Solution Synthesis and Optical Properties of Transition-Metal-Doped
Silicon Nanocrystals
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Abstract
A new synthetic method was developed
to produce a range of transition-metal
(Mn, Ni, and Cu) doped silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs). The synthesis
produces monodisperse undoped and doped Si NCs with comparable average
sizes as shown by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Dopant composition
was confirmed by EDX (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy). The optical
properties of undoped and doped were compared and contrasted using
absorption (steady-state and transient) and photoluminescence spectroscopy.
Doped Si NCs demonstrated unique dopant-dependent optical properties
compared to undoped Si NCs such as enhanced subgap absorption, and
40 nm shifts in the emission. Transient absorption (TA) measurements
showed that photoexcitations in doped Si NCs relaxed via dopant states
not present in undoped Si NCs