Optical properties of semiconductor nanoparticles doped with 3d and 4f block elements

Abstract

Doped inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) have enabled researchers across multiple disciplines to create new materials with unique optical, electronic, magnetic, electrical, chemical, and/or compositional properties. In the quest for generating newer functional materials with controlled optical and electronic properties, the use of d- and f-block elements as dopants in the inorganic NPs remain at the forefront of research. This article summarizes experiments that identify the important control parameters, in the form of NP core and surface properties, for promoting host-sensitized dopant emission from d- and f-doped inorganic/semiconductor NPs. We conclude that energy offsets between the dopant and NP electronic levels and an understanding of the charge trapping mechanisms can be used to predict dopant luminescence, and we claim that these features can be used to choose NP host materials by design, rather than by trial and error.

Doping-Guided Control of Lead-Sensitized Terbium Emission in Zinc Sulfide Nanoparticles: Implications for Lead Ion Sensing in Aqueous Media

“…If the synthetic condition is an important control parameter, the spatial proximity of two distinct dopants is equally salient. Our previous reports on Ln 3+ doped ZnS NPs generally indicate a random population (core vs surface) of Ln 3+ in the NPs. ,− Postsynthetic doping, however, results in a surface-rich dopant environment . Following this, if Pb 2+ is added postsynthetically to the Zn­(Tb)S NPs, the Tb–Pb interaction in the Zn­(Tb)­S/Pb NPs should be surface-dominant.…”

Photoluminescence Control by Subtle Alterations of Surface Capping Ligands in Samarium-Doped Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles

“…This infers an extreme importance of the NP’s surface to control the properties of the NPs. Although the relative importance of core variables of the NPs with regard to composition, dimension, absolute band gap, relative band alignment, and dopant coordination environment are addressed in significant details, − such systematic investigations lack on characterizing the role of NP’s surface to control the dopant emission.…”