High-temperature colloidal synthesis of InAs/InP and InAs/CdSe core/shell nanocrystal quantum dots is reported. InP and CdSe shells with several thicknesses were grown on InAs cores ranging in diameter between 20 to 50 Å. Optical spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to analyze the core/shell quantum dots and determine their chemical composition, average size, size distributions, and structures. The experimental results indicate that shell growth is uniform, expitaxial, and controllable. For both InP and CdSe shells, growth is accompanied by a red shift of the band gap energy as a result of the extension of the electron wavefunction into the shell region. An increase of the room temperature photoluminescence quantum yield by a factor of∼4 is observed with CdSe shell growth on InAs Cores. The growth of InP shells, however, quenches the photoluminescence quantum yield. The difference is assigned to outer surface effects in core/shell nanocrystals.

Localization of carrier wave functions to the quantum-well portion of the CdS/HgS quantum-dot quantum well (QDQW) is investigated. Nanosecond hole-burning (HB) spectra measure the photoinduced exciton coupling to a 250−cm−1 HgS phonon mode indicative of localization. Femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy of these QDQW, however, show the photoinduced exciton couples to coherent 300−cm−1 CdS longitudinal optical-phonon modes, which is indicative of delocalization throughout the QDQW.  Femtosecond HB and three pulse pump-dump experiments reveal these results are dependent on the time scale of the experiment. These experiments indicate that the initially photoexcited electron and hole wave functions are weakly confined to the HgS monolayer. Only after long times (∼400 fs) will the exciton localize to the HgS well. These results indicate that the primary optical interaction excites electrons from a delocalized QDQW ground state and not from a localized HgS well state.

Semiconductor quantum dots, due to their small size, mark the transition between molecular and solid-state regimes, and are often described as ‘artificial atoms’ (13). This analogy originates from the early work on quantum confinement effects in semiconductor nanocrystals, where the electronic wavefunctions are predicted⁴ to exhibit atomic-like symmetries, for example ‘s ’ and ‘p ’. Spectroscopic studies of quantum dots have demonstrated discrete energy level structures and narrow transition linewidths^5,6,7,8,9, but the symmetry of the discrete states could be inferred only indirectly. Here we use cryogenic scanning tunnelling spectroscopy to identify directly atomic-like electronic states with s and p character in a series of indium arsenide nanocrystals. These states are manifest in tunnelling current–voltage measurements as two- and six-fold single-electron-charging multiplets respectively, and they follow an atom-like Aufbau principle of sequential energy level occupation¹⁰.

The effect of the outer surface of core/shell nanocrystals on the fluorescence quantum yield was observed for InAs/InP and InAs/CdSe core/shells (see picture). For InAs/CdSe we observed substantial enhancement of the fluorescence quantum yield compared to the InAs core, and up to two times larger than the laser dye IR‐140. Such core/shell nanocrystals have potential use as biological fluorescent markers in the near IR spectral range.

A survey of caging and geminate recombination dynamics following the UV photolysis of I₃^- in a series of polar solvents is presented. Transient absorption in both the near-IR and UV was measured out to delays of 0.4 ns, probing evolution of the nascent product and recombined reactants, respectively. The fate of photolysis fragments is suggested to be determined shortly after the act of bond fission. Kinetic analysis shows caged fragments either recombine directly and vibrationally relax within a few picoseconds or produce long-lived complexes of unknown structure that decay exponentially in ∼40 ps, and both routes lead to ground-state I₃^-. The persistent complex exhibits a near-IR absorption spectrum that is broadened and red-shifted relative to free I₂^-. A very shallow and slow residual component of recombination may be associated with encounters of geminate pairs that initially escape the solvent cage. The choice of solvent strongly effects the probability and dynamics of caging, but not the decay rate of complex caged pairs. This is not altered by varying the temperature of an isobutyl alcohol solution from 5 to 45 °C. The results are discussed in an effort to illuminate the role played by the solvent in triiodide recombination in solution.

A framework for understanding impulsively photoinduced vibrational coherent motion on the ground electronic surface is presented. In particular strong resonant excitation to a directly dissociative electronic surface is considered. Three distinct approaches are employed. A two surface Fourier wavepacket method explicitly including the field explores this process in isolated molecules. A coordinate dependent two‐level system is employed to develop a novel analytical approximation to the photoinduced quantum dynamics. The negligible computational requirements make it a powerful interactive tool for reconstructing the impulsive photoexcitation stage. Its analytical nature provides closed form expressions for the photoinduced changes in the material. Finally the full simulation of the process including the solvent effects is carried out by a numerical propagation of the density operator. In all three techniques the excitation field is treated to all orders, allowing an analysis of current experiments using strong fields, resulting in substantial photoconversion. The emerging picture is that the impulsive excitation carves a coherent dynamical ‘‘hole’’ out of the ground surface density. A rigorous definition of the dynamical ‘‘hole’’ is constructed and used to define a measure of its coherence. In particular all photoinduced time dependence in the system can be directly related to the dynamical ‘‘hole.’’ All three techniques are used to simulate the pump probe experiment on the symmetric stretch mode of I₃⁻, including electronic and vibrational dephasing.

A framework for understanding impulsively photoinduced vibrational coherent motion on the ground electronic surface is presented. In particular strong resonant excitation to a directly dissociative electronic surface is considered. Three distinct approaches are employed. A two surface Fourier wavepacket method explicitly including the field explores this process in isolated molecules. A coordinate dependent two‐level system is employed to develop a novel analytical approximation to the photoinduced quantum dynamics. The negligible computational requirements make it a powerful interactive tool for reconstructing the impulsive photoexcitation stage. Its analytical nature provides closed form expressions for the photoinduced changes in the material. Finally the full simulation of the process including the solvent effects is carried out by a numerical propagation of the density operator. In all three techniques the excitation field is treated to all orders, allowing an analysis of current experiments using strong fields, resulting in substantial photoconversion. The emerging picture is that the impulsive excitation carves a coherent dynamical ‘‘hole’’ out of the ground surface density. A rigorous definition of the dynamical ‘‘hole’’ is constructed and used to define a measure of its coherence. In particular all photoinduced time dependence in the system can be directly related to the dynamical ‘‘hole.’’ All three techniques are used to simulate the pump probe experiment on the symmetric stretch mode of I₃⁻, including electronic and vibrational dephasing.

Control of coherent ground surface dynamics is achieved by varying the intensity of a resonant ultrafast pump pulse. This pulse cycles amplitude between the ground and excited electronic surfaces resulting in a momentum kick and a coordinate dependent loss of amplitude, creating a nonstationary vibrational distribution: the ‘V’ jump. A qualitative change in composition occurs for intensities above π pulse conditions. The induced dynamics is observed by a delayed pulse which is dispersed and analyzed against time or as a two-dimensional frequency plot. Such an analysis makes it possible to distinguish the contributions of high vibrational harmonics to the dynamics.

We report a study of the UV photolysis of I₃⁻ in alcohol solutions, using femtosecond time‐resolved transient transmission experiments. We interpret our results to indicate that photoexcitation leads to direct formation, within 300 fs, of diiodide ions which are vibrating coherently. The time scales for vibrational dephasing, vibrational relaxation, and reorientation of the fragment ions are 400 fs, 4 ps, and 5 ps, respectively. UV transient transmission experiments were conducted in order to characterize the time scales for recombination. Recombination takes place on several time scales. A fast component is assigned to primary recombination, followed by vibrational relaxation on the ground state of I₃⁻. The prominence of this recombination route is found to be strongly dependent on the solvent. Finally, time domain quantum simulation techniques are employed in order to gain insight into the nature of the nascent diiodide vibrational distribution, and to introduce a semiquantitative model for the stage of bond fission for isolated ions.

We report a comprehensive study of the UV photolysis of I₃⁻ in ethanol solution, using femtosecond time resolved transient transmission experiments. We interpret our results to indicate that with high probability, photoexcitation leads to direct formation of di‐iodide ions within 300 fs, which are vibrating coherently. Through our experiments we have been able to determine that the time scales for vibrational dephasing, vibrational relaxation, and reorientation of the fragment ions are 400 fs, 4 ps, and 5 ps, respectively. Transmission signals at 620 nm and at 880 nm, which are above and below the λ_max of the known absorption of I₂⁻, oscillate at a precisely opposite phase. This and other results presented indicate that through the oscillations we are observing coherent vibration of the I₂⁻ photofragment. UV transient transmission experiments have been conducted in order to characterize the time scales for recombination. Preliminary results show that recombination takes place on several time scales. A fast component is assigned to primary recombination, followed by vibrational relaxation on the ground state of I₃⁻. The impulsive nature of the I₃⁻ photoexcitation induces coherent symmetric stretching vibration in the ground state tri‐iodide population. Finally, the large number of dynamical variables probed directly allows us to record the chronology of this reaction with unprecedented detail. We directly observe a new and potentially informative dynamical variable for this reaction—the absolute phase of fragment vibrations following the photodissociation.

We report a comprehensive study of the UV photolysis of I₃⁻ in ethanol solution, using femtosecond time resolved transient transmission experiments. We interpret our results to indicate that with high probability, photoexcitation leads to direct formation of di‐iodide ions within 300 fs, which are vibrating coherently. Through our experiments we have been able to determine that the time scales for vibrational dephasing, vibrational relaxation, and reorientation of the fragment ions are 400 fs, 4 ps, and 5 ps, respectively. Transmission signals at 620 nm and at 880 nm, which are above and below the λ_max of the known absorption of I₂⁻, oscillate at a precisely opposite phase. This and other results presented indicate that through the oscillations we are observing coherent vibration of the I₂⁻ photofragment. UV transient transmission experiments have been conducted in order to characterize the time scales for recombination. Preliminary results show that recombination takes place on several time scales. A fast component is assigned to primary recombination, followed by vibrational relaxation on the ground state of I₃⁻. The impulsive nature of the I₃⁻ photoexcitation induces coherent symmetric stretching vibration in the ground state tri‐iodide population. Finally, the large number of dynamical variables probed directly allows us to record the chronology of this reaction with unprecedented detail. We directly observe a new and potentially informative dynamical variable for this reaction—the absolute phase of fragment vibrations following the photodissociation.

We report a comprehensive study of the UV photolysis of I₃⁻ in ethanol solution, using femtosecond time resolved transient transmission experiments. We interpret our results to indicate that with high probability, photoexcitation leads to direct formation of di‐iodide ions within 300 fs, which are vibrating coherently. Through our experiments we have been able to determine that the time scales for vibrational dephasing, vibrational relaxation, and reorientation of the fragment ions are 400 fs, 4 ps, and 5 ps, respectively. Transmission signals at 620 nm and at 880 nm, which are above and below the λ_max of the known absorption of I₂⁻, oscillate at a precisely opposite phase. This and other results presented indicate that through the oscillations we are observing coherent vibration of the I₂⁻ photofragment. UV transient transmission experiments have been conducted in order to characterize the time scales for recombination. Preliminary results show that recombination takes place on several time scales. A fast component is assigned to primary recombination, followed by vibrational relaxation on the ground state of I₃⁻. The impulsive nature of the I₃⁻ photoexcitation induces coherent symmetric stretching vibration in the ground state tri‐iodide population. Finally, the large number of dynamical variables probed directly allows us to record the chronology of this reaction with unprecedented detail. We directly observe a new and potentially informative dynamical variable for this reaction—the absolute phase of fragment vibrations following the photodissociation.