The role of ligands in the optical and electronic spectra of CdSe nanoclusters
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
We investigate the impact of ligands on morphology, electronic structure, and optical response of the Cd33Se33 cluster, which already overlapps in size with the smallest synthesized CdSe quantum dots (QDs). Our Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate significant surface reorganization both for the bare cluster and for the cluster capped by amine and phosphine oxide ligand models. We observe strong surface-ligand interactions leading to substantial charge redistribution and polarization effects on the surface. This effect results in the appearance of hybridized states, where the electronic density is spread over the cluster and the ligands. Neither the ligand's nor hybridized molecular orbitals appear as trap states inside or near the band gap of the QD. Instead, being optically dark, dense hybridized states from the edges of the valence and the conduction bands could open new relaxation channels for high energy photoexcitations. Comparing quantum dots passivated by different ligands, we found that hybridized states are denser in at the edge of the conduction band of the cluster ligated with phosphine oxide molecules than that with primary amines. Such a different manifestation of ligand binding may potentially lead to the faster electron relaxation in dots passivated by phosphine oxide than by amine ligands, which is in agreement with experimental data.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- OSTI ID:
- 957792
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-08-04653; LA-UR-08-4653; TRN: US201016%%191
- Journal Information:
- Nano Letters, Journal Name: Nano Letters
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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