Issue 2, 2024

Not all silicon quantum dots are equal: photostability of silicon quantum dots with and without a thick amorphous shell

Abstract

Luminescent colloidal silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) are sustainable alternatives to metal-based QDs for various optical applications. While the materials are reliant on their photoluminescence efficiency, the relationship between the structure and photostability of SiQDs is yet to be well studied. An amorphous silicon (a-Si) shell was recently discovered in SiQDs prepared by thermally-processed silicon oxides. As a-Si is known as a source of defects upon UV irradiation, the disordered shell could potentially have an adverse effect on the optical properties of nanoparticles. Herein, the photostability of ∼5 nm diameter SiQDs with an amorphous shell was compared with that of over-etched SiQDs of equivalent dimensions that bore an a-Si shell of negligible thickness. An UV-induced degradation study was conducted by subjecting toluene solutions of SiQDs to 365 nm light-emitting diodes (LEDs) under an inert atmosphere for predetermined times up to 72 hours. The structure, composition, and optical responses of the exposed SiQDs were evaluated.

Graphical abstract: Not all silicon quantum dots are equal: photostability of silicon quantum dots with and without a thick amorphous shell

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
05 set 2023
Accepted
03 dez 2023
First published
07 dez 2023

Nanoscale, 2024,16, 592-603

Not all silicon quantum dots are equal: photostability of silicon quantum dots with and without a thick amorphous shell

I. T. Cheong, L. Yang Szepesvari, C. Ni, C. Butler, K. M. O'Connor, R. Hooper, A. Meldrum and J. G. C. Veinot, Nanoscale, 2024, 16, 592 DOI: 10.1039/D3NR04478E

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