Economic and Size-Tunable Synthesis of InP/ZnE (E = S, Se) Colloidal Quantum Dots.

Abstract

We present synthesis protocols, based on indium halide and aminophosphine precusors, that allow for the economic, up-scaled production of InP quantum dots (QDs). The reactions attain a close to full yield conversion – with respect to the indium precursor – and we demonstrate that size tuning at full chemical yield is possible by changing the nature of the indium halide salt. In addition, we present ZnS and ZnSe shell growth procedures that lead to InP/ZnS and InP/ZnSe core/shell QDs that emit from 510 to 630 nm with an emission line width between 46 and 63 nm. This synthetic method is an important step toward performing Cd-free QDs, and it could help the transfer of colloidal QDs from the academic field to product applications.