Bandgap Tuning of Silicon Quantum Dots by Surface
Functionalization with Conjugated Organic Groups
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Abstract
The
quantum confinement and enhanced optical properties of silicon quantum
dots (SiQDs) make them attractive as an inexpensive and nontoxic material
for a variety of applications such as light emitting technologies
(lighting, displays, sensors) and photovoltaics. However, experimental
demonstration of these properties and practical application into optoelectronic
devices have been limited as SiQDs are generally passivated with covalently
bound insulating alkyl chains that limit charge transport. In this
work, we show that strategically designed triphenylamine-based surface
ligands covalently bonded to the SiQD surface using conjugated vinyl
connectivity results in a 70 nm red-shifted photoluminescence relative
to their decyl-capped control counterparts. This suggests that electron
density from the SiQD is delocalized into the surface ligands to effectively
create a larger hybrid QD with possible macroscopic charge transport
properties