III-V semiconductor nanocrystal complexes and methods of making same
View Patent ↗A semiconductor nanocrystal complex that is stable and has high luminescent quantum yield. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex has a semiconductor nanocrystal core of a III-V semiconductor nanocrystal material. A method of making a semiconductor nanocrystal complex is also provided. The method includes synthesizing a semiconductor nanocrystal core of a III-V semiconductor nanocrystal material, and forming a metal layer on the semiconductor nanocrystal core after synthesis of the semiconductor nanocrystal core.
1. A semiconductor nanocrystal complex comprising:
a semiconductor nanocrystal core comprising a III-V semiconductor material, and
a metal layer formed on at least a portion of an outer surface of the semiconductor nanocrystal core,
wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal complex is electronically and chemically stable with a luminescent quantum yield of at least 25%.
2. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal complex further comprises: the metal layer formed on the outer surface of the semiconductor nanocrystal core; and a shell comprising a semiconductor material overcoating the metal layer.
3. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal complex further comprises: the metal layer formed on the outer surface of the semiconductor nanocrystal core; and an outer coating comprising an anion layer overcoating the metal layer and a second metal layer overcoating the anion layer.
4. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal core comprises InP.
5. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal core is a ternary semiconductor nanocrystal.
6. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 5 , wherein the ternary semiconductor nanocrystal is InGaP.
7. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 2 , wherein the shell comprises ZnS.
8. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer comprises Zn.
9. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1 , wherein the luminescent quantum yield is at least 35%.
10. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1 , wherein the luminescent quantum yield is at least 45%.
11. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1 , wherein the luminescent quantum yield is at least 55%.
12. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 2 , wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal complex comprises InP, and wherein the shell comprises ZnS and the metal layer comprises Zn.
13. A substantially monodisperse population of semiconductor nanocrystal complexes, each semiconductor nanocrystal complex comprising:
a semiconductor nanocrystal core, the semiconductor nanocrystal core comprising a III-V semiconductor material, and
metal layer formed on at least a portion of an outer surface of the semiconductor nanocrystal core,
wherein the substantially monodisperse population of semiconductor nanocrystal complexes is electronically and chemically stable with a luminescent quantum yield of at least 25%.
14. A method of making a semiconductor nanocrystal complex with an outer surface comprising:
synthesizing a semiconductor nanocrystal core comprising a III-V semiconductor nanocrystal material having an outer surface; and
forming a metal layer on at least a portion of the outer surface of the semiconductor nanocrystal core after synthesis of the semiconductor nanocrystal core.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising overcoating the metal layer with an anion layer.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising overcoating the anion layer with a second metal layer.
17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising overcoating the metal layer with a shell comprising a semiconductor material.
18. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer is formed directly onto the at least a portion of the outer surface of the core.
19. The semiconductor nanocrystal complex of claim 1 , wherein the luminescent quantum yield is at least 30%.