Facile in situ Synthesis of Ag-Doped CdSe Supra-Quantum Dots and their Characterization

A supra-quantum dot (SQD) is a three-dimensionally assembled QD structure composed of several hundreds to thousands of QDs connected through oriented attachments. Owing to their three-dimensional interconnected structures and relatively large volumes, impurity atoms are thermodynamically more stable in SQDs than in conventional QDs. Herein, we report the facile in-situ synthesis of colloidal Ag-doped CdSe SQDs. Ag dopants were efficiently incorporated into CdSe SQDs through the three-dimensional interconnection of Ag-doped primary CdSe QDs, as confirmed by elemental analysis combined with chemical etching. Photoelectron spectroscopic studies revealed that the Ag-doped CdSe SQDs exhibit n-type doping behavior, since the valence electrons from the interstitial Ag atoms are directly donated to the lattice.