Physico-chemical mechanism for the vapors sensitivity of photoluminescent InP quantum dots

Abstract

InP/InGaP surface quantum dots are interesting materials for optical chemical sensors since they present an intense emission at room temperature, whose intensity changes rapidly and reversibly depending on the composition of the environmental atmosphere. We present here their emission properties by time resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy investigation and we discuss the physico-chemical mechanism behind their sensitivity to the surrounding atmosphere. Photoluminescence transients in inert atmosphere (N2) and in solvent vapours of methanol, clorophorm, acetone and water were measured. The presence of vapors of clorophorm, acetone and water showed a very weak effect on the transient times, while an increase of up to 15% of the decay time was observed for methanol vapour exposure. On the basis of the vapor molecule nature (polarity, proticity, steric hindrance, etc.) and of the interaction of the vapor molecules with the quantum dots surface a sensing mechanism involving quantum dots non-radiative surface states is proposed.