Synthesis and spectroscopic properties of silica-dye-semiconductor nanocrystal hybrid particles.
We prepared silica-dye-nanocrystal hybrid particles and studied the energy transfer from semiconductor nanocrystals (= donor) to organic dye molecules (= acceptor). Multishell CdSe/CdS/ZnS semiconductor nanocrystals were adsorbed onto monodisperse Stöber silica particles with an outer silica shell of thickness 2-23 nm containing organic dye molecules (Texas Red). The thickness of this dye layer has a strong effect on the energy transfer efficiency, which is explained by the increase in the number of dye molecules homogeneously distributed within the silica shell, in combination with an enhanced surface adsorption of nanocrystals with increasing dye amount. Our conclusions were underlined by comparison of the experimental results with numerically calculated FRET efficiencies and by control experiments confirming attractive interaction between the nanocrystals and Texas Red freely dissolved in solution.
Institut für Physikalische Chemie der Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz Welderweg 11, 55099 Mainz, Germany.
Ting
T
Ren
Wolfgang
W
Erker
Thomas
T
Basché
Wolfgang
W
Schärtl
D000327:Adsorption; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer / Q000379:methods; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012666:Semiconductors; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000379:methods; D014966:Xanthenes / Q000494:pharmacology
D004396:Coloring Agents; D014966:Xanthenes; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; C034657:Texas red