Optical and Structural Characterization
of InP Nanocrystals
Joe Shehata '08

Joe and his samples exhibiting fluorescence

Abstract:

   Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and absorbance and photoluminescence spectroscopy were used for the optical and structural characterization of ZnS capped InP nanocrystals (NCs). The InP NCs were manufactured commercially as four liquid suspensions in a solution of tetradecane. Strong emission bands and peak energies vary relative to QD size with low emission maxima and high peak energies corresponding to smaller size QDs and high emission maxima and low peak energies corresponding to larger size QDs. InP QDs appear to exhibit quantum confinement effects as predicted by theory, with the degree of confinement substantially affecting the magnitude of the band gap energy. And increasing Stokes shift relative to an increasing QD size supports the idea of a variable band gap energy. Questionable TEM imaging was unable to confirm accurate predictions of QD size based on fluorescence emission maxima and the utilization of the QD energy equation derived in the appendix.

   For more information, contact Dr. Catherine Jahncke:

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