Synthesis, characterization, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering of near infrared absorbing Cu3SbS3 nanocrystals

Abstract

Ternary semiconductor nanocrystals from the I–V–VI family have potential applications in many fields. In this work, we report on the synthesis of well-dispersed Cu₃SbS₃ nanocrystals with an average diameter of 23.0 ± 4.9 nm. The as-synthesized Cu₃SbS₃ nanocrystals are of high phase purity and stable against phase separation when heating up to 400 °C in an inert atmosphere or left at room atmosphere for 80 days. The optical band gap of the nanocrystals is calculated as ~1.87 eV. The nanocrystal film shows strong near infrared absorption and is sensitive towards detecting trace amounts of Rhodamine 6G by using surface-enhanced Raman scattering. These observations imply the huge potentials of Cu₃SbS₃ nanocrystals in photothermal, photovoltaic, and sensing applications.