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AgInS 2 –ZnS nanocrystals: Evidence of bistable states using light‐induced electron paramagnetic resonance and photoluminescence
Author(s) -
Nobre Sónia S.,
Renard Olivier,
Lombard Christian,
Chevallier Théo,
PépinDonat Brigitte,
Le Blevennec Gilles
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
physica status solidi (rrl) – rapid research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.786
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1862-6270
pISSN - 1862-6254
DOI - 10.1002/pssr.201308329
Subject(s) - paramagnetism , photoluminescence , electron paramagnetic resonance , nanocrystal , bistability , materials science , surface states , spectroscopy , resonance (particle physics) , chemistry , condensed matter physics , nanotechnology , nuclear magnetic resonance , atomic physics , optoelectronics , physics , surface (topology) , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics
The precursor (AgIn) x Zn 2(1– x ) (S 2 CN(C 2 H 5 ) 2 ) 4 was used to prepared AgInS 2 –ZnS nanocrystals with different compositions ( x = 0.4 and x = 0.7) and with different time of reaction (10 min and 75 min). The photoluminescence features of the nanocrystals were addressed by combining steady‐state spectroscopy and light‐induced electron paramagnetic resonance. Both techniques showed the contribution of at least two components for the emission, previously assigned to surface and intrinsic states. Light‐induced electron paramagnetic resonance allowed detection of the photocreation both of irreversible paramagnetic species that are likely responsible for the nano‐crystals degradation assigned to surface states and of reversible paramagnetic species assigned to intrinsic states. Moreover, reversible bistable paramagnetic states were observed. This Letter provides a scheme that might be useful in addressing the well‐known problem of aging of the nanocrystals. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)