Probing intermediates of the induction period prior to nucleation and growth of semiconductor quantum dots

Mingyang Liu, Kun Wang, Linxi Wang, Shuo Han, Hongsong Fan, Nelson Rowell, John A. Ripmeester, Romain Renoud, Fenggang Bian, Jianrong Zeng () and Kui Yu ()
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Mingyang Liu: Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Sichuan University
Kun Wang: Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Sichuan University
Linxi Wang: Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Sichuan University
Shuo Han: Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Sichuan University
Hongsong Fan: Engineering Research Center in Biomaterials, Sichuan University
Nelson Rowell: National Research Council of Canada
John A. Ripmeester: National Research Council of Canada
Romain Renoud: National Research Council of Canada
Fenggang Bian: Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jianrong Zeng: Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Kui Yu: Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Sichuan University

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Little is known about the induction period before the nucleation and growth of colloidal semiconductor quantum dots. Here, we introduce an approach that allows us to probe intermediates present in the induction period. We show that this induction period itself exhibits distinct stages with the evolution of the intermediates, first without and then with the formation of covalent bonds between metal cations and chalcogenide anions. The intermediates are optically invisible in toluene, while the covalent-bonded intermediates become visible as magic-size clusters when a primary amine is added. Such evolution of magic-size clusters provides indirect but compelling evidence for the presence of the intermediates in the induction period and supports the multi-step nucleation model. Our study reveals that magic-size clusters could be readily engineered in a single-size form, and suggests that the existence of the intermediates during the growth of conventional quantum dots results in low product yield.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15467

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