Charge transfer state emission dynamics in blue-emitting functionalized silicon nanocrystals

Abstract

We explore the dynamics of blue emission from dodecylamine and ammonia functionalized silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) with average diameters of ∼3 and ∼6 nm using time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) spectroscopy. The Si NCs exhibit nanosecond PL decay dynamics that is independent of NC size and uniform across the emission spectrum. The TRPL measurements reveal complete quenching of core state emission by a charge transfer state that is responsible for the blue PL with a radiative recombination rate of ∼5 × 10^7 s^(−1). A detailed picture of the charge transfer state emission dynamics in these functionalized Si NCs is proposed.

Additional Information

© 2015 the Owner Societies. Received 13th August 2015, Accepted 14th October 2015, First published online 19 Oct 2015. The authors acknowledge funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Alberta Science and Research Investment Program (ASRIP), Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF), iCiNano (iCORE Centre for Interdisciplinary Nanoscience), and University of Alberta Department of Chemistry. G. De los Reyes would like to thank AITF for support. Killam trusts, NSERC, and AITF are acknowledged by M. Dasog. We would like to thank W. C. Moffat and B. Mason for assistance with FTIR spectroscopy, and G. Popowich and D.Mullin for technical support. G. Kaufmann is thanked for assistance with Raman spectroscopy.

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Published - c5cp04819b.pdf

Supplemental Material - c5cp04819b1_si.pdf

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