Auger and Carrier Trapping Dynamics in Core/Shell Quantum Dots Having Sharp and Alloyed Interfaces

Enhanced Photostability of Core/Shell Quantum Dots under Intense Blue Light Irradiation through Positive Photoaging Mechanism

Photostability of semiconductor core/shell quantum dots (QDs) has historically been perceived as intricate and unpredictable. Notably, the long-term luminescence stability of QDs under light exposure does not seem to consistently correspond with their characteristics in the absence of light. In this study, we propose a positive photoaging mechanism of QDs, integrating both ligand/shell-induced photobrightening and surface photo-oxidation, to deal with the photostability nuances. When QDs are subjected to higher energy light, their photobrightening and photodarkening conjointly determine the photostability. Enhanced photostability may not be simply attributed to a thicker shell or the presence of ligands. When adjusted with an optimal shell thickness and supplemented with negatively charged ligands, QDs exhibit enhanced photostability in both solvents and polymers.

Boosting the Photoluminescence Efficiency of InAs Nanocrystals Synthesized with Aminoarsine via a ZnSe Thick-Shell Overgrowth

InAs-based nanocrystals can enable restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) compliant optoelectronic devices, but their photoluminescence efficiency needs improvement. We report an optimized synthesis of InAs@ZnSe core@shell nanocrystals allowing to tune the ZnSe shell thickness up to seven mono-layers (ML) and to boost the emission, reaching a quantum yield of ≈70% at ≈900 nm. It is demonstrated that a high quantum yield can be attained when the shell thickness is at least ≈3ML. Notably, the photoluminescence lifetimeshows only a minor variation as a function of shell thickness, whereas the Auger recombination time (a limiting aspect in technological applications when fast) slows down from 11 to 38 ps when increasing the shell thickness from 1.5 to 7MLs. Chemical and structural analyses evidence that InAs@ZnSe nanocrystals do not exhibit any strain at the core-shell interface, likely due to the formation of an InZnSe interlayer. This is supported by atomistic modeling, which indicates the interlayer as being composed of In, Zn, Se and cation vacancies, alike to the In2 ZnSe4 crystal structure. The simulations reveal an electronic structure consistent with that of type-I heterostructures, in which localized trap states can be passivated by a thick shell (>3ML) and excitons are confined in the core.

Electronic Structure and Excited State Dynamics of Cadmium Chalcogenide Nanorods

The cylindrical quasi-one-dimensional shape of colloidal semiconductor nanorods (NRs) gives them unique electronic structure and optical properties. In addition to the band gap tunability common to nanocrystals, NRs have polarized light absorption and emission and high molar absorptivities. NR-shaped heterostructures feature control of electron and hole locations as well as light emission energy and efficiency. We comprehensively review the electronic structure and optical properties of Cd-chalcogenide NRs and NR heterostructures (e.g., CdSe/CdS dot-in-rods, CdSe/ZnS rod-in-rods), which have been widely investigated over the last two decades due in part to promising optoelectronic applications. We start by describing methods for synthesizing these colloidal NRs. We then detail the electronic structure of single-component and heterostructure NRs and follow with a discussion of light absorption and emission in these materials. Next, we describe the excited state dynamics of these NRs, including carrier cooling, carrier and exciton migration, radiative and nonradiative recombination, multiexciton generation and dynamics, and processes that involve trapped carriers. Finally, we describe charge transfer from photoexcited NRs and connect the dynamics of these processes with light-driven chemistry. We end with an outlook that highlights some of the outstanding questions about the excited state properties of Cd-chalcogenide NRs.

Frequency Stabilization and Optically Tunable Lasing in Colloidal Quantum Dot Superparticles

Self-assembled superparticles composed of colloidal quantum dots establish microsphere cavities that support optically pumped lasing from whispering gallery modes. Here, we report on the time- and excitation fluence-dependent lasing properties of CdSe/CdS quantum dot superparticles. Spectra collected under constant photoexcitation reveal that the lasing modes are not temporally stable but instead blue-shift by more than 30 meV over 15 min. To counter this effect, we establish a high-fluence light-soaking protocol that reduces this blue-shift by more than an order of magnitude to 1.7 ± 0.5 meV, with champion superparticles displaying mode blue-shifts of <0.5 meV. Increasing the pump fluence allows for optically controlled, reversible, color-tunable red-to-green lasing. Combining these two paradigms suggests that quantum dot superparticles could serve in applications as low-cost, robust, solution-processable, tunable microlasers.

Acceleration of Biexciton Radiative Recombination at Low Temperature in CdSe Nanoplatelets

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals offer bandgap tunability, high photoluminescence quantum yield, and colloidal processing of benefit to optoelectronics, however rapid nonradiative Auger recombination (AR) deleteriously affects device efficiencies at elevated excitation intensities. AR is understood to transition from temperature-dependent behavior in bulk semiconductors to temperature-independent behavior in zero-dimensional quantum dots (QDs) as a result of discretized band structure that facilitates satisfaction of linear momentum conservation. For nanoplatelets (NPLs), two-dimensional morphology renders prediction of photophysical behaviors challenging. Here, we investigate and compare the temperature dependence of excited-stated lifetime and fluence-dependent emission of CdSe NPLs and QDs. For NPLs, upon temperature reduction, biexciton lifetime surprisingly decreases (even becoming shorter lived than trion emission) and emission intensity increases nearly linearly with fluence rather than saturating, consistent with dominance of radiative recombination rather than AR. CdSe NPLs thus differ fundamentally from core-only QDs and foster increased utility of photogenerated excitons and multiexcitons at low temperatures.

Observation of high-density multi-excitons in medium-size CdSe/CdZnS/ZnS colloidal quantum dots through transient spectroscopy and their optical gain properties

Semiconductor quantum dots have extremely significant advantages in terms of optoelectronic devices. However, it is unfeasible to avoid the generation of charged exciton states during operation. Such states can change the radiation recombination rate and bring additional non-radiative Auger recombination channels. Herein, we synthesize high photoluminescence quantum yield medium-size CdSe/CdZnS/ZnS core/alloy shell/shell QDs. Their multiexciton spectra and dynamics were systematically studied by pump-power-dependent fluorescence blinking and time-correlated spectroscopy. The lifetimes of positively/negatively charged trions and biexcitons are estimated to be 0.74/6.1 and 0.16 ns, respectively. It demonstrated that the band-edge biexciton is influenced by the Coulomb interaction and Stark effect. The amplified spontaneous emission threshold is only 81 μJ cm^-2 and can retain a long operation lifetime under continuous pumping. A vertical microcavity surface-emitting laser device is fabricated using these QDs. The coupling factor between the spontaneous emission and cavity mode is 0.81, which benefits the low stimulated emission threshold. This work provides a new perspective of the charged states in the multiexciton AR process in the QDs, implying a promising application prospect of such QDs as optical gain materials in "zero-threshold" laser fabrication.

Continuously Graded Quantum Dots: Synthesis, Applications in Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes, and Perspectives

Colloidal quantum dot (QD) light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) hold the promise of next-generation displays and illumination owing to their excellent color saturation, high efficiency, and solution processability. For achieving high-performance light-emitting diodes (LEDs), engineering the fine compositions and structures of QDs is of paramount importance and attracts tremendous research interest. The recently developed continuously graded QDs (cg-QDs) with gradually altered nanocompositions and electronic band structures present the most advanced example in this area. In this Perspective, we summarize the current progress in LEDs based on cg-QDs, mainly concentrating on their synthesis and advantages in addressing the great challenges in QLEDs, like efficiency roll-off at high current densities, short operation lifetimes at high brightness, and low brightness near the voltage around the bandgap. In addition, we propose accessible approaches exploiting the cutting-edge mechanisms and techniques to further optimize and improve the performance of QLEDs.

Tailoring Nanostructures of Quantum Dots toward Efficient and Stable All-Solution Processed Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes

Quantum dots (QDs) light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) are considered the most promising candidate for application in displays. While the efficiency of QLEDs has been greatly developed in recent years and is comparable to that of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), it still remains challenging to realize both high efficiency and long lifetimes. In this work, we report efficient and stable red QLEDs with the maximum current efficiency of 13.48 cd A^-1, external quantum efficiency of 18.65%, and low efficiency roll-off at high luminance with a long lifetime exceeding ∼2.9 × 10⁵ h, representing a 3-fold increase in stability. Tailoring the composition of QDs suppresses nonradiative Förster resonant energy transfer and Auger recombination and provides favorable valence band alignment to boost the hole injection. Our work suggests that tailoring the nanostructures of QDs offers an effective means to simultaneously achieve high efficiency and high stability, accelerating QLED technology for practical applications in displays and lighting.

Photoluminescence Blinking and Biexciton Auger Recombination in Single Colloidal Quantum Dots with Sharp and Smooth Core/Shell Interfaces

There is an inconsistence on whether a smooth core/shell interface can reduce Auger recombination and suppress photoluminescence (PL) blinking in single colloidal quantum dots (QDs). Here, we investigate the influence of a core/shell interface on PL blinking and biexciton Auger recombination by comparing the single-dot PL spectra of Cd_xZn_1-xSe_yS_1-y/ZnS core/shell QDs with sharp and smooth interfaces. The inconsistence can be clarified when considering different PL blinking mechanisms. For the single QDs showing Auger blinking, a smooth core/shell interface potential can suppress PL blinking through reducing the Auger recombination. In contrast, we find slightly reduced biexciton Auger recombination rates but increased PL blinking activities in the band-edge carrier (BC)-blinking QDs with the smooth core/shell interface. This is because the smooth interface potential cannot reduce the PL blinking caused by the transfer of electrons to the surface states; however, there is potential to increase electron wave function delocalization for reducing the biexciton Auger recombination rate.

Exploring different photocatalytic behaviors of CdxZn1−xSeyS1−y gradient-alloyed quantum dots via composition regulation

Different photocatalytic behaviors of CdxZn1−xSeyS1−y gradient alloyed quantum dots via composition regulation.

Dynamic photonic crystal in a colloidal quantum-dot solution: formation, structure analysis, and dimensionality switching

We demonstrated, for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, a simple method to create three-dimensional (3D) dynamic photonic crystal (PhC) with controllable lattice symmetry through the interference of four non-coplanar laser beams in a non-linear optical medium [colloidal solution of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs)]. 3D dynamic PhC was formed due to the periodically changing refraction and absorption of resonantly excited excitons in the colloidal solution of QDs. The formation of dynamic PhC was confirmed by the observed self-diffraction of the laser beams on the dynamic structure which they have created. Tuning of the PhC dimensionality to the two-dimensional (2D) and one-dimensional (1D) was done through the reduction of the number of interfering beams to three and two, respectively, and by controlling the polarization of interacting beams. Physical processes responsible for the observed self-action effects that arise in CdSe/ZnS QDs are discussed in detail.

Quantification of Material Gradients in Core/Shell Nanocrystals Using EXAFS Spectroscopy

Core/shell nanocrystals with a graded interface between core and shell exhibit improved optoelectronic properties compared with particles with an abrupt, sharp interface. Material gradients mitigate interfacial defects and define the shape of the confinement potential. So far, few works exist that allow to quantify the width of the gradient. In this study, ZnSe/CdS nanocrystals with graded shells made at different temperatures are characterized using extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and Raman spectroscopies. The average coordination number of the probed element with respect to the two possible counterions is fit to a simple, geometric model. It is shown that at the lower temperature limit for shell growth (260 °C), substantial interfacial alloying can be attributed mainly to cation migration. At higher temperature (290 °C), strain minimization leads to atomic ordering of the metal ions and an anomalously low degree of phase mixing.

Giant Alloyed Hot Injection Shells Enable Ultralow Optical Gain Threshold in Colloidal Quantum Wells

As an attractive materials system for high-performance optoelectronics, colloidal nanoplatelets (NPLs) benefit from atomic-level precision in thickness, minimizing emission inhomogeneous broadening. Much progress has been made to enhance their photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and photostability. However, to date, layer-by-layer growth of shells at room temperature has resulted in defects that limit PLQY and thus curtail the performance of NPLs as an optical gain medium. Here, we introduce a hot-injection method growing giant alloyed shells using an approach that reduces core/shell lattice mismatch and suppresses Auger recombination. Near-unity PLQY is achieved with a narrow full-width-at-half-maximum (20 nm), accompanied by emission tunability (from 610 to 650 nm). The biexciton lifetime exceeds 1 ns, an order of magnitude longer than in conventional colloidal quantum dots (CQDs). Reduced Auger recombination enables record-low amplified spontaneous emission threshold of 2.4 μJ cm^-2 under one-photon pumping. This is lower by a factor of 2.5 than the best previously reported value in nanocrystals (6 μJ cm^-2 for CdSe/CdS NPLs). Here, we also report single-mode lasing operation with a 0.55 mJ cm^-2 threshold under two-photoexcitation, which is also the best among nanocrystals (compared to 0.76 mJ cm^-2 from CdSe/CdS CQDs in the Fabry-Pérot cavity). These findings indicate that hot-injection growth of thick alloyed shells makes ultrahigh performance NPLs.

Quantum-confined stark effect in the ensemble of phase-pure CdSe/CdS quantum dots

Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have recently attracted great attention in electric field sensing via the quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE), but they suffer from the random local electric field around the charged QDs through the Auger process or defect traps. Here, QCSE in the ensemble of phase-pure wurtzite CdSe/CdS QDs was studied by applying a uniform external electric field. We observed clear field-dependent photoluminescence (PL) and absorption characteristics in thick-shell CdSe/CdS QDs with 11 CdS monolayers (11 MLs) including a pronounced spectral redshift in PL of ∼2.3 nm and absorption of ∼2.1 nm. The time-dependent PL intensity traces implied that the thick-shell QDs were conducive to realize the Stark shift in QD ensembles due to the effective suppression of the main sources of the local field. These findings were in stark contrast to those of moderate-shell (5 MLs) and ultrathick-shell (15 MLs) CdSe/CdS QDs. The measurement value of exciton polarizability was smaller than the theoretical value, which may be influenced by very few exciton traps. Moreover, the amplified stimulated emission also exhibited obvious optical modulations under the electric field with decreased emission intensity and an increased ultrafast lifetime. Finally, the temporal evolution of the multiexciton process in thick-shell CdSe/CdS QDs indicated that the multiexciton state induced a higher energy state near the band edge, which may weaken the QCSE of a single exciton. Therefore, it was demonstrated that efficient field control over the optical properties of these nanomaterials is feasible and this can open up potential applications in field-controlled electro-optic modulators.

Suppression of the Auger Recombination Process in CdSe/CdS Core/Shell Nanocrystals

We investigate the Auger recombination (AR) rate in CdSe/CdS core/shell nanocrystals (NCs) under different interface confinements in terms of the interface bond relaxation mechanism and Fermi's golden rule. We find that the epitaxial layer of CdS can not only depress the influence of the Coulomb interaction between electrons and holes, but can also change the wave function and quantum confinement, resulting in the reduction of the AR rate. Moreover, the AR lifetime of CdSe/CdS core/shell NCs at a fixed entire dimension is lower than that of bare CdSe because of interface confinement of the wave function. A great drop of the AR rate can be achieved by adding an alloying layer that depresses the interface effect. Our predictions are in agreement with the available evidence, suggesting that the proposed approach could provide a general method to explore the AR process in core/shell NCs.

Switchable dissociation of excitons bound at strained CdTe/CdS interfaces

Charge carrier dynamics of semiconductor nano-heterostructures are determined by band alignment and lattice mismatch of the adjacent materials. However, quantum efficiencies for the separation of excited charge carriers at such an interface are hard to predict and cannot yet be easily controlled. In this work we examine nanorods with a severely strained, axial CdTe/CdS interface using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. We show that charge separation is mitigated by equal contributions of valence band distortion and formation of coulomb pairs across the interface. Left undisturbed such localised excitons relax rapidly via non-radiative recombination channels. By adding a competitive hole acceptor that disrupts the coulomb interaction we overcome the synergetic co-localisation of the carriers and realise charge separation. The thus created long-lived state can be exploited for a broad range of applications such as photocatalysis, water splitting, and switchable nanodevices.

Deciphering hot- and multi-exciton dynamics in core-shell QDs by 2D electronic spectroscopies

2D electronic spectroscopy maps acquired in different configurations unveil intraband hot carrier cooling and interband multi-exciton recombination dynamics.

Although the harnessing of multiple and hot excitons is a prerequisite for many of the groundbreaking applications of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), the characterization of their dynamics through conventional spectroscopic techniques is cumbersome. Here, we show how a careful analysis of 2DES maps acquired in different configurations (BOXCARS and pump–probe geometry) allows the tracking and visualization of intraband Auger relaxation mechanisms, driving the hot carrier cooling, and interband bi- and tri-exciton recombination dynamics. The results obtained on archetypal core–shell CdSe/ZnS QDs suggest that, given the global analysis of the resulting datasets, 2D electronic spectroscopy techniques can successfully and efficiently dispel the intertwined dynamics of fast and ultrafast recombination processes in nanomaterials. Hence, we propose this analysis scheme to be used in future research on novel quantum confined systems.

Area- and Thickness-Dependent Biexciton Auger Recombination in Colloidal CdSe Nanoplatelets: Breaking the "Universal Volume Scaling Law"

Colloidal nanoplatelets (NPLs) have shown great potentials for lasing applications due to their sharp absorption and emission peaks, large absorption cross sections, large radiative decay rates, and long multiexciton lifetimes. How multiexciton lifetimes depend on material dimensions remains unknown in two-dimensional (2D) materials, despite being a key parameter affecting optical gain threshold and many other properties. Herein, we report a study of room-temperature biexciton Auger recombination time of CdSe NPLs as a function of thickness and lateral area. Comparison of all NPLs shows that the biexciton lifetime does not increase linearly with volume, unlike previously reported "universal volume scaling law" for quantum dots. For NPLs of the same thickness (∼1.8 nm), the biexciton lifetime increase linearly with their lateral area (from 143.7 ± 12.6 to 320.1 ± 17.1 ps when the area increases from 90.5 ± 21.4 to 234.2 ± 41.9 nm²). The biexciton lifetime depends linearly on (1/E_k(e))^7/2 (E_k(e) is the electron confinement energy) or nearly linearly on d⁷ (d is NPL thickness). The observed dependence is consistent with a model in which biexciton Auger recombination rate scales with the product of exciton binary collision frequency and Auger recombination probability in biexciton complexes. The linear increase of Auger lifetimes with NPL lateral areas reflects a 1/area dependence of the binary collision frequency for 2D excitons and the thickness-dependent biexciton Auger recombination time is attributed to its strong dependence on the degree of quantum confinement. This model may be generally applicable to exciton Auger recombination in quantum confined 1D and 2D nanomaterials.

Nonuniform Excitonic Charge Distribution Enhances Exciton-Phonon Coupling in ZnSe/CdSe Alloyed Quantum Dots

Zinc to cadmium cation exchange of ZnSe quantum dots has been used to produce a series of alloyed Zn_1-xCd_xSe quantum dots. As x increases and the lowest-energy exciton shifts to the red, the peak initially broadens and then sharpens as x approaches 1. Resonance Raman spectra obtained with excitation near the lowest excitonic absorption peak show a gradual shift of the longitudinal optical phonon peak from 251 cm^-1 in pure ZnSe to 210 cm^-1 in nearly pure CdSe with strong broadening at intermediate compositions. The LO overtone to fundamental intensity ratio, a rough gauge of exciton-phonon coupling strength, increases considerably for intermediate compositions compared with those of either pure ZnSe or pure CdSe. The results indicate that partial localization of the hole in locally Cd-rich regions of the alloyed particles increases the strengths of local internal electric fields, increasing the coupling between the exciton and polar optical phonons.

Ultralow-Threshold Single-Mode Lasing from Phase-Pure CdSe/CdS Core/Shell Quantum Dots

The development of colloidal quantum dot (QD) lasers is blocked by Auger recombination (AR). Here, phase-pure wurtzite CdSe/CdS core/shell QDs with controlled shell thickness are reported, which possess nearly defect-free core/shell interfaces. Benefiting from increased volume, electron-hole partial spatial separation, and nearly defect-free alloyed interface, this series of QDs exhibit a greater than 3 orders of magnitude decrease in AR rates with increasing shell thickness. Consequently, the amplified spontaneous emission threshold of the QDs with an 11 monolayer CdS shell is found to reach a minimum of 16 μJ cm^-2. A record long lifetime (>1000 ps) and extraordinarily large bandwidth (>170 nm) of optical gain are observed by employing ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy. We leverage the low-threshold gain of the QDs to fabricate microlasers that display single-mode operation and an ultralow threshold of ∼2 μJ cm^-2. Our results represent a valuable step toward practical QD lasers.

Graded Shells in Semiconductor Nanocrystals

The current state-of-the-art of the fabrication and photophysics of graded shells in quantum dots is reviewed. Graded shells, i.e. partially alloyed interfaces between core and shell or between two shells of semiconductor nanoheterostructures, have been demonstrated to improve fluorescence properties and suppress non-radiative pathways of exciton dynamics. By simply looking at linear optics on the level of single excitons this is reflected in increased photoluminescence quantum yields. However, it is shown that graded shells have further beneficial implications for band structure engineering and multiexciton dynamics such as optical gain and charge carrier multiplication.