Charge Carrier Dynamics in Lead Sulfide Quantum Dot Solids

Charge Carrier Dynamics in Lead Sulfide Quantum Dot Solids
Author: Rachel Hoffman Gilmore
Publisher:
Total Pages: 117
Release: 2017
Genre:
ISBN:

Quantum dots, also called semiconductor nanocrystals, are an interesting class of materials because their band gap is a function of the quantum dot size. Their optical properties are not determined solely by the atomic composition, but may be engineered. Advances in quantum dot synthesis have enabled control of the ensemble size dispersity and the creation of monodisperse quantum dot ensembles with size variations of less than one atomic layer. Quantum dots have been used in a variety of applications including solar cells, light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, and thermoelectrics. In many of these applications, understanding charge transport in quantum dot solids is crucial to optimizing efficient devices. We examine charge transport in monodisperse, coupled quantum dot solids using spectroscopic techniques explained by hopping transport models that provide a complementary picture to device measurements. In our monodisperse quantum dot solids, the site-to-site energetic disorder that comes from size dispersity and the size-dependent band gap is very small and spatial disorder in the quantum dot superlattice often has a greater impact on charge transport. In Chapter 2, we show that improved structural order from self-assembly in monodisperse quantum dots reduces the interparticle spacing and has a greater impact than reduced energetic disorder on increasing charge carrier hopping rates. In Chapter 3, we present temperature-dependent transport measurements that demonstrate again that when energetic disorder is very low, structural changes will dominate the dynamics. We find increasing mobility with decreasing temperature that can be explained by a 1-2 Å contraction in the edge-to-edge nearest neighbor quantum dot spacing. In Chapter 4, we study optical states that are 100-200 meV lower in energy than the band gap. Because we work with monodisperse quantum dots, we are able to resolve this trap state separately from the band edge state and study its optical properties. We identify the trap state as dimers that form during synthesis and ligand exchange when two bare quantum dot surfaces fuse. The findings of this thesis point to the importance of minimizing the structural disorder of the coupled quantum dot solid in addition to the energetic disorder to optimize charge carrier transport.

Surface Effects on Charge Carrier Dynamics in Semiconductor Quantum Dots

Surface Effects on Charge Carrier Dynamics in Semiconductor Quantum Dots
Author: Pooja Tyagi
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2013
Genre:
ISBN:

"Due to the large surface-to-volume ratio of quantum dots, their surface conditions play a significant role in determining their electronic and optical properties. In this thesis, we show that the presence of surface states modifies the optical selection rules in quantum dots and enhances the rate of surface charge trapping. These surface-induced effects have profound impact on the measurement of multiexciton recombination and carrier multiplication processes. Specifically, in transient absorption studies, surface states result in additional decay timescales which may be misattributed to multiexciton recombination processes. Additionally, they lead to large "apparent" carrier multiplication yields even under conditions where it is forbidden by energy conservation. The surface-dependent transient absorption studies presented in this work suggest ways to identify and minimize the undesirable surface-induced signals. Interestingly, surface-induced processes also result in significant electrostatic effects. We show that due to the piezoelectric nature of wurtzite CdSe quantum dots, the strong electric field created by surface charge trapping can drive coherent acoustic phonons in these systems. We further show that the amplitude of this piezoelectric response can be controlled by altering the surface conditions of the quantum dot. Finally, we theoretically investigate the effect of multiple surface layers on carrier localization in nanostructures. We find that in a core/barrier/shell configuration, layered nanostructures offer independent control over electron and hole wave functions. These results suggest design principles for wave function engineering in potential quantum dot applications in light emitting devices, photovoltaics and optical amplification." --

Self-Organized Quantum Dots for Memories

Self-Organized Quantum Dots for Memories
Author: Tobias Nowozin
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2016-08-27
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9783319378992

Today’s semiconductor memory market is divided between two types of memory: DRAM and Flash. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. While DRAM is fast but volatile, Flash is non-volatile but slow. A memory system based on self-organized quantum dots (QDs) as storage node could combine the advantages of modern DRAM and Flash, thus merging the latter’s non-volatility with very fast write times. This thesis investigates the electronic properties of and carrier dynamics in self-organized quantum dots by means of time-resolved capacitance spectroscopy and time-resolved current measurements. The first aim is to study the localization energy of various QD systems in order to assess the potential of increasing the storage time in QDs to non-volatility. Surprisingly, it is found that the major impact of carrier capture cross-sections of QDs is to influence, and at times counterbalance, carrier storage in addition to the localization energy. The second aim is to study the coupling between a layer of self-organized QDs and a two-dimensional hole gas (2DHG), which is relevant for the read-out process in memory systems. The investigation yields the discovery of the many-particle ground states in the QD ensemble. In addition to its technological relevance, the thesis also offers new insights into the fascinating field of nanostructure physics.