Issue 1, 2020

Room-temperature solution-phase epitaxial nucleation of PbS quantum dots on rutile TiO2 (100)

Abstract

Owing to its simplicity and versatility, the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method is increasingly being employed to develop low-cost hetero-nanostructured sensitized oxide systems for solar energy conversion, such as solar cells and solar fuels schemes. Understanding the nature of the SILAR quantum dot (QD) nucleation and growth on an insulating oxide is then critical as it will determine the QD density and spatial distribution, as well as the optoelectronic properties of the QD/oxide interfaces (e.g. QD bandgap onset). Here, we demonstrate epitaxial nucleation of lead sulfide (PbS) QDs onto a planar rutile titanium dioxide (100) surface employing the SILAR method. The QDs nucleated by SILAR are crystalline structures characterized by a truncated pyramidal shape, with nucleation occurring preferentially along the rutile (010) and (001) crystal orientations. The PbS QD size distribution is constrained by lattice mismatch causing strain in the lead sulfide. These results highlight the potential of SILAR for the facile growth of high-quality epitaxial nanostructures in liquid phase, under ambient conditions and at room temperature.

Graphical abstract: Room-temperature solution-phase epitaxial nucleation of PbS quantum dots on rutile TiO2 (100)

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
23 set 2019
Accepted
02 dez 2019
First published
03 dez 2019
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Nanoscale Adv., 2020,2, 377-383

Room-temperature solution-phase epitaxial nucleation of PbS quantum dots on rutile TiO2 (100)

S. Kraus, M. Bonn and E. Cánovas, Nanoscale Adv., 2020, 2, 377 DOI: 10.1039/C9NA00601J

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