The excited state lifetime of quantum dots (QDs) determines their optical and electronic properties and thus their potential for a range of photovoltaic, photocatalytic and optoelectronic applications. A number of factors influence the various radiative and non-radiative relaxation processes of colloidal QDs, such as the degree of exciton confinement, structural quality of the interfaces, density/identity of bound ligands and solvent. We synthesize core, core-shell and core-shell-shell QDs with various ligands and solvents and use a combination of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and single-particle fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) to quantify the structure-property relationships that underlies their radiative and non-radiative lifetimes. These studies allow us to both gain a more fundamental understanding of these nanomaterials and engineer them towards particular applications.

Radiative and nonradiative lifetime engineering of quantum dots

246th National Meeting (2013)

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