Ultra pure orange-emitting Sn:CuBr quantum dots for LED applications
Aryamol Stephen1, A Biju2, P Jayaram1
1Materials and Condensed Matter Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics, MES Ponnani College, University of Calicut, Ponnani, Malappuram, Kerala, 679586, India.
Scientific Reports
|January 8, 2026
Summary
We developed an eco-friendly method to create tin-doped Copper (I) bromide quantum dots (CuBr QDs). These novel CuBr QDs exhibit tunable orange emission, making them promising for solid-state lighting.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Quantum Dot Synthesis
Background:
- Copper (I) bromide (CuBr) is a non-toxic, earth-abundant semiconductor with intrinsic blue emission.
- CuBr quantum dots (QDs) offer tunable optoelectronic properties under weak quantum confinement.
- Research on CuBr QD synthesis and optical behavior is relatively unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a facile, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method for synthesizing CuBr QDs.
- To investigate the effect of tin (Sn) doping on the structural and optical properties of CuBr QDs.
- To explore the potential of Sn-doped CuBr QDs for orange-emitting solid-state lighting.
Main Methods:
- Supersaturated recrystallization method for CuBr QD synthesis at room temperature and ambient conditions.
- Tin (Sn) doping to tune the optical properties of CuBr QDs.
- Structural analysis (e.g., particle size measurement) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for chemical state confirmation and Sn incorporation verification.
- Optical characterization to analyze bandgap, emission color, and photoluminescence lifetime.
Main Results:
- Phase-pure, crystalline CuBr QDs synthesized with average particle sizes of 2.98 nm (pure) and 3.57 nm (Sn-doped).
- XPS confirmed the presence of Cu, Br, and incorporated Sn with specific oxidation states.
- Blue emission observed for pure CuBr QDs, with Sn doping causing a red-shift to orange emission due to decreased bandgap.
- Photoluminescence lifetime extended from 490 ps to 970 ps with enhanced color purity up to 99.7% in Sn-doped QDs.
Conclusions:
- Tin-doped CuBr QDs can be synthesized efficiently using an eco-friendly method.
- Sn doping effectively tunes the emission color from blue to orange and enhances photoluminescence properties.
- Sn-doped CuBr QDs show significant potential as efficient, environmentally friendly materials for orange-emitting solid-state lighting applications.
