Colloidally prepared semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) comprising materials such as CdSe offer size-controlled band gap, intense absorption features, and large photoluminescence quantum yields. Such desirable light-absorbing and emitting properties, in addition to facile solution processing, make NCs attractive for photocatalysis, solid-state lighting, detectors, and photovoltaics. Here, we will discuss recently developed methods and approaches to probing electron-hole pair generation as well as carrier and lattice relaxation dynamics following excitation events. We examine these processes in materials ranging from semiconductors to semiconductor-metal hybrids. Our efforts reveal novel ultrafast phenomena ranging from dynamic variations in material electronic structure to unexpected, unintended charge transfers. In each instance, our fundamental observations offer insights as to improved materials design and provide a test bed for computational efforts.

Probing carrier and lattice dynamics in semiconductor nanocrystals and semiconductor-metal hybrids

246th National Meeting (2013)

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