In this work, the band-emissions of both the magic-sized clusters (MSCs) and nanosized quantum dots (QDs) of cadmium arsenide (Cd 3 As 2 ) are studied versus time during the hot-bubbling synthesis. The syntheses are performed by introducing the ex-situ produced H 3 As into the hot-surfactant solutions dissolved with cadmium oleate and ligand molecules. It is found that the MSCs are produced within 4.0 min because of the color change of the solution. However, these clusters are not stable, and the peak of the photoabsorption shifts from 528 to 540 nm with the growth time. Across a shallow energy barrier, the MSCs grow into nanosized quantum dots whose photoluminescence wavelengths are found to extend into the NIR region (λ > 1480 nm) after a growth period of ∼45.0 min. The quantum yield of the band emissions ranges 2.5−8.0% during the growth of Cd 3 As 2 QDs. Analyses from the time-resolved fluorescence decay profiles suggest that the ultrafast exciton radiative decays are the dominant recombination in the Cd 3 As 2 MSCs, and the lifetime is about 0.69 ns. Longer lifetime emissions (200−300 ns) are found in the nanosized QDs, which is ascribed to the delocalized excitons in the lowest QD state after thermalization. This research highlights the origin and evolution of band-emissions in Cd 3 As 2 QDs, which gives an indepth understanding of the electronic structures of Cd 3 As 2 QDs, and thus lending them wider potential applicability.
■ INTRODUCTIONAlthough Cd 3 As 2 is one of the most dangerous compounds, yet it has many promising properties especially in applications as the near-infrared (NIR) photoresponse materials because it has a narrow band gap (∼0.14 eV), 1−3 relatively high dielectric constant (16−36), 4 large Bohr radius of excitons (∼47 nm), large effective mass difference between that of the electron and the hole, 5 and a widely tunable electronic structure. 6 It has been discovered that nanosized Cd 3 As 2 crystals (NCs) or the socalled quantum dots (QDs) exhibit prominent quantum confinement effects as the size decreases. 7 Due to the huge difference in the effective mass of the electron (m n * = 0.035− 0.076m o , m o = 9.31 × 10 −31 kg) and hole (m h * = 0.12m o ), one may tune the conduction band position of Cd 3 As 2 QDs easier than that of the valence band, which makes Cd 3 As 2 an ideal candidate as used in the full-band spectral response photovoltaics 8 and telecommunication devices (λ = 1.3−1.5 μm). 9,10