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Synthesis and size-dependent properties of zinc-blende semiconductor quantum rods

Nature Materials volume 2, pages 155–158 (2003)Cite this article

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 01 January 2004

Abstract

Dimensionality and size are two factors that govern the properties of semiconductor nanostructures1,2. In nanocrystals, dimensionality is manifested by the control of shape, which presents a key challenge for synthesis3,4,5. So far, the growth of rod-shaped nanocrystals using a surfactant-controlled growth mode, has been limited to semiconductors with wurtzite crystal structures, such as CdSe (ref. 3). Here, we report on a general method for the growth of soluble nanorods applied to semiconductors with the zinc-blende cubic lattice structure. InAs quantum rods with controlled lengths and diameters were synthesized using the solution–liquid–solid mechanism6 with gold nanocrystals as catalysts7. This provides an unexpected link between two successful strategies for growing high-quality nanomaterials, the vapour–liquid–solid approach for growing nanowires8,9,10,11,12, and the colloidal approach for synthesizing soluble nanocrystals13,14,15. The rods exhibit both length- and shape-dependent optical properties, manifested in a red-shift of the bandgap with increased length, and in the observation of polarized emission covering the near-infrared spectral range relevant for telecommunications devices16,17.

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Figure 1: TEM images of the reaction products.
Figure 2: Size-distribution histograms for InAs quantum rods.
Figure 3: Powder X-ray diffraction patterns of the reaction products.
Figure 4: Length-dependent optical properties of InAs semiconductor quantum rods.

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Acknowledgements

Supported in part by the Deutsche–Israel Program, the Israel Science Foundation and the US–Israel Binational Science Foundation. We are grateful to Vladimir Ezersky for assistance in the HRTEM measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Chemistry, Farkas Center for Light Induced Processes and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel

    Shihai Kan, Taleb Mokari, Eli Rothenberg & Uri Banin

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Correspondence to Uri Banin.

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Kan, S., Mokari, T., Rothenberg, E. et al. Synthesis and size-dependent properties of zinc-blende semiconductor quantum rods. Nature Mater 2, 155–158 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat830

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