Investigating Safer and More Sustainable Methods for Synthesizing InP Shells to Strengthen Optical Performance of Near Infrared Emissive InAs Quantum Dots
Alexander Gomez, Marcello Garbo, Trang Le
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Faculty Supervisor: Michael Enright
Colloidal indium arsenide quantum dots (InAs QDs) have near-infrared optical properties that enable potential applications in building integrated photovoltaic systems. By taking advantage of their strong visible light absorption and near-infrared emission, we can envision using InAs QDs to absorb sunlight before reemitting it at energies optimal for solar cell performance. The quantum yield, a measurement of the absorbance and reemission performance, of InAs QDs alone is low. However, it can be greatly enhanced by supporting it in a shell of indium phosphide (InP) to create a protected core/shell QD. Most strategies for making good quality InP shells are costly and unsafe, using dangerous and expensive materials. This research has developed significantly safer procedures to grow high quality InP shells to greatly improving the optical performance of the near infrared emissive InAs quantum dots.