Low-temperature synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals
AssigneeNational Science Foundation
InventorsMichael Hans Risbud Bartl, JacQueline T. Siy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Low-temperature organometallic nucleation and crystallization-based synthesis methods for the fabrication of semiconductor and metal colloidal nanocrystals with narrow size distributions and tunable, size- and shape-dependent electronic and optical properties. Methods include (1) forming a reaction mixture in a reaction vessel under an inert atmosphere that includes at least one solvent, a cationic precursor, an anionic precursor, and at least a first surface stabilizing ligand while stirring at a temperature in a range from about 50° C. to about 130° C. and (2) growing nanocrystals in the reaction mixture for a period of time while maintaining the temperature, the stirring, and the inert-gas atmosphere.
Claims13
A method for synthesizing semiconductor nanocrystals, comprising:
- forming a first solution in a reaction vessel under an inert-gas atmosphere at a temperature of at least 35° C., the first solution comprising a cationic precursor, an alkyl amine and at least one of an alkyl carboxylic acid or an alkyl phosphonic acid, and a solvent having a boiling point in a range from about 80° C. to about 350° C. selected from the group consisting of an alkane, an alkene, a phenyl ether, a chloro alkane, a fluoro alkane, toluene, and squalene;
- forming a second solution in a reaction vessel under an inert-gas atmosphere at ambient temperature, the second solution comprising an anionic precursor, an anionic precursor ligand, and a solvent having a boiling point in a range from about 80° C. to about 350° C. selected from the group consisting of an alkane, an alkene, a phenyl ether, a chloro alkane, a fluoro alkane, toluene, and squalene;
- combining the first and second solutions to initiate growth of the semiconductor nanocrystals;
- and
- growing semiconductor nanocrystals for a period of time between about 1 minute and about 96 hours at a temperature in a range of about 35° C. to about 130° C.
A method for synthesizing semiconductor nanocrystals, comprising:
- forming a first solution under an inert-gas atmosphere at a temperature of at least 35° C., the first solution comprising a cationic precursor and one of an alkyl carboxylic acid or an alkyl phosphonic acid, and a solvent selected from the group consisting of an alkane, an alkene, a phenyl ether, a chloro alkane, a fluoro alkane, toluene, and squalene;
- forming a second solution under an inert-gas atmosphere at ambient temperature, the second solution comprising a Group V or Group VI anionic precursor, a phosphine, and a solvent selected from the group consisting of an alkane, an alkene, a phenyl ether, a chloro alkane, a fluoro alkane, toluene, and squalene, wherein the Group V or Group VI anionic precursor is at least one sulfide, selenide, telluride, phosphide, nitride, or arsenide;
- forming a third solution under an inert-gas atmosphere at a temperature of at least 35° C., the third solution comprising an alkyl amine having an aliphatic chain that includes at least four carbon atoms and a solvent selected from the group consisting of an alkane, an alkene, a phenyl ether, a chloro alkane, a fluoro alkane, toluene, and squalene;
- combining at least a portion of the first and second solutions into the third solution to initiate growth of the semiconductor nanocrystals;
- and
- growing semiconductor nanocrystals for a period of time between about 1 minute and about 96 hours at a temperature in a range of about 35° C. to about 130° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.