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Published on: August 23, 2012
Semiconductor nanocrystals photosensitize C60 crystals
Andreas Biebersdorf1, Roland Dietmüller, Andrei S Susha
1Photonics and Optoelectronics Group, Physics Department and CeNS, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany.
Nano Letters
|July 13, 2006
Summary
Semiconductor nanocrystals (SCNCs) enhance C(60) crystal photocurrent by up to 1000x. This SCNC-functionalized material enables spectrally tunable photodetectors due to precise control over light absorption.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Solid-State Physics
Background:
- Fullerene (C60) crystals exhibit photoconductivity.
- Semiconductor nanocrystals (SCNCs) possess tunable optical properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance the photocurrent of C(60) crystals using SCNCs.
- To develop spectrally tunable photodetectors based on SCNC-functionalized C(60) crystals.
Main Methods:
- Coating needlelike C(60) crystals with CdSe, CdTe, and InP SCNCs.
- Measuring photocurrent and spectral response of the composite material.
Main Results:
- Photocurrent increased by up to three orders of magnitude compared to pristine C(60) crystals.
- The photocurrent spectrum was precisely tuned by SCNC size and material.
- Photoexcited electrons transferred from SCNCs to C(60), causing photoconductivity.
Conclusions:
- SCNC-functionalized C(60) crystals are excellent materials for spectrally tunable photodetectors.
- Electron transfer from SCNCs to C(60) is the mechanism for photocurrent enhancement.
