Controlled fabrication of semiconductor-metal hybrid nano-heterostructures via site-selective metal photodeposition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9834856-B2
Application number	US-201313733975-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2013
Priority date	Jan 6, 2012
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A method of synthesizing colloidal semiconductor-metal hybrid heterostructures is disclosed. The method includes dissolving semiconductor nanorods in a solvent to form a nanorod solution, and adding a precursor solution to the nanorod solution. The precursor solution contains a metal. The method further includes illuminating the combined precursor and nanorod solutions with light of a specific wavelength. The illumination causes the deposition of the metal in the precursor solution onto the surface of the semiconductor nanorods.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of synthesizing colloidal semiconductor-metal hybrid heterostructures, the method comprising:
dissolving semiconductor nanorods in a solvent to form a nanorod solution;
adding a precursor solution to the nanorod solution, the precursor solution containing a metal;
illuminating the combined precursor and nanorod solutions with non-laser light of a specific wavelength, the illumination causing deposition of the metal in the precursor solution onto a surface of the semiconductor nanorods.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the semiconductor nanorods has an axially anisotropic morphology.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the semiconductor nanorods is oblong having a relatively thick first end that tapers to a relatively thin second end.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the specific wavelength of the non-laser light determines on which end a majority of the metal is deposited.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the specific wavelength of the non-laser light ranges from 350 nanometers to 575 nanometers.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal comprises palladium.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the precursor solution comprises cis-dimethyl (N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylenediamine) palladium(II).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal comprises platinum.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the precursor solution comprises dimethyl (1,5-cyclooctadiene) platinum (II).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor nanorods comprise cadmium sulfide nanorods.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the cadmium sulfide nanorods have a wurzite crystal structure.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent is toluene.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanorod solution has an optical density of approximately 1.2 at 470 nm or approximately 1.3 at 630 nm.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein illuminating the combined precursor and nanorod solutions with non-laser light of a specific wavelength comprises illuminating the combined precursor and nanorod solutions with non-laser light of a specific wavelength for one to three hours.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein illuminating the combined precursor and nanorod solutions with non-laser light of a specific wavelength comprises illuminating the combined precursor and nanorod solutions with non-laser light of a specific wavelength using fluorescent lamps.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising synthesizing the semiconductor nanorods to be dissolved.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein synthesizing the semiconductor nanorods comprises:
mixing cadmium oxide, trioctylphosphine oxide, and octadecylphosphonic acid to form a mixture;
heating the mixture;
adding trioctylphosphine to the mixture, and then adding trioctylphosphine sulfide and trioctylphosphine selenide to the mixture;
diluting the mixture in a solvent; and
isolating cadmium sulphoselenide nanorods from the mixture.

Assignees

• Vela Becerra Javier
• Ruberu T Purnima A
• Univ Iowa State Res Found Inc

Inventors

• Vela Becerra Javier
• Ruberu T Purnima A

Classifications

• C30B7/005

  Epitaxial layer growth · CPC title

• C30B7/14 Primary

  the crystallising materials being formed by chemical reactions in the solution · CPC title

• C30B29/02

  Elements · CPC title

• C30B29/60

  characterised by shape · CPC title

• C30B29/50

  Cadmium sulfide · CPC title