Interaction of L-Cysteine with ZnO: Structure, Surface Chemistry, and Optical Properties.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) were stabilized in water using the amino acid l-cysteine. A transparent dispersion was obtained with an agglomerate size on the level of the primary particles. The dispersion was characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), pH dependent zeta potential measurements, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS, XANES) spectroscopy. Cysteine acts as a source for sulfur to form a ZnS shell around the ZnO core and as a stabilizer for these core-shell NPs. A large effect on the photoluminescent properties is observed: the intensity of the defect luminescence (DL) emission decreases by more than 2 orders of magnitude, the intensity of the near band edge (NBE) emission increases by 20%, and the NBE wavelength decreases with increasing cysteine concentration corresponding to a blue shift of about 35 nm due to the Burstein-Moss effect.

Electronic impurity doping in CdSe nanocrystals.

We dope CdSe nanocrystals with Ag impurities and investigate their optical and electrical properties. Doping leads not only to dramatic changes but surprising complexity. The addition of just a few Ag atoms per nanocrystal causes a large enhancement in the fluorescence, reaching efficiencies comparable to core-shell nanocrystals. While Ag was expected to be a substitutional acceptor, nonmonotonic trends in the fluorescence and Fermi level suggest that Ag changes from an interstitial (n-type) to a substitutional (p-type) impurity with increased doping.

Chemical vapor synthesis of nanocrystalline perovskites using laser flash evaporation of low volatility solid precursors.

One key requirement for the production of multinary oxide films by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or nanocrystalline multinary oxides particles by chemical vapor synthesis (CVS) is the availability of precursors with high vapor pressure. This is especially the case for CVS where much higher production rates are required compared to thin films prepared by CVD. However, elements, which form low valent cations such as alkaline earth metals, are typically only available as solid precursors of low volatility, e.g., in form of beta-diketonates. This study describes laser flash evaporation as precursor delivery method for CVS of nanocrystalline perovskites. Laser flash evaporation exploits the nonequilibrium evaporation of solid metal organic precursors of low vapor pressure by absorption of the infrared radiation of a CO(2) laser. It is shown that stoichiometric, nanocrystalline particles consisting of SrZrO(3) and SrTiO(3) can be formed from corresponding mixtures of beta-diketonates which are evaporated nonselectively and with high rates by laser flash evaporation.