Title: Green synthesis of ZnSe quantum dots using in-situ synthesised sodium selenide

Authors: Pawan K. Khanna, Jin-Ook Baeg, S.M. Lee

Addresses: Nanoscience Laboratory, Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Panchwati, Off Pashan Road, Pune 411 008, India. ' Advanced Chemical Technology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Yuseong, Daejeon 305-600, South Korea. ' Advanced Chemical Technology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Yuseong, Daejeon 305-600, South Korea

Abstract: Single-step green synthesis of zinc blende ZnSe quantum dots (QDs) is performed using sodium selenide and zinc stearate. The present method is non-toxic and is considered reasonably green route where stearate ions released during the reaction act as surfactant. The size quantisation effect is revealed by blue shifted absorption bands with a band-gap energy of ~2.9 eV with respect to bulk ZnSe band-gap of 2.7 eV. Photoluminescence measurement with FWHM <80 nm revealed trap state emission. Broadened XRD pattern confirmed cubic (zinc blende) crystal structure of ZnSe. The particle size was estimated to be about 5 nm from the XRD line broadening, which matched well with TEM analysis.

Keywords: green synthesis; quantum dots; semiconductors; ZnSe; surface capping; sodium selenide; zinc selenide; nanotechnology; zinc stearate.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2010.034717

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2010 Vol.7 No.9/10/11/12, pp.1131 - 1138

Published online: 17 Aug 2010 *

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