Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Observation of pressure-induced direct-to-indirect band gap transition in InP nanocrystals

Journal Article · · The Journal of Chemical Physics
OSTI ID:779728

We investigate the quantum size effects of the pressure-induced direct-to-indirect band gap transition in InP nanocrystals. Hydrostatic pressures of up to 13 GPa are applied to two different sizes of InP nanocrystal samples in a diamond anvil cell. The band gap pressure dependence and the nature of the emitting states are studied by photoluminescence (PL) and fluorescence-line-narrowing (FLN) techniques at 10K. Pressure dependent FLN spectra show that the nature of the emitting state at pressures up to 9 GPa is similar to that at ambient, suggesting that no direct-to-indirect transition happens below 9 GPa. For both sizes, the PL peak energy exhibits a strong blueshift with rising pressure until approximately 9 to 10 GPa. Above this pressure, the PL peak position slightly shifts red. Beyond 12 GPa, the band gap emitting intensity becomes extremely weak and trap emission dominates the PL spectra. As the pressure is released, both the luminescence intensity and the peak position recover in a fully reversible manner. The change in the sign of the band gap energy pressure dependence and the disappearance of the band-edge luminescence indicate the pressure-induced direct-to-indirect band gap transition. Contrary to theoretical calculations, no substantial reduction of the transition pressure is observed in the nanocrystal cases compared to the bulk transition pressure.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Director, Office of Science. Office of Basic Energy Studies. Division of Materials Sciences; National Science Foundation (US)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
779728
Report Number(s):
LBNL--44886
Journal Information:
The Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal Name: The Journal of Chemical Physics Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 113
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Observation of pressure-induced direct-to-indirect band gap transition in InP nanocrystals
Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2000 · Journal of Chemical Physics · OSTI ID:20217039

Comparison of quantum confinement effects on the electronic absorption spectra of direct and indirect gap semiconductor nanocrystals
Journal Article · Sun Dec 11 23:00:00 EST 1994 · Physical Review Letters; (United States) · OSTI ID:6660897

Optical and electronic properties of Si nanoclusters synthesized in inverse micelles
Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1999 · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter · OSTI ID:355451