Controlled Precipitation of Lead Sulfide Quantum Dots in Glasses Using the Femtosecond Laser Pulses

Abstract

We report the controlled precipitation of PbS quantum dots (QDs) in glasses using multiple irradiation of the femtosecond laser pulses followed by thermal treatment. Upon the irradiation of femtosecond laser, PbS QDs were found to preferentially precipitate in the irradiated area after thermal treatment. Photoluminescence spectra showed PbS QDs in the irradiated area emitted at the long wavelength side, and transmission electron microscope images also confirmed that PbS QDs formed in the irradiated area were larger than those formed in the nonirradiated area. This controlled precipitation of PbS QDs can lead to the development of advanced optical materials.

Femtosecond laser induced phenomena in transparent solid materials: Fundamentals and applications

“…PbS quantum dots (QDs) are also precipited in glasses by multiple irradiation of the femtosecond laser pulses followed by heat treatment [210], whereas CdS and PbS QDs in silica xerogel are obtained using the similar radiation technique, but without conducting heat treatment [211,212]. The size and the photoluminescence can be tuned by adjusting the laser irradiation conditions.…”

Lead Chalcogenide Quantum Dot‐Doped Glasses for Photonic Devices

“…Formation of lead chalcogenide QDs in glasses can be controlled by thermal treatment, doping different amount of rare‐earth ions, precipitation of silver nanoparticles, or various combinations of them. Glass with nominal composition of 50SiO 2 ‐34Na 2 O‐5Al 2 O 3 ‐8ZnO‐2ZnS‐1PbO (mol%) was used as a mother glass . Starting powders were melted in an alumina crucible at 1350°C for 60 min.…”

“…Precipitation of lead chalcogenide quantum dots in the glasses is known to be the diffusion‐controlled phase decomposition in the oversaturated solution . Therefore, ion exchange due to femtosecond laser irradiation can lead to redistribution of lead and chalcogen in glasses that result in the precipitation of lead chalcogenide quantum dots with controlled spatial distribution …”

“…Glasses with lead chalcogenide QDs also can be used for light sources and photonic devices utilizing their unique photoluminescence. For these applications, it is important to control the sizes of QDs precisely to realize the photoluminescence at desired wavelengths . In section II, recent progresses for the controlled formation of lead chalcogenide QDs in glasses will be reviewed and the preliminary attempts for the device fabrication will be introduced in section III.…”

Deposition and characteristics of PbS thin films by an in-situ solution chemical reaction process

“…ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 13 film, especially during the elevated temperature decomposition, causing some negative effects on PbS such as crystallinity, relationship between the grain size and the 1st excitonic peak position, which needs to be probed in the next study.…”