Synthesis of III-V quantum dots for optoelectronics

Chemically synthesized colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals/quantum dots (QDs) have been studied for more than three decades due to their outstanding features, such as size-dependent optical and electronic properties, narrow fluorescence emission and high quantum yield. III-V QDs  like InP and InAs have emerged as highly promising alternatives to widely studied toxic Cd-based QDs such as CdSe and CdTe. The potential applications of III-V QDs are spanning from optoelectronics (e.g., LEDs, color converters, photodetectors) over energy conversion (photovoltaics, photocatalysis) to biological imaging and detection. Nonetheless, the synthesis of highly covalent III-V QDs bears several challenges, in particular to reduce the emission line width, the size distribution and to increase their chemical- and photostability by growing appopriate inorganic shells on their surface.

This postdoctoral position focusses on the development of novel synthesis methods for III-V semiconductor quantum dots. Innovative synthetic strategies will be explored with the goal to achieve a tight control of the QD size, crystallinity, surface state, optical and electronic properties. The candidate will use complementary techniques of characterization: UV-vis, photoluminescence, NMR and infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. In collaboration with other researchers transmission electron microscopy and XPS will be carried out. Furthermore, electrical measurements will be performed on QD thin films containing different types of surface ligands in view of applications in optoelectronics. The candidate will strongly interact with other researchers – chemists, physicists, technologists. Good communication skills within a multidisciplinary research team and individual initiative are critical.