Effect of the Concentration on the X-ray Luminescence Efficiency of a Cadmium Selenide/Zinc Sulfide (CdSe/ZnS) Quantum Dot Nanoparticle Solution

Abstract

In the current study preliminary results on the luminescence efficiency (LE) of toluene dissolved Cadmium Selenide/Zinc Sulfide (CdSe/ZnS, Sigma-Aldrich, Lumidot 694622) quantum dot samples (QDs) after exposure to X-rays of variable radiation flux are shown. The distinctive influence of the weight over volume (w/v) concentration of the samples in LE was investigated. The light emission of the QDs was additionally measured after UV irradiation. The distribution of the emitted light was symmetrical with a maximum at 590 nm. The w/v concentration of the QDs varied between 7.1×10-5 mg/mL to 28.4×10-5 mg/mL. The samples were handled in a cubic 12.5×12.5×45mm3 quartz cuvette. Each sample was excited under X-ray irradiation, in the energy range from 50 to 130 kVp using a BMI General Medical Merate tube with rotating Tungsten anode and inherent filtration equivalent to 2 mm Al. The X-ray LE, induced by the 28.4×10-5 mg/mL QDs found higher, however, the distinction was vague in the highly concentrated samples. The maximum efficiency was obtained at the 90 kVp for QDs with 21.3×10-5 mg/mL w/v concentration. In the high energy range (120-130 kVp) all concentration levels exhibited comparable X-ray induced LE. The luminescence properties of the investigated QDs appear promising for X-ray detection applications.