has been demonstrated by changing the Mg cell temperature during growth. In addition, a more uniform and more densely packed QD layer has been observed with an increase of the MgSe fraction in the Zn xCd yMg 1-x-ySe barrier layer using three-dimensional topographic atomic force microscopy images of the surface of uncapped QDs. Results point to Mg as a chemical factor that induces QD formation, either by increasing the density of atomic steps or/and by changing the energy of the Zn xCd yMg 1-x-ySe surface.

Quantum dots as contrast agents for endoscopy: mathematical modeling and experimental validation of the optimal excitation wavelength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Mathieu; DaCosta, Ralph S.; Weersink, Robert; Netchev, George; Davidson, Sean R. H.; Chan, Warren; Wilson, Brian C.

2007-02-01

Our group is investigating the use of ZnS-capped CdSe quantum dot (QD) bioconjugates combined with fluorescence endoscopy for improved early cancer detection in the esophagus, colon and lung. A major challenge in using fluorescent contrast agents in vivo is to extract the relevant signal from the tissue autofluorescence (AF). Our studies are aimed at maximizing the QD signal to AF background ratio (SBR) to facilitate detection. This work quantitatively evaluates the effect of the excitation wavelength on the SBR, using both experimental measurements and mathematical modeling. Experimental SBR measurements were done by imaging QD solutions placed onto (surface) or embedded in (sub-surface) ex vivo murine tissue samples (brain, kidney, liver, lung), using a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microchannel phantom. The results suggest that the maximum contrast is reached when the excitation wavelength is set at 400+/-20 μm for the surface configuration. For the sub-surface configuration, the optimal excitation wavelength varies with the tissue type and QD emission wavelengths. Our mathematical model, based on an approximation to the diffusion equation, successfully predicts the optimal excitation wavelength for the surface configuration, but needs further modifications to be accurate in the sub-surface configuration.

Chemical Control of Charge Trapping and Charge Transfer Processes at the Organic-Inorganic Interface within Quantum Dot-Organic Complexes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weiss, Emily A.

Within the research program funded through the Early Career Research Award we designed complexes of colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) and organic molecules in which the interfacial chemistry controls the electronic structure and dynamics of the excitonic state of the QD. The program included two main projects; (1) investigation of the mechanisms by which organic surfactants control the quantum confinement of excitonic charge carriers; and (2) development of models for electron transfer between QDs and adsorbed molecules as a function of interfacial chemistry. This project was extremely successful in that our achievements in those two areas addressed the great majoritymore » of questions we outlined in the original proposal and answered questions I did not think to ask in that original proposal. Our work led to the discovery of “exciton delocalizing ligands”, which change the electronic structure of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals by altering, with small synthetic modifications to their surfaces, their most defining characteristic – the quantum confinement of their excited states. It also led to detailed, quantitative descriptions of how the surface chemistry of a QD dictates, thermodynamically and kinetically, the probability of exchange of electrons between the QD and a small molecule. We used two of the three major techniques in the proposal (transient photoluminescence and transient absorption). Electrogenerated chemiluminescence was also proposed, but was too technically difficult with these systems to be useful. Instead, NMR spectroscopy emerged as a major analytical tool in our studies. With the fundamental advancements we made with this project, we believe that we can design QDs to be the next great class of visible-light photocatalysts.« less

Impact of N on the atomic-scale Sb distribution in quaternary GaAsSbN-capped InAs quantum dots

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The use of GaAsSbN capping layers on InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) has recently been proposed for micro- and optoelectronic applications for their ability to independently tailor electron and hole confinement potentials. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the structural and compositional changes associated with the process of simultaneous Sb and N incorporation. In the present work, we have characterized using transmission electron microscopy techniques the effects of adding N in the GaAsSb/InAs/GaAs QD system. Firstly, strain maps of the regions away from the InAs QDs had revealed a huge reduction of the strain fields with the N incorporation but a higher inhomogeneity, which points to a composition modulation enhancement with the presence of Sb-rich and Sb-poor regions in the range of a few nanometers. On the other hand, the average strain in the QDs and surroundings is also similar in both cases. It could be explained by the accumulation of Sb above the QDs, compensating the tensile strain induced by the N incorporation together with an In-Ga intermixing inhibition. Indeed, compositional maps of column resolution from aberration-corrected Z-contrast images confirmed that the addition of N enhances the preferential deposition of Sb above the InAs QD, giving rise to an undulation of the growth front. As an outcome, the strong redshift in the photoluminescence spectrum of the GaAsSbN sample cannot be attributed only to the N-related reduction of the conduction band offset but also to an enhancement of the effect of Sb on the QD band structure. PMID:23181950

Ligand-induced dependence of charge transfer in nanotube–quantum dot heterostructures

DOE PAGES

Wang, Lei; Han, Jinkyu; Sundahl, Bryan; ...

2016-07-01

As a model system to probe ligand-dependent charge transfer in complex composite heterostructures, we fabricated double-walled carbon nanotube (DWNT) – CdSe quantum dot (QD) composites. Whereas the average diameter of the QDs probed was kept fixed at ~4.1 nm and the nanotubes analyzed were similarly oxidatively processed, by contrast, the ligands used to mediate the covalent attachment between the QDs and DWNTs were systematically varied to include p-phenylenediamine (PPD), 2-aminoethanethiol (AET), and 4-aminothiophenol (ATP). Herein, we have put forth a unique compilation of complementary data from experiment and theory, including results from transmission electron microscopy (TEM), near-edge X-ray absorption finemore » structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, electrical transport measurements, and theoretical modeling studies, in order to fundamentally assess the nature of the charge transfer between CdSe QDs and DWNTs, as a function of the structure of various, intervening bridging ligand molecules. Specifically, we correlated evidence of charge transfer as manifested by changes and shifts associated with NEXAFS intensities, Raman peak positions, and threshold voltages both before and after CdSe QD deposition onto the underlying DWNT surface. Importantly, for the first time ever in these types of nanoscale composite systems, we have sought to use theoretical modeling to justify and account for our experimental results. Finally, our overall data suggest that (i) QD coverage density on the DWNTs varies, based upon the different ligand pendant groups used and that (ii) the presence of a π-conjugated carbon framework within the ligands themselves and the electron affinity of the pendant groups collectively play important roles in the resulting charge transfer from QDs to the underlying CNTs.« less

Quantum Dot-Fullerene Based Molecular Beacon Nanosensors for Rapid, Highly Sensitive Nucleic Acid Detection.

PubMed

Liu, Ye; Kannegulla, Akash; Wu, Bo; Cheng, Li-Jing

2018-05-15

Spherical fullerene (C 60 ) can quench the fluorescence of a quantum dot (QD) through energy transfer and charge transfer processes, with the quenching efficiency regulated by the number of proximate C 60 on each QD. With the quenching property and its small size compared with other nanoparticle-based quenchers, it is advantageous to group a QD reporter and multiple C 60 -labeled oligonucleotide probes to construct a molecular beacon (MB) probe for sensitive, robust nucleic acid detection. We demonstrated a rapid, high-sensitivity DNA detection method using the nanosensors composed of QD-C 60 based MBs carried by magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). The assay was accelerated by first dispersing the nanosensors in analytes for highly efficient DNA capture resulting from short-distance 3-dimensional diffusion of targets to the sensor surface and then concentrating the nanosensors to a substrate by magnetic force to amplify the fluorescence signal for target quantification. The enhanced mass transport enabled a rapid detection (< 10 min) with a small sample volume (1-10 µl). The high signal-to-noise ratio produced by the QD-C 60 pairs and magnetic concentration yielded a detection limit of 100 fM (~106 target DNA copies for a 10 µl analyte). The rapid, sensitive, label-free detection method will benefit the applications in point-of-care molecular diagnostic technologies.

Coherent control of optical absorption and the energy transfer pathway of an infrared quantum dot hybridized with a VO2 nanoparticle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatef, Ali; Zamani, Naser; Johnston, William

2017-04-01

We systematically investigate the optical response of a semiconductor quantum dot (QD) hybridized with a vanadium dioxide nanoparticle (VO2NP) in the infrared (IR) region. The VO2NP features a semiconductor to metal phase change characteristic below and above a critical temperature that leads to an abrupt change in the particle’s optical properties. This feature means that the QD-VO2NP hybrid system can support the coherent coupling of exciton-polaritons and exciton-plasmon polaritons in the semiconductor and metal phases of the VO2NP, respectively. In our calculations, the VO2NP phase transition is modelled with a filling fraction (f), representing the fraction of the VO2NP in the metallic phase. The phase transition is driven by the hybrid system’s interaction with a continuous wave (CW) IR laser field. In this paper, we show how control over the filling fraction results in the enhancement or suppression of the QD’s linear absorption. These variations in the QD absorption is due to dramatic changes in the effective local field experienced by the QD and the non-radiative energy transfer from the QD to the VO2NP. The presented results have the potential to be applied to the design of thermal sensors at the nanoscale.

Ultraclean single, double, and triple carbon nanotube quantum dots with recessed Re bottom gates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Minkyung; Schindele, Jens; Nau, Stefan; Weiss, Markus; Baumgartner, Andreas; Schoenenberger, Christian

2014-03-01

Ultraclean carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that are free from disorder provide a promising platform to manipulate single electron or hole spins for quantum information. Here, we demonstrate that ultraclean single, double, and triple quantum dots (QDs) can be formed reliably in a CNT by a straightforward fabrication technique. The QDs are electrostatically defined in the CNT by closely spaced metallic bottom gates deposited in trenches in Silicon dioxide by sputter deposition of Re. The carbon nanotubes are then grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) across the trenches and contacted using conventional electron beam lithography. The devices exhibit reproducibly the characteristics of ultraclean QDs behavior even after the subsequent electron beam lithography and chemical processing steps. We demonstrate the high quality using CNT devices with two narrow bottom gates and one global back gate. Tunable by the gate voltages, the device can be operated in four different regimes: i) fully p-type with ballistic transport between the outermost contacts (over a length of 700 nm), ii) clean n-type single QD behavior where a QD can be induced by either the left or the right bottom gate, iii) n-type double QD and iv) triple bipolar QD where the middle QD has opposite doping (p-type). Research at Basel is supported by the NCCR-Nano, NCCR-QIST, ERC project QUEST, and FP7 project SE2ND.

Nucleic Acid Sandwich Hybridization Assay with Quantum Dot-Induced Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer for Pathogen Detection

PubMed Central

Chou, Cheng-Chung; Huang, Yi-Han

2012-01-01

This paper reports a nucleic acid sandwich hybridization assay with a quantum dot (QD)-induced fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) reporter system. Two label-free hemagglutinin H5 sequences (60-mer DNA and 630-nt cDNA fragment) of avian influenza viruses were used as the targets in this work. Two oligonucleotides (16 mers and 18 mers) that specifically recognize two separate but neighboring regions of the H5 sequences were served as the capturing and reporter probes, respectively. The capturing probe was conjugated to QD655 (donor) in a molar ratio of 10:1 (probe-to-QD), and the reporter probe was labeled with Alexa Fluor 660 dye (acceptor) during synthesis. The sandwich hybridization assay was done in a 20 μL transparent, adhesive frame-confined microchamber on a disposable, temperature-adjustable indium tin oxide (ITO) glass slide. The FRET signal in response to the sandwich hybridization was monitored by a homemade optical sensor comprising a single 400 nm UV light-emitting diode (LED), optical fibers, and a miniature 16-bit spectrophotometer. The target with a concentration ranging from 0.5 nM to 1 μM was successfully correlated with both QD emission decrease at 653 nm and dye emission increase at 690 nm. To sum up, this work is beneficial for developing a portable QD-based nucleic acid sensor for on-site pathogen detection. PMID:23211753

Ultrasmooth Quantum Dot Micropatterns by a Facile Controllable Liquid-Transfer Approach: Low-Cost Fabrication of High-Performance QLED.

PubMed

Zhang, Min; Hu, Binbin; Meng, Lili; Bian, Ruixin; Wang, Siyuan; Wang, Yunjun; Liu, Huan; Jiang, Lei

2018-06-26

Fabrication of a high quality quantum dot (QD) film is essentially important for a high-performance QD light emitting diode display (QLED) device. It is normally a high-cost and multiple-step solution-transfer process where large amounts of QDs were needed but with only limited usefulness. Thus, developing a simple, efficient, and low-cost approach to fabricate high-quality micropatterned QD film is urgently needed. Here, we proposed that the Chinese brush enables the controllable transfer of a QD solution directly onto a homogeneous and ultrasmooth micropatterned film in one step. It is proposed that the dynamic balance of QDs was enabled during the entire solution transfer process under the cooperative effect of Marangoni flow aroused by the asymmetric solvent evaporation and the Laplace pressure different by conical fibers. By this approach, QD nanoparticles were homogeneously transferred onto the desired area on the substrate. The as-prepared QLED devices show rather high performances with the current efficiencies of 72.38, 26.03, and 4.26 cd/A and external quantum efficiencies of 17.40, 18.96, and 6.20% for the green, red, and blue QLED devices, respectively. We envision that the result offers a low-cost, facile, and practically applicable solution-processing approach that works even in air for fabricating high-performance QLED devices.

Synthesis and Spectroscopy of Silver-Doped PbSe Quantum Dots

DOE PAGES

Kroupa, Daniel M.; Hughes, Barbara K.; Miller, Elisa M.; ...

2017-06-25

Electronic impurity doping of bulk semiconductors is an essential component of semiconductor science and technology. Yet there are only a handful of studies demonstrating control of electronic impurities in semiconductor nanocrystals. Here, we studied electronic impurity doping of colloidal PbSe quantum dots (QDs) using a postsynthetic cation exchange reaction in which Pb is exchanged for Ag. We found that varying the concentration of dopants exposed to the as-synthesized PbSe QDs controls the extent of exchange. The electronic impurity doped QDs exhibit the fundamental spectroscopic signatures associated with injecting a free charge carrier into a QD under equilibrium conditions, including amore » bleach of the first exciton transition and the appearance of a quantum-confined, low-energy intraband absorption feature. Photoelectron spectroscopy confirms that Ag acts as a p-type dopant for PbSe QDs and infrared spectroscopy is consistent with k • p calculations of the size-dependent intraband transition energy. We find that to bleach the first exciton transition by an average of 1 carrier per QD requires that approximately 10% of the Pb be replaced by Ag. Here, we hypothesize that the majority of incorporated Ag remains at the QD surface and does not interact with the core electronic states of the QD. Instead, the excess Ag at the surface promotes the incorporation of <1% Ag into the QD core where it causes p-type doping behavior.« less

A capillary electrophoresis method to explore the self-assembly of a novel polypeptide ligand with quantum dots.

PubMed

Wang, Jianhao; Zhang, Chencheng; Liu, Li; Kalesh, Karunakaran A; Qiu, Lin; Ding, Shumin; Fu, Minli; Gao, Li-Qian; Jiang, Pengju

2016-08-01

Polyhistidine peptides are effective ligands to coat quantum dots (QDs). It is known that both the number of histidine (His) residues repeats and their structural arrangements in a peptide ligand play important roles in the assembly of the peptide onto CdSe/ZnS QDs. However, due to steric hindrance, a peptide sequence with more than six His residue tandem repeats would hardly coordinate well with Zn(2+) in the QD shell to further enhance the binding affinity. To solve this problem, a His-containing peptide ligand, ATTO 590-E2 G (NH)6 (ATTO-NH), was specifically designed and synthesized for assembly with QDs. With sequential injection of QDs and ATTO-NH into the capillary electrophoresis with fluorescence detection, strong Förster resonance energy transfer phenomenon between the QDs and the ATTO 590 dye was observed, indicating efficient self-assembly of the novel peptide onto the QDs to form ATTO-NH capped QDs inside the capillary. The binding stability of the ligand onto the QD was then systematically investigated by titrating with imidazole, His, and a his-tag containing competitive peptide. It is believed that this new in-capillary assay significantly reduced the sample consumption and the analysis time. By functionalizing QDs with certain metal cation-specific group fused peptide ligand, the QD-based probes could be even extended to the online detection of metal cations for monitoring environment in the future. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Density of Grafted Chains in Thioglycerol-Capped CdS Quantum Dots Determines Their Interaction with Aluminum(III) in Water.

PubMed

Ben Brahim, Nassim; Poggi, Mélanie; Lambry, Jean-Christophe; Bel Haj Mohamed, Naim; Ben Chaâbane, Rafik; Negrerie, Michel

2018-05-07

We aimed to quantify the interaction of water-soluble-functionalized CdS quantum dots (QDs) with metal cations from their composition and physical properties. From the diameter of thioglycerol-capped nanoparticles (TG-CdS QDs) measured by electronic microscopy ( D = 12.3 ± 0.3 nm), we calculated the molecular mass of the individual particle MA QD = (3 ± 0.5) × 10 6 g·mol -1 and its molar absorption coefficient ε 450 = 21 × 10 6 M -1 ·cm -1 . We built a three-dimensional model of the TG-CdS QDs in agreement with the structural data, which allowed us to quantify the number of thioglycerol grafted chains to ∼2000 per QD. This value fully matches the saturation binding curve of Al 3+ cations interacting with TG-CdS QDs. The reaction occurred with a slow association rate ( k on = 2.1 × 10 3 M -1 ·s -1 ), as expected for heavy QDs. The photophysical properties of the functionalized QDs were studied using an absolute QD concentration of 7 nM, which allowed us to investigate the interaction with 14 metallic cations in water. The fluorescence intensity of TG-CdS QDs could be quenched only in the presence of Al 3+ ions in the range 0.2-10 μM but not with other cations and was not observed with other kinds of grafting chains.

Profiling the Local Seebeck Coefficient of InAs-GaAs Quantum Dots Using Scanning Thermoelectric Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yen-Hsiang; Walrath, Jenna; Huang, Simon; Goldman, Rachel

2014-03-01

Thermoelectric (TE) devices offer a method of recovering waste heat through solid state conversion of heat to electricity. However, the typical efficiencies of TE devices are 5-10% which constitutes a barrier to wide spread use. There have recently been a number of reports of an increase in the bulk thermopower due to nanostructuring. In addition to our recent report of enhanced thermopower for GaAs embedded with indium nanocrystals, a theoretical study by Mahan and Sofo suggested that the best thermoelectric materials have a delta function density of states. Quantum dots fit ideally into such a picture. To date, the influence of nanostructuring on the electronic LDOS and thermopower has been studied using spatially averaged measurements; a nanoscale investigation of the effects of nanostructures on thermopower has yet to be presented. To investigate the link between dimensionality and TE properties, we are examining structures ranging from QDs to bulk-like layers, comparing SThEM measurements of the local Seebeck coefficient, S, with STS measurements of the local density of states (LDOS). STM, STS, and SThEM performed on InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown on GaAs. SThEM reveals enhanced S-values near the QD edge; STS reveals band-bending at the QD/GaAs interface, suggesting that the S enhancement is due to interfacial charge accumulation.

Ge quantum dot arrays grown by ultrahigh vacuum molecular-beam epitaxy on the Si(001) surface: nucleation, morphology, and CMOS compatibility.

PubMed

Yuryev, Vladimir A; Arapkina, Larisa V

2011-09-05

Issues of morphology, nucleation, and growth of Ge cluster arrays deposited by ultrahigh vacuum molecular beam epitaxy on the Si(001) surface are considered. Difference in nucleation of quantum dots during Ge deposition at low (≲600°C) and high (≳600°C) temperatures is studied by high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy. The atomic models of growth of both species of Ge huts--pyramids and wedges-- are proposed. The growth cycle of Ge QD arrays at low temperatures is explored. A problem of lowering of the array formation temperature is discussed with the focus on CMOS compatibility of the entire process; a special attention is paid upon approaches to reduction of treatment temperature during the Si(001) surface pre-growth cleaning, which is at once a key and the highest-temperature phase of the Ge/Si(001) quantum dot dense array formation process. The temperature of the Si clean surface preparation, the final high-temperature step of which is, as a rule, carried out directly in the MBE chamber just before the structure deposition, determines the compatibility of formation process of Ge-QD-array based devices with the CMOS manufacturing cycle. Silicon surface hydrogenation at the final stage of its wet chemical etching during the preliminary cleaning is proposed as a possible way of efficient reduction of the Si wafer pre-growth annealing temperature.

Release of quantum dot nanoparticles in porous media: Role of cation exchange and aging time

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Understanding the fate and transport of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in subsurface environments is required for developing the best strategy for waste management and disposal of these materials. In this study, the deposition and release of quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles were studied in saturated ...

High Operating Temperature Midwave Quantum Dot Barrier Infrared Detector (QD-BIRD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ting, David Z.; Soibel, Alexander; Hill, Cory J.; Keo, Sam A.; Mumolo, Jason M.; Gunapala, Sarath D.

2012-01-01

The nBn or XBn barrier infrared detector has the advantage of reduced dark current resulting from suppressed Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) recombination and surface leakage. High performance detectors and focal plane arrays (FPAs) based on InAsSb absorber lattice matched to GaSb substrate, with a matching AlAsSb unipolar electron barrier, have been demonstrated. The band gap of lattice-matched InAsSb yields a detector cutoff wavelength of approximately 4.2 ??m when operating at 150K. We report results on extending the cutoff wavelength of midwave barrier infrared detectors by incorporating self-assembled InSb quantum dots into the active area of the detector. Using this approach, we were able to extend the detector cutoff wavelength to 6 ?m, allowing the coverage of the full midwave infrared (MWIR) transmission window. The quantum dot barrier infrared detector (QD-BIRD) shows infrared response at temperatures up to 225 K.

Wetting layer effect on impurity-related electronic properties of different (In,Ga)N QD-shapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Ghazi, Haddou; Jorio, Anouar; Zorkani, Izeddine; Feddi, El Mustapha; El Mouchtachi, Ahmed

2018-05-01

In this paper, we have investigated the electronic properties of (In,Ga)N/GaN coupled wetting layer-quantum dot system using the numerical approach. The finite element method code is used to solve the Schrödinger equation, in the presence of the impurity. In our model, parallelepiped-shape, circular and square based-pyramidal and their wetting layers embedded in GaN matrix were considered. Based on the single band parabolic and the effective mass approximations, the envelop function and its corresponding energy eigenvalue are obtained assuming a finite potential barrier. Our results reveal that: (1) the wetting layer has a great influence on the electronic properties especially for a small quantum dot and acts in the opposite sense of the geometrical confinement, (2) a wetting layer-dependent critical QD-size is obtained limiting two different behaviors and (3) its effect is strongly-dependent on the quantum dot-shape.

Telecom wavelength single quantum dots with very small excitonic fine-structure splitting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kors, Andrei; Reithmaier, Johann Peter; Benyoucef, Mohamed

2018-04-01

We report on molecular beam epitaxy growth of symmetric InAs/InP quantum dots (QDs) emitting at a telecom C-band (1.55 μm) with an ultra-small excitonic fine-structure splitting of ˜2 μeV. The QDs are grown on a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) and systematically characterized by micro-photoluminescence (μ-PL) measurements. One order of magnitude of QD PL intensity enhancement is observed in comparison to the samples without DBR. A combination of power-dependent and polarization-resolved measurements reveals background-free exciton, biexciton, and dark exciton emission with a resolution-limited linewidth below 35 μeV and a biexciton binding energy of ˜1 meV. The results are confirmed by statistical measurements of about 20 QDs.

Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) of quantum dots in living cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadeau, Jay; Carlini, Lina

2013-02-01

Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) is an emerging imaging technique that can indicate environmental factors such as pH and redox potential by the effect of these factors on the fluorescence lifetimes of fluorophores. Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are highly sensitive to environment and so are ideal for use in FLIM, although certain experimental parameters must be carefully considered for QD imaging to account for their long lifetimes and two-photon behavior. We image the uptake of three types of QDs in cultured fibroblasts and show some preliminary results on the effects of endosomes and lysosomes on QD lifetimes. These results indicate the feasibility of FLIM for studies using QDs in live cells.

Modular, Antibody-free Time-Resolved LRET Kinase Assay Enabled by Quantum Dots and Tb3+-sensitizing Peptides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Wei; Parker, Laurie L.

2016-07-01

Fluorescent drug screening assays are essential for tyrosine kinase inhibitor discovery. Here we demonstrate a flexible, antibody-free TR-LRET kinase assay strategy that is enabled by the combination of streptavidin-coated quantum dot (QD) acceptors and biotinylated, Tb3+ sensitizing peptide donors. By exploiting the spectral features of Tb3+ and QD, and the high binding affinity of the streptavidin-biotin interaction, we achieved multiplexed detection of kinase activity in a modular fashion without requiring additional covalent labeling of each peptide substrate. This strategy is compatible with high-throughput screening, and should be adaptable to the rapidly changing workflows and targets involved in kinase inhibitor discovery.

Theoretical Investigation of Light Transmission in a Slab Cavity via Kerr Nonlinearity of Carbon Nanotube Quantum Dot Nanostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solookinejad, Gh.; Jabbari, M.; Sangachin, E. Ahmadi; Asadpour, S. H.

2018-01-01

In this paper, we discuss the transmission properties of weak probe laser field propagate through slab cavity with defect layer of carbon-nanotube quantum dot (CNT-QD) nanostructure. We show that due to spin-orbit coupling, the double electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) windows appear and the giant Kerr nonlinearity of the intracavity medium can lead to manipulating of transmission coefficient of weak probe light. The thickness effect of defect layer medium has also been analyzed on transmission properties of probe laser field. Our proposed model may be useful for integrated photonics devices based on CNT-QD for applications in all-optical systems which require multiple EIT effect.

A quantum dot-spore nanocomposite pH sensor.

PubMed

Zhang, Xingya; Li, Zheng; Zhou, Tao; Zhou, Qian; Zeng, Zhiming; Xu, Xiangdong; Hu, Yonggang

2016-04-01

A new quantum dot (QD)-based pH sensor design is investigated. The sensor is synthesized based on the self-assembly of green QDs onto treated spores to form QD@spore nanocomposites. The nanocomposites are characterized using laser scanning confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscope, and fluorescence spectroscopy, among others. Fluorescence measurements showed that these nanocomposites are sensitive to pH in a broad pH range of 5.0-10.0. The developed pH sensors have been satisfactorily applied for pH estimation of real samples and are comparable with those of the commercial assay method, indicating the potential practical application of the pH sensors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nonvolatile floating gate organic memory device based on pentacene/CdSe quantum dot heterojuction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Ik-Soo; Kim, Jung-Min; Jeun, Jun-Ho; Yoo, Seok-Hyun; Ge, Ziyi; Hong, Jong-In; Ho Bang, Jin; Kim, Yong-Sang

2012-04-01

An organic floating-gate memory device using CdSe quantum dots (QDs) as a charge-trapping element was fabricated. CdSe QDs were localized beneath a pentacene without any tunneling insulator, and the QD layer played a role as hole-trapping sites. The band bending formed at the junction between pentacene and QD layers inhibited back-injection of holes trapped in CdSe into pentacene, which appeared as a hysteretic capacitance-voltage response during the operation of the device. Nearly, 60% of trapped charge was sustained even after 104 s in programmed state, and this long retention time can be potentially useful in practical applications of non-volatile memory.

Semiconductor quantum dot-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Tian, Jianjun; Cao, Guozhong

2013-10-31

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have been drawing great attention recently as a material for solar energy conversion due to their versatile optical and electrical properties. The QD-sensitized solar cell (QDSC) is one of the burgeoning semiconductor QD solar cells that shows promising developments for the next generation of solar cells. This article focuses on recent developments in QDSCs, including 1) the effect of quantum confinement on QDSCs, 2) the multiple exciton generation (MEG) of QDs, 3) fabrication methods of QDs, and 4) nanocrystalline photoelectrodes for solar cells. We also make suggestions for future research on QDSCs. Although the efficiency of QDSCs is still low, we think there will be major breakthroughs in developing QDSCs in the future.

White Light-Emitting Diodes Based on AgInS2/ZnS Quantum Dots with Improved Bandwidth in Visible Light Communication

PubMed Central

Ruan, Cheng; Zhang, Yu; Lu, Min; Ji, Changyin; Sun, Chun; Chen, Xiongbin; Chen, Hongda; Colvin, Vicki L.; Yu, William W.

2016-01-01

Quantum dot white light-emitting diodes (QD-WLEDs) were fabricated from green- and red-emitting AgInS2/ZnS core/shell QDs coated on GaN LEDs. Their electroluminescence (EL) spectra were measured at different currents, ranging from 50 mA to 400 mA, and showed good color stability. The modulation bandwidth of previously prepared QD-WLEDs was confirmed to be much wider than that of YAG:Ce phosphor-based WLEDs. These results indicate that the AgInS2/ZnS core/shell QDs are good color-converting materials for WLEDs and they are capable in visible light communication (VLC). PMID:28344270

Investigation of Exciton Recombination Zone in Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes Using a Fluorescent Probe.

PubMed

Huang, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Heng; Xu, Dingxin; Wen, Feng; Chen, Shuming

2017-08-23

Exciton recombination zone, where the photons are generated, can greatly affect the performance, such as the efficiency and color purity, of the quantum dot (QD) light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). To probe the exciton recombination zone, 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-t-butyl-6(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl)-4H-pyran (DCJTB) is doped into the charge transport layer as a fluorescent sensor; by monitoring the Förster resonant energy transfer (FRET) between QD and DCJTB, the location of the recombination zone can be determined. It is found that the electron transport layer (ETL) has a great impact on the recombination zone. For example, in QLEDs with ZnMgO ETL, the recombination zone is near the interface of the QD/hole transport layer (HTL) and is shifted to the interface of the QD/ETL as the driving voltage is increased, whereas in devices with 1,3,5-tris(2-N-phenylbenzimidazolyl) benzene (TPBi) ETL, the recombination zone is close to the interface of the QD/ETL and moved to the interface of the QD/HTL with the increase in the driving voltage. Our results can also clarify the light emission mechanism in QLEDs. In devices with ZnMgO ETL, the emission is dominated by the direct charge recombination, whereas in devices with TPBi ETL, the emission is contributed by both FRET and direct charge recombination. Our studies suggest that fluorescent probe can be a powerful tool for investigating the exciton recombination zone, light emission mechanism, and other fundamental processes in QLEDs.

Toward a solid-phase nucleic acid hybridization assay within microfluidic channels using immobilized quantum dots as donors in fluorescence resonance energy transfer.

PubMed

Chen, Lu; Algar, W Russ; Tavares, Anthony J; Krull, Ulrich J

2011-01-01

The optical properties and surface area of quantum dots (QDs) have made them an attractive platform for the development of nucleic acid biosensors based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Solid-phase assays based on FRET using mixtures of immobilized QD-oligonucleotide conjugates (QD biosensors) have been developed. The typical challenges associated with solid-phase detection strategies include non-specific adsorption, slow kinetics of hybridization, and sample manipulation. The new work herein has considered the immobilization of QD biosensors onto the surfaces of microfluidic channels in order to address these challenges. Microfluidic flow can be used to dynamically control stringency by adjustment of the potential in an electrokinetic-based microfluidics environment. The shearing force, Joule heating, and the competition between electroosmotic and electrophoretic mobilities allow the optimization of hybridization conditions, convective delivery of target to the channel surface to speed hybridization, amelioration of adsorption, and regeneration of the sensing surface. Microfluidic flow can also be used to deliver (for immobilization) and remove QD biosensors. QDs that were conjugated with two different oligonucleotide sequences were used to demonstrate feasibility. One oligonucleotide sequence on the QD was available as a linker for immobilization via hybridization with complementary oligonucleotides located on a glass surface within a microfluidic channel. A second oligonucleotide sequence on the QD served as a probe to transduce hybridization with target nucleic acid in a sample solution. A Cy3 label on the target was excited by FRET using green-emitting CdSe/ZnS QD donors and provided an analytical signal to explore this detection strategy. The immobilized QDs could be removed under denaturing conditions by disrupting the duplex that was used as the surface linker and thus allowed a new layer of QD biosensors to be re-coated within the channel for re-use of the microfluidic chip.

Designing multifunctional quantum dots for bioimaging, detection, and drug delivery

PubMed Central

Zrazhevskiy, Pavel; Sena, Mark; Gao, Xiaohu

2011-01-01

The emerging field of bionanotechnology aims at revolutionizing biomedical research and clinical practice via introduction of nanoparticle-based tools, expanding capabilities of existing investigative, diagnostic, and therapeutic techniques as well as creating novel instruments and approaches for addressing challenges faced by medicine. Quantum dots (QDs), semiconductor nanoparticles with unique photo-physical properties, have become one of the dominant classes of imaging probes as well as universal platforms for engineering of multifunctional nanodevices. Possessing versatile surface chemistry and superior optical features, QDs have found initial use in a variety of in vitro and in vivo applications. However, careful engineering of QD probes guided by application-specific design criteria is becoming increasingly important for successful transition of this technology from proof-of-concept studies towards real-life clinical applications. This review outlines the major design principles and criteria, from general ones to application-specific, governing the engineering of novel QD probes satisfying the increasing demands and requirements of nanomedicine and discusses the future directions of QD-focused bionanotechnology research (critical review, 201 references). PMID:20697629

Many-body exciton states in self-assembled quantum dots coupled to a Fermi sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koenraad, P. M.; Kleemans, N. A. J. M.; van Bree, J.; Govorov, A. O.; Hamhuis, G. J.; Notzel, R.; Silov, A. Yu.

2010-03-01

Using voltage dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy we have studied the coupling between QD states and the continuum of states of a Fermi sea of electrons in the close proximity of a self-assembled InAs quantum dot embedded in GaAs. This coupling gives rise to new optical transitions, manifesting the formation of many-body exciton states. The lines in the photoluminescence spectra can be well explained within the Anderson and Mahan exciton models. The presence of Mahan excitons originates from the Coulomb interaction between electrons in the Fermi sea and the hole(s) in the QD whereas a the second type of many-body exciton is due to a hybridized exciton originating from the tunnel interaction between the continuum of states in the Fermi sea and the localized state in the QD. Our study demonstrates the possibility to investigate a variety of many-body states in QDs coupled to a Fermi sea and opens the way to investigate optically the Kondo effect and related spin phenomena in these systems.

Suspending effect on low-frequency charge noise in graphene quantum dot.

PubMed

Song, Xiang-Xiang; Li, Hai-Ou; You, Jie; Han, Tian-Yi; Cao, Gang; Tu, Tao; Xiao, Ming; Guo, Guang-Can; Jiang, Hong-Wen; Guo, Guo-Ping

2015-01-30

Charge noise is critical in the performance of gate-controlled quantum dots (QDs). Such information is not yet available for QDs made out of the new material graphene, where both substrate and edge states are known to have important effects. Here we show the 1/f noise for a microscopic graphene QD is substantially larger than that for a macroscopic graphene field-effect transistor (FET), increasing linearly with temperature. To understand its origin, we suspended the graphene QD above the substrate. In contrast to large area graphene FETs, we find that a suspended graphene QD has an almost-identical noise level as an unsuspended one. Tracking noise levels around the Coulomb blockade peak as a function of gate voltage yields potential fluctuations of order 1 μeV, almost one order larger than in GaAs/GaAlAs QDs. Edge states and surface impurities rather than substrate-induced disorders, appear to dominate the 1/f noise, thus affecting the coherency of graphene nano-devices.

III-nitride quantum dots for ultra-efficient solid-state lighting

DOE PAGES

Wierer, Jr., Jonathan J.; Tansu, Nelson; Fischer, Arthur J.; ...

2016-05-23

III-nitride light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs) are ultimately limited in performance due to parasitic Auger recombination. For LEDs, the consequences are poor efficiencies at high current densities; for LDs, the consequences are high thresholds and limited efficiencies. Here, we present arguments for III-nitride quantum dots (QDs) as active regions for both LEDs and LDs, to circumvent Auger recombination and achieve efficiencies at higher current densities that are not possible with quantum wells. QD-based LDs achieve gain and thresholds at lower carrier densities before Auger recombination becomes appreciable. QD-based LEDs achieve higher efficiencies at higher currents because of highermore » spontaneous emission rates and reduced Auger recombination. The technical challenge is to control the size distribution and volume of the QDs to realize these benefits. In conclusion, if constructed properly, III-nitride light-emitting devices with QD active regions have the potential to outperform quantum well light-emitting devices, and enable an era of ultra-efficient solidstate lighting.« less

Tuning colloidal quantum dot band edge positions through solution-phase surface chemistry modification

DOE PAGES

Kroupa, Daniel M.; Vörös, Márton; Brawand, Nicholas P.; ...

2017-05-16

Band edge positions of semiconductors determine their functionality in many optoelectronic applications such as photovoltaics, photoelectrochemical cells and light emitting diodes. Here we show that band edge positions of lead sulfide (PbS) colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals, specifically quantum dots (QDs), can be tuned over 2.0 eV through surface chemistry modification. We achieved this remarkable control through the development of simple, robust and scalable solution-phase ligand exchange methods, which completely replace native ligands with functionalized cinnamate ligands, allowing for well-defined, highly tunable chemical systems. By combining experiments and ab initio simulations, we establish clear relationships between QD surface chemistry and the bandmore » edge positions of ligand/QD hybrid systems. We find that in addition to ligand dipole, inter-QD ligand shell inter-digitization contributes to the band edge shifts. As a result, we expect that our established relationships and principles can help guide future optimization of functional organic/inorganic hybrid nanostructures for diverse optoelectronic applications.« less

A fluorescent immunochromatographic strip test using Quantum Dots for fumonisins detection.

PubMed

Di Nardo, F; Anfossi, L; Giovannoli, C; Passini, C; Goftman, V V; Goryacheva, I Y; Baggiani, C

2016-04-01

A fluorescent immunochromatographic strip test (ICST) based on the use of Quantum Dots (QD) was developed and applied to detect fumonisins in maize samples. A limit of detection for fumonisin B1 of 2.8 µg L(-1) was achieved, with an analytical working range of 3-350 µg L(-1), corresponding to 30-3500 µg kg(-1) in maize flour samples, according with the extraction procedure. The time required to perform the analysis was 22 min, including sample preparation. Recovery values in the range from 91.4% to 105.4% with coefficients of variation not exceeding 5% were obtained for fortified and naturally contaminated maize flour samples. To evaluate the possible improvements due to the use of QD for ICST technology, we performed a direct comparison of the proposed QD-ICST to a gold nanoparticles- and a chemiluminescent-ICST previously developed for fumonisins detection, in which the same immunoreagents were employed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continuous-wave infrared optical gain and amplified spontaneous emission at ultralow threshold by colloidal HgTe quantum dots.

PubMed

Geiregat, Pieter; Houtepen, Arjan J; Sagar, Laxmi Kishore; Infante, Ivan; Zapata, Felipe; Grigel, Valeriia; Allan, Guy; Delerue, Christophe; Van Thourhout, Dries; Hens, Zeger

2018-01-01

Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) raise more and more interest as solution-processable and tunable optical gain materials. However, especially for infrared active QDs, optical gain remains inefficient. Since stimulated emission involves multifold degenerate band-edge states, population inversion can be attained only at high pump power and must compete with efficient multi-exciton recombination. Here, we show that mercury telluride (HgTe) QDs exhibit size-tunable stimulated emission throughout the near-infrared telecom window at thresholds unmatched by any QD studied before. We attribute this unique behaviour to surface-localized states in the bandgap that turn HgTe QDs into 4-level systems. The resulting long-lived population inversion induces amplified spontaneous emission under continuous-wave optical pumping at power levels compatible with solar irradiation and direct current electrical pumping. These results introduce an alternative approach for low-threshold QD-based gain media based on intentional trap states that paves the way for solution-processed infrared QD lasers and amplifiers.

Tuning colloidal quantum dot band edge positions through solution-phase surface chemistry modification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kroupa, Daniel M.; Vörös, Márton; Brawand, Nicholas P.

Band edge positions of semiconductors determine their functionality in many optoelectronic applications such as photovoltaics, photoelectrochemical cells and light emitting diodes. Here we show that band edge positions of lead sulfide (PbS) colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals, specifically quantum dots (QDs), can be tuned over 2.0 eV through surface chemistry modification. We achieved this remarkable control through the development of simple, robust and scalable solution-phase ligand exchange methods, which completely replace native ligands with functionalized cinnamate ligands, allowing for well-defined, highly tunable chemical systems. By combining experiments and ab initio simulations, we establish clear relationships between QD surface chemistry and the bandmore » edge positions of ligand/QD hybrid systems. We find that in addition to ligand dipole, inter-QD ligand shell inter-digitization contributes to the band edge shifts. As a result, we expect that our established relationships and principles can help guide future optimization of functional organic/inorganic hybrid nanostructures for diverse optoelectronic applications.« less

Continuous-wave infrared optical gain and amplified spontaneous emission at ultralow threshold by colloidal HgTe quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geiregat, Pieter; Houtepen, Arjan J.; Sagar, Laxmi Kishore; Infante, Ivan; Zapata, Felipe; Grigel, Valeriia; Allan, Guy; Delerue, Christophe; van Thourhout, Dries; Hens, Zeger

2018-01-01

Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) raise more and more interest as solution-processable and tunable optical gain materials. However, especially for infrared active QDs, optical gain remains inefficient. Since stimulated emission involves multifold degenerate band-edge states, population inversion can be attained only at high pump power and must compete with efficient multi-exciton recombination. Here, we show that mercury telluride (HgTe) QDs exhibit size-tunable stimulated emission throughout the near-infrared telecom window at thresholds unmatched by any QD studied before. We attribute this unique behaviour to surface-localized states in the bandgap that turn HgTe QDs into 4-level systems. The resulting long-lived population inversion induces amplified spontaneous emission under continuous-wave optical pumping at power levels compatible with solar irradiation and direct current electrical pumping. These results introduce an alternative approach for low-threshold QD-based gain media based on intentional trap states that paves the way for solution-processed infrared QD lasers and amplifiers.

Tuning colloidal quantum dot band edge positions through solution-phase surface chemistry modification

PubMed Central

Kroupa, Daniel M.; Vörös, Márton; Brawand, Nicholas P.; McNichols, Brett W.; Miller, Elisa M.; Gu, Jing; Nozik, Arthur J.; Sellinger, Alan; Galli, Giulia; Beard, Matthew C.

2017-01-01

Band edge positions of semiconductors determine their functionality in many optoelectronic applications such as photovoltaics, photoelectrochemical cells and light emitting diodes. Here we show that band edge positions of lead sulfide (PbS) colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals, specifically quantum dots (QDs), can be tuned over 2.0 eV through surface chemistry modification. We achieved this remarkable control through the development of simple, robust and scalable solution-phase ligand exchange methods, which completely replace native ligands with functionalized cinnamate ligands, allowing for well-defined, highly tunable chemical systems. By combining experiments and ab initio simulations, we establish clear relationships between QD surface chemistry and the band edge positions of ligand/QD hybrid systems. We find that in addition to ligand dipole, inter-QD ligand shell inter-digitization contributes to the band edge shifts. We expect that our established relationships and principles can help guide future optimization of functional organic/inorganic hybrid nanostructures for diverse optoelectronic applications. PMID:28508866

Suspending Effect on Low-Frequency Charge Noise in Graphene Quantum Dot

PubMed Central

Song, Xiang-Xiang; Li, Hai-Ou; You, Jie; Han, Tian-Yi; Cao, Gang; Tu, Tao; Xiao, Ming; Guo, Guang-Can; Jiang, Hong-Wen; Guo, Guo-Ping

2015-01-01

Charge noise is critical in the performance of gate-controlled quantum dots (QDs). Such information is not yet available for QDs made out of the new material graphene, where both substrate and edge states are known to have important effects. Here we show the 1/f noise for a microscopic graphene QD is substantially larger than that for a macroscopic graphene field-effect transistor (FET), increasing linearly with temperature. To understand its origin, we suspended the graphene QD above the substrate. In contrast to large area graphene FETs, we find that a suspended graphene QD has an almost-identical noise level as an unsuspended one. Tracking noise levels around the Coulomb blockade peak as a function of gate voltage yields potential fluctuations of order 1 μeV, almost one order larger than in GaAs/GaAlAs QDs. Edge states and surface impurities rather than substrate-induced disorders, appear to dominate the 1/f noise, thus affecting the coherency of graphene nano-devices. PMID:25634250

Effect of pumping delay on the modulation bandwidth in double tunneling-injection quantum dot lasers.

PubMed

Asryan, Levon V

2017-01-01

The modulation bandwidth of double tunneling-injection (DTI) quantum dot (QD) lasers is studied, taking into account noninstantaneous pumping of QDs. In this advanced type of semiconductor lasers, carriers are first captured from the bulk waveguide region into two-dimensional regions (quantum wells [QWs]); then they tunnel from the QWs into zero-dimensional regions (QDs). The two processes are noninstantaneous and, thus, could delay the delivery of the carriers to the QDs. Here, the modulation bandwidth of DTI QD lasers is calculated as a function of two characteristic times (the capture time from the waveguide region into the QW and the tunneling time from the QW into the QD ensemble) and is shown to increase as either of these times is reduced. The capture and tunneling times of 1 and 0.1 ps, respectively, are shown to characterize fast capture and tunneling processes; as the capture and tunneling times are brought below 1 and 0.1 ps, the bandwidth remains almost unchanged and close to its upper limit.

Engineering a Robust Photovoltaic Device with Quantum Dots and Bacteriorhodopsin

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

We present a route toward a radical improvement in solar cell efficiency using resonant energy transfer and sensitization of semiconductor metal oxides with a light-harvesting quantum dot (QD)/bacteriorhodopsin (bR) layer designed by protein engineering. The specific aims of our approach are (1) controlled engineering of highly ordered bR/QD complexes; (2) replacement of the liquid electrolyte by a thin layer of gold; (3) highly oriented deposition of bR/QD complexes on a gold layer; and (4) use of the Forster resonance energy transfer coupling between bR and QDs to achieve an efficient absorbing layer for dye-sensitized solar cells. This proposed approach is based on the unique optical characteristics of QDs, on the photovoltaic properties of bR, and on state-of-the-art nanobioengineering technologies. It permits spatial and optical coupling together with control of hybrid material components on the bionanoscale. This method paves the way to the development of the solid-state photovoltaic device with the efficiency increased to practical levels. PMID:25383133

Determination of lateral size distribution of type-II ZnTe/ZnSe stacked submonolayer quantum dots via spectral analysis of optical signature of the Aharanov-Bohm excitons

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ji, Haojie; Dhomkar, Siddharth; Roy, Bidisha

2014-10-28

For submonolayer quantum dot (QD) based photonic devices, size and density of QDs are critical parameters, the probing of which requires indirect methods. We report the determination of lateral size distribution of type-II ZnTe/ZnSe stacked submonolayer QDs, based on spectral analysis of the optical signature of Aharanov-Bohm (AB) excitons, complemented by photoluminescence studies, secondary-ion mass spectroscopy, and numerical calculations. Numerical calculations are employed to determine the AB transition magnetic field as a function of the type-II QD radius. The study of four samples grown with different tellurium fluxes shows that the lateral size of QDs increases by just 50%, evenmore » though tellurium concentration increases 25-fold. Detailed spectral analysis of the emission of the AB exciton shows that the QD radii take on only certain values due to vertical correlation and the stacked nature of the QDs.« less

Spin power and efficiency in an Aharnov-Bohm ring with an embedded magnetic impurity quantum dot

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Xi; Guo, Yong, E-mail: guoy66@tsinghua.edu.cn; Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing

2015-05-11

Spin thermoelectric effects in an Aharnov-Bohm ring with a magnetic impurity quantum dot (QD) are theoretically investigated by using the nonequilibrium Green's function method. It is found that due to the exchange coupling between the impurity and the electrons in QD, spin output power, and efficiency can be significant and be further modulated by the gate voltage. The spin thermoelectric effect can be modulated effectively by adjusting the Rashba spin-orbit interaction (RSOI) and the magnetic flux. The spin power and efficiency show zigzag oscillations, and thus spin thermoelectric effect can be switched by adjusting the magnetic flux phase factor andmore » RSOI ones. In addition, the spin efficiency can be significantly enhanced by the coexistence of the RSOI and the magnetic flux, and the maximal value of normalized spin efficiency η{sub max}/η{sub C} = 0.35 is obtained. Our results show that such a QD ring device may be used as a manipulative spin thermoelectric generator.« less

Charge transport through exciton shelves in cadmium chalcogenide quantum dot-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodman, Samuel M.; Noh, Hyunwoo; Singh, Vivek; Cha, Jennifer N.; Nagpal, Prashant

2015-02-01

Quantum dot (QD), or semiconductor nanocrystal, thin films are being explored for making solution-processable devices due to their size- and shape-tunable bandgap and discrete higher energy electronic states. While DNA has been extensively used for the self-assembly of nanocrystals, it has not been investigated for the simultaneous conduction of multiple energy charges or excitons via exciton shelves (ES) formed in QD-DNA nano-bioelectronic thin films. Here, we present studies on charge conduction through exciton shelves, which are formed via chemically coupled QDs and DNA, between electronic states of the QDs and the HOMO-LUMO levels in the complementary DNA nucleobases. While several challenges need to be addressed in optimizing the formation of devices using QD-DNA thin films, a higher charge collection efficiency for hot-carriers and our detailed investigations of charge transport mechanism in these thin films highlight their potential for applications in nano-bioelectronic devices and biological transducers.

The future of quantum dots in drug discovery.

PubMed

Lin, Guimiao; Yin, Feng; Yong, Ken-Tye

2014-09-01

The rapid development of drug discovery today is inseparable from the interaction of advanced particle technologies and new drug synthesis protocols. Quantum dots (QDs) are regarded as a unique class of fluorescent labels, with unique optical properties such as high brightness and long-term colloidal and optical stability; these are suitable for optical imaging, drug delivery and optical tracking, fluorescence immunoassay and other medicinal applications. More importantly, QD possesses a rich surface chemistry property that is useful for incorporating various drug molecules, targeting ligands, and additional contrast agents (e.g., MRI, PET, etc.) onto the nanoparticle surface for achieving targeted and traceable drug delivery therapy at both cellular and systemic levels. In recent times, the advancement of QD technology has promoted the use of functionalized nanocrystals for in vivo applications. Such research is paving the way for drug discovery using various bioconjugated QD formulations. In this editorial, the authors highlight the current research progress and future applications of QDs in drug discovery.

Distance-dependent Fluorescence Quenching and Binding of CdSe Quantum Dots by Functionalized Nitroxide Radicals

PubMed Central

Tansakul, Chittreeya; Lilie, Erin; Walter, Eric D.; Rivera, Frank; Wolcott, Abraham; Zhang, Jin Z.; Millhauser, Glenn L.

2010-01-01

Quantum dot (QD) fluorescence is effectively quenched at low concentration by nitroxides bearing amine or carboxylic acid ligands. The association constants and fluorescence quenching of CdSe QDs with these derivatized nitroxides have been examined using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and fluorescence spectroscopy. The EPR spectra in the non-protic solvent toluene are extremely sensitive to intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonding of the functionalized nitroxides. Fluorescence measurements show that quenching of QD luminescence is nonlinear, with a strong dependence on the distance between the radical and the QD. The quenched fluorescence is restored when the surface-bound nitroxides are converted to hydroxylamines by mild reducing agents, or trapped by carbon radicals to form alkoxyamines. EPR studies indicate that photoreduction of the nitroxide occurs in toluene solution upon photoexcitation at 365 nm. However, photolysis in benzene solution gives no photoreduction, suggesting that photoreduction in toluene is independent of the quenching mechanism. The fluorescence quenching of QDs by nitroxide binding is a reversible process. PMID:20473339

Quantum-Dot-Based Theranostic Micelles Conjugated with an Anti-EGFR Nanobody for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Therapy.

PubMed

Wang, Yuyuan; Wang, Yidan; Chen, Guojun; Li, Yitong; Xu, Wei; Gong, Shaoqin

2017-09-13

A quantum-dot (QD)-based micelle conjugated with an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) nanobody (Nb) and loaded with an anticancer drug, aminoflavone (AF), has been engineered for EGFR-overexpressing cancer theranostics. The near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence of the indium phosphate core/zinc sulfide shell QDs (InP/ZnS QDs) allowed for in vivo nanoparticle biodistribution studies. The anti-EGFR nanobody 7D12 conjugation improved the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of the QD-based micelles in EGFR-overexpressing MDA-MB-468 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. In comparison with the AF-encapsulated nontargeted (i.e., without Nb conjugation) micelles, the AF-encapsulated Nb-conjugated (i.e., targeted) micelles accumulated in tumors at higher concentrations, leading to more effective tumor regression in an orthotopic triple-negative breast cancer xenograft mouse model. Furthermore, there was no systemic toxicity observed with the treatments. Thus, this QD-based Nb-conjugated micelle may serve as an effective theranostic nanoplatform for EGFR-overexpressing cancers such as TNBCs.

Tuning colloidal quantum dot band edge positions through solution-phase surface chemistry modification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kroupa, Daniel M.; Vörös, Márton; Brawand, Nicholas P.; McNichols, Brett W.; Miller, Elisa M.; Gu, Jing; Nozik, Arthur J.; Sellinger, Alan; Galli, Giulia; Beard, Matthew C.

2017-05-01

Band edge positions of semiconductors determine their functionality in many optoelectronic applications such as photovoltaics, photoelectrochemical cells and light emitting diodes. Here we show that band edge positions of lead sulfide (PbS) colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals, specifically quantum dots (QDs), can be tuned over 2.0 eV through surface chemistry modification. We achieved this remarkable control through the development of simple, robust and scalable solution-phase ligand exchange methods, which completely replace native ligands with functionalized cinnamate ligands, allowing for well-defined, highly tunable chemical systems. By combining experiments and ab initio simulations, we establish clear relationships between QD surface chemistry and the band edge positions of ligand/QD hybrid systems. We find that in addition to ligand dipole, inter-QD ligand shell inter-digitization contributes to the band edge shifts. We expect that our established relationships and principles can help guide future optimization of functional organic/inorganic hybrid nanostructures for diverse optoelectronic applications.

Tunnel coupling tuning of a QD-donor S-T qubit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jock, R. M.; Rudolph, M.; Harvey-Collard, P.; Jacobson, T.; Wendt, J.; Pluym, T.; Dominguez, J.; Manginell, R.; Lilly, M. P.; Carroll, M. S.

Coherent coupling between an electrostatic quantum dot (QD) and an implanted 31P donor has been recently demonstrated in a singlet-triplet qubit design. Controlling the tunnel coupling between the QD and donor is a key design challenge. We demonstrate the ability to voltage-tune the tunnel coupling between a QD and a donor in a new, implanted, MOS-QD design. The tunnel coupling is extracted from the frequency dependence of coherent singlet-triplet oscillations on detuning. By tailoring the electrostatic tuning of the QD, we observe a near-order-of-magnitude change in QD-donor tunnel coupling. Independent control of the QD-lead tunnel rates is also demonstrated. This new MOS foundry compatible QD-donor design shows promise for substantially relaxing fabrication requirements for donor based qubits. This work was performed, in part, at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, an Office of Science User Facility operated for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Simultaneous detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium using quantum dots as fluorescence labels.

PubMed

Yang, Liju; Li, Yanbin

2006-03-01

In this study, we explored the use of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) as fluorescence labels in immunoassays for simultaneous detection of two species of foodborne pathogenic bacteria, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium. QDs with different sizes can be excited with a single wavelength of light, resulting in different emission peaks that can be measured simultaneously. Highly fluorescent semiconductor quantum dots with different emission wavelengths (525 nm and 705 nm) were conjugated to anti-E. coli O157 and anti-Salmonella antibodies, respectively. Target bacteria were separated from samples by using specific antibody coated magnetic beads. The bead-cell complexes reacted with QD-antibody conjugates to form bead-cell-QD complexes. Fluorescent microscopic images of QD labeled E. coli and Salmonella cells demonstrated that QD-antibody conjugates could evenly and completely attach to the surface of bacterial cells, indicating that the conjugated QD molecules still retain their effective fluorescence, while the conjugated antibody molecules remain active and are able to recognize their specific target bacteria in a complex mixture. The intensities of fluorescence emission peaks at 525 nm and 705 nm of the final complexes were measured for quantitative detection of E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium simultaneously. The fluorescence intensity (FI) as a function of cell number (N) was found for Salmonella and E. coli, respectively. The regression models can be expressed as: FI = 60.6 log N- 250.9 with R(2) = 0.97 for S. Typhimurium, and FI = 77.8 log N- 245.2 with R(2) = 0.91 for E. coli O157:H7 in the range of cell numbers from 10(4) to 10(7) cfu ml(-1). The detection limit of this method was 10(4) cfu ml(-1). The detection could be completed within 2 hours. The principle of this method could be extended to detect multiple species of bacteria (3-4 species) simultaneously, depending on the availability of each type of QD-antibody conjugates with a unique emission peak and the antibody coated magnetic beads specific to each species of bacteria.

Mode-locking of an InAs Quantum Dot Based Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Laser Using Atomic Layer Graphene

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-16

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: The InAs quantum dot (QD) grown on GaAs substrates represents a highly performance active region in the 1 - 1.3 µm...2015 Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited Final Report: Mode-locking of an InAs Quantum Dot Based Vertical External Cavity Surface...ABSTRACT Final Report: Mode-locking of an InAs Quantum Dot Based Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Laser Using Atomic Layer Graphene Report

Analysis of temporal evolution of quantum dot surface chemistry by surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

PubMed

Doğan, İlker; Gresback, Ryan; Nozaki, Tomohiro; van de Sanden, Mauritius C M

2016-07-08

Temporal evolution of surface chemistry during oxidation of silicon quantum dot (Si-QD) surfaces were probed using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). A monolayer of hydrogen and chlorine terminated plasma-synthesized Si-QDs were spin-coated on silver oxide thin films. A clearly enhanced signal of surface modes, including Si-Clx and Si-Hx modes were observed from as-synthesized Si-QDs as a result of the plasmonic enhancement of the Raman signal at Si-QD/silver oxide interface. Upon oxidation, a gradual decrease of Si-Clx and Si-Hx modes, and an emergence of Si-Ox and Si-O-Hx modes have been observed. In addition, first, second and third transverse optical modes of Si-QDs were also observed in the SERS spectra, revealing information on the crystalline morphology of Si-QDs. An absence of any of the abovementioned spectral features, but only the first transverse optical mode of Si-QDs from thick Si-QD films validated that the spectral features observed from Si-QDs on silver oxide thin films are originated from the SERS effect. These results indicate that real-time SERS is a powerful diagnostic tool and a novel approach to probe the dynamic surface/interface chemistry of quantum dots, especially when they involve in oxidative, catalytic, and electrochemical surface/interface reactions.

Nuclear-driven electron spin rotations in a coupled silicon quantum dot and single donor system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey-Collard, Patrick; Jacobson, Noah Tobias; Rudolph, Martin; Ten Eyck, Gregory A.; Wendt, Joel R.; Pluym, Tammy; Lilly, Michael P.; Pioro-Ladrière, Michel; Carroll, Malcolm S.

Single donors in silicon are very good qubits. However, a central challenge is to couple them to one another. To achieve this, many proposals rely on using a nearby quantum dot (QD) to mediate an interaction. In this work, we demonstrate the coherent coupling of electron spins between a single 31P donor and an enriched 28Si metal-oxide-semiconductor few-electron QD. We show that the electron-nuclear spin interaction can drive coherent rotations between singlet and triplet electron spin states. Moreover, we are able to tune electrically the exchange interaction between the QD and donor electrons. The combination of single-nucleus-driven rotations and voltage-tunable exchange provides all elements for future all-electrical control of a spin qubit, and requires only a single dot and no additional magnetic field gradients. This work was performed, in part, at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, an Office of Science User Facility operated for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Correlative Light- and Electron Microscopy Using Quantum Dot Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Killingsworth, Murray C; Bobryshev, Yuri V

2016-08-07

A method is described whereby quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles can be used for correlative immunocytochemical studies of human pathology tissue using widefield fluorescence light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). To demonstrate the protocol we have immunolabeled ultrathin epoxy sections of human somatostatinoma tumor using a primary antibody to somatostatin, followed by a biotinylated secondary antibody and visualization with streptavidin conjugated 585 nm cadmium-selenium (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs). The sections are mounted on a TEM specimen grid then placed on a glass slide for observation by widefield fluorescence light microscopy. Light microscopy reveals 585 nm QD labeling as bright orange fluorescence forming a granular pattern within the tumor cell cytoplasm. At low to mid-range magnification by light microscopy the labeling pattern can be easily recognized and the level of non-specific or background labeling assessed. This is a critical step for subsequent interpretation of the immunolabeling pattern by TEM and evaluation of the morphological context. The same section is then blotted dry and viewed by TEM. QD probes are seen to be attached to amorphous material contained in individual secretory granules. Images are acquired from the same region of interest (ROI) seen by light microscopy for correlative analysis. Corresponding images from each modality may then be blended to overlay fluorescence data on TEM ultrastructure of the corresponding region.

Quantum dot-based local field imaging reveals plasmon-based interferometric logic in silver nanowire networks.

PubMed

Wei, Hong; Li, Zhipeng; Tian, Xiaorui; Wang, Zhuoxian; Cong, Fengzi; Liu, Ning; Zhang, Shunping; Nordlander, Peter; Halas, Naomi J; Xu, Hongxing

2011-02-09

We show that the local electric field distribution of propagating plasmons along silver nanowires can be imaged by coating the nanowires with a layer of quantum dots, held off the surface of the nanowire by a nanoscale dielectric spacer layer. In simple networks of silver nanowires with two optical inputs, control of the optical polarization and phase of the input fields directs the guided waves to a specific nanowire output. The QD-luminescent images of these structures reveal that a complete family of phase-dependent, interferometric logic functions can be performed on these simple networks. These results show the potential for plasmonic waveguides to support compact interferometric logic operations.

Designing Superoxide-Generating Quantum Dots for Selective Light-Activated Nanotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodman, Samuel M.; Levy, Max; Li, Fei-Fei; Ding, Yuchen; Courtney, Colleen M.; Chowdhury, Partha P.; Erbse, Annette; Chatterjee, Anushree; Nagpal, Prashant

2018-03-01

The rapid emergence of superbugs or multi-drug resistant (MDR) organisms has prompted a search for novel antibiotics, beyond traditional small-molecule therapies. Nanotherapeutics are being investigated as alternatives, and recently superoxide-generating quantum dots (QDs) have been shown as important candidates for selective light-activated therapy and potentiating existing antibiotics against MDR superbugs. Their therapeutic action is selective, can be tailored by simply changing their quantum-confined conduction-valence bands and their alignment with different redox half-reactions, and hence their ability to generate specific radical species in biological media. Here, we show the design of superoxide-generating QDs using optimal QD material and size well matched to superoxide redox potential, charged ligands to modulate their uptake in cells and selective redox interventions, and core/shell structures to improve their stability for therapeutic action. We show that cadmium telluride (CdTe) QDs with conduction band position at -0.5V with respect to Normal Hydrogen Electron (NHE) and visible 2.4 eV bandgap generate a large flux of selective superoxide radicals, thereby demonstrating the most effective light-activated therapy. Although the positively charged QDs demonstrate large cellular uptake, they bind indiscriminately to cell surfaces and cause non-selective cell death, while negatively charged and zwitterionic QD ligands reduce the uptake and allow selective therapeutic action via interaction with redox species. The stability of designed QDs in biologically-relevant media increases with the formation of core-shell QD structures, but an appropriate design of core-shell structures is needed to minimize any reduction in charge injection efficiency to adsorbed oxygen molecules (to form superoxide) and maintain similar quantitative generation of tailored redox species, as measured using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Using these findings, we demonstrate the rational design of QDs as selective therapeutic kills more than 99% of priority class I pathogens, thus providing an effective therapy against MDR superbugs.

Designing Superoxide-Generating Quantum Dots for Selective Light-Activated Nanotherapy.

PubMed

Goodman, Samuel M; Levy, Max; Li, Fei-Fei; Ding, Yuchen; Courtney, Colleen M; Chowdhury, Partha P; Erbse, Annette; Chatterjee, Anushree; Nagpal, Prashant

2018-01-01

The rapid emergence of superbugs, or multi-drug resistant (MDR) organisms, has prompted a search for novel antibiotics, beyond traditional small-molecule therapies. Nanotherapeutics are being investigated as alternatives, and recently superoxide-generating quantum dots (QDs) have been shown as important candidates for selective light-activated therapy, while also potentiating existing antibiotics against MDR superbugs. Their therapeutic action is selective, can be tailored by simply changing their quantum-confined conduction-valence band (CB-VB) positions and alignment with different redox half-reactions-and hence their ability to generate specific radical species in biological media. Here, we show the design of superoxide-generating QDs using optimal QD material and size well-matched to superoxide redox potential, charged ligands to modulate their uptake in cells and selective redox interventions, and core/shell structures to improve their stability for therapeutic action. We show that cadmium telluride (CdTe) QDs with conduction band (CB) position at -0.5 V with respect to Normal Hydrogen Electron (NHE) and visible 2.4 eV bandgap generate a large flux of selective superoxide radicals, thereby demonstrating the effective light-activated therapy. Although the positively charged QDs demonstrate large cellular uptake, they bind indiscriminately to cell surfaces and cause non-selective cell death, while negatively charged and zwitterionic QD ligands reduce the uptake and allow selective therapeutic action via interaction with redox species. The stability of designed QDs in biologically-relevant media increases with the formation of core-shell QD structures, but an appropriate design of core-shell structures is needed to minimize any reduction in charge injection efficiency to adsorbed oxygen molecules (to form superoxide) and maintain similar quantitative generation of tailored redox species, as measured using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Using these findings, we demonstrate the rational design of QDs as selective therapeutic to kill more than 99% of a priority class I pathogen, thus providing an effective therapy against MDR superbugs.

Electron-Nuclear Dynamics in a Quantum Dot under Nonunitary Electron Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-20

relevant because inco - herent interactions are needed to initialize and read out the system. These experiments in quantum dots (QDs) ob- served dynamic...relaxation process is several orders of magnitude faster than what is used in Refs. [3,5]. The system we consider is a single electron trapped in a QD

Quantum dots targeted to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 as a contrast agent for the detection of colorectal cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbary-Ganz, Jordan L.; Barton, Jennifer K.; Utzinger, Urs

2014-08-01

We successfully labeled colorectal cancer in vivo using quantum dots targeted to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). Quantum dots with emission centered at 655 nm were bioconjugated to anti-VEGFR2 antibodies through streptavidin/biotin linking. The resulting QD655-VEGFR2 contrast agent was applied in vivo to the colon of azoxymethane (AOM) treated mice via lavage and allowed to incubate. The colons were then excised, cut longitudinally, opened to expose the lumen, and imaged en face using a fluorescence stereoscope. The QD655-VEGFR2 contrast agent produced a significant increase in contrast between diseased and undiseased tissues, allowing for fluorescence-based visualization of the diseased areas of the colon. Specificity was assessed by observing insignificant contrast increase when labeling colons of AOM-treated mice with quantum dots bioconjugated to isotype control antibodies, and by labeling the colons of saline-treated control mice. This contrast agent has a great potential for in vivo imaging of the colon through endoscopy.

Performance analysis of high efficiency InxGa1-xN/GaN intermediate band quantum dot solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowdhury, Injamam Ul Islam; Sarker, Jith; Shifat, A. S. M. Zadid; Shuvro, Rezoan A.; Mitul, Abu Farzan

2018-06-01

In this subsistent fifth generation era, InxGa1-xN/GaN based materials have played an imperious role and become promising contestant in the modernistic fabrication technology because of some of their noteworthy attributes. On our way of illustrating the performance, the structure of InxGa1-xN/GaN quantum dot (QD) intermediate band solar cell (IBSC) is investigated by solving the Schrödinger equation in light of the Kronig-Penney model. In comparison with p-n homojunction and heterojunction solar cells, InxGa1-xN/GaN IBQD solar cell manifests larger power conversion efficiency (PCE). PCE strongly depends on position and width of the intermediate bands (IB). Position of IBs can be controlled by tuning the size of QDs and the Indium content of InxGa1-xN whereas, width of IB can be controlled by tuning the interdot distance. PCE can also be controlled by tuning the position of fermi energy bands as well as changing the doping concentration. In this work, maximum conversion efficiency is found approximately 63.2% for a certain QD size, interdot distance, Indium content and doping concentration.

Ultrathin (<1 μm) Substrate-Free Flexible Photodetector on Quantum Dot-Nanocellulose Paper

PubMed Central

Wu, Jingda; Lin, Lih Y.

2017-01-01

Conventional approaches to flexible optoelectronic devices typically require depositing the active materials on external substrates. This is mostly due to the weak bonding between individual molecules or nanocrystals in the active materials, which prevents sustaining a freestanding thin film. Herein we demonstrate an ultrathin freestanding ZnO quantum dot (QD) active layer with nanocellulose structuring, and its corresponding device fabrication method to achieve substrate-free flexible optoelectronic devices. The ultrathin ZnO QD-nanocellulose composite is obtained by hydrogel transfer printing and solvent-exchange processes to overcome the water capillary force which is detrimental to achieving freestanding thin films. We achieved an active nanocellulose paper with ~550 nm thickness, and >91% transparency in the visible wavelength range. The film retains the photoconductive and photoluminescent properties of ZnO QDs and is applied towards substrate-free Schottky photodetector applications. The device has an overall thickness of ~670 nm, which is the thinnest freestanding optoelectronic device to date, to the best of our knowledge, and functions as a self-powered visible-blind ultraviolet photodetector. This platform can be readily applied to other nano materials as well as other optoelectronic device applications. PMID:28266651

Current matching using CdSe quantum dots to enhance the power conversion efficiency of InGaP/GaAs/Ge tandem solar cells.

PubMed

Lee, Ya-Ju; Yao, Yung-Chi; Tsai, Meng-Tsan; Liu, An-Fan; Yang, Min-De; Lai, Jiun-Tsuen

2013-11-04

A III-V multi-junction tandem solar cell is the most efficient photovoltaic structure that offers an extremely high power conversion efficiency. Current mismatching between each subcell of the device, however, is a significant challenge that causes the experimental value of the power conversion efficiency to deviate from the theoretical value. In this work, we explore a promising strategy using CdSe quantum dots (QDs) to enhance the photocurrent of the limited subcell to match with those of the other subcells and to enhance the power conversion efficiency of InGaP/GaAs/Ge tandem solar cells. The underlying mechanism of the enhancement can be attributed to the QD's unique capacity for photon conversion that tailors the incident spectrum of solar light; the enhanced efficiency of the device is therefore strongly dependent on the QD's dimensions. As a result, by appropriately selecting and spreading 7 mg/mL of CdSe QDs with diameters of 4.2 nm upon the InGaP/GaAs/Ge solar cell, the power conversion efficiency shows an enhancement of 10.39% compared to the cell's counterpart without integrating CdSe QDs.

Interface roughness mediated phonon relaxation rates in Si quantum dots.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferdous, Rifat; Hsueh, Yuling; Klimeck, Gerhard; Rahman, Rajib

2015-03-01

Si QDs are promising candidates for solid-state quantum computing due to long spin coherence times. However, the valley degeneracy in Si adds an additional degree of freedom to the electronic structure. Although the valley and orbital indices can be uniquely identified in an ideal Si QD, interface roughness mixes valley and orbital states in realistic dots. Such valley-orbit coupling can strongly influence T1 times in Si QDs. Recent experimental measurements of various relaxation rates differ from previous predictions of phonon relaxation in ideal Si QDs. To understand how roughness affects different relaxation rates, for example spin relaxation due to spin-valley coupling, which is a byproduct of spin-orbit and valley-orbit coupling, we need to understand the effect of valley-orbit coupling on valley relaxation first. Using a full-band atomistic tight-binding description for both the system's electron and electron-phonon hamiltonian, we analyze the effect of atomic-scale interface disorder on phonon induced valley relaxation and spin relaxation in a Si QD. We find that, the valley splitting dependence of valley relaxation rate governs the magnetic field dependence of spin relaxation rate. Our results help understand experimentally measured relaxation times.

Formation and evolution of multimodal size distributions of InAs/GaAs quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pohl, U. W.; Pötschke, K.; Schliwa, A.; Lifshits, M. B.; Shchukin, V. A.; Jesson, D. E.; Bimberg, D.

2006-05-01

Self-organized formation and evolution of quantum dot (QD) ensembles with a multimodal size distribution is reported. Such ensembles form after fast deposition near the critical thickness during a growth interruption (GRI) prior to cap layer growth and consist of pure InAs truncated pyramids with heights varying in steps of complete InAs monolayers, thereby creating well-distinguishable sub-ensembles. Ripening during GRI manifests itself by an increase of sub-ensembles of larger QDs at the expense of sub-ensembles of smaller ones, leaving the wetting layer unchanged. The dynamics of the multimodal QD size distribution is theoretically described using a kinetic approach. Starting from a broad distribution of flat QDs, a predominantly vertical growth is found due to strain-induced barriers for nucleation of a next atomic layer on different facets. QDs having initially a shorter base length attain a smaller height, accounting for the experimentally observed sub-ensemble structure. The evolution of the distribution is described by a master equation, which accounts for growth or dissolution of the QDs by mass exchange between the QDs and the adatom sea. The numerical solution is in good agreement with the measured dynamics.