Effect of temperature on the spectral properties of InP/ZnS nanocrystals

Optical absorption (OA) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra of InP/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals with 2.3 nm average size were investigated in the temperature range of 6.5–296 K. Using second derivative spectrophotometry technique energies of the OA transitions at 296 K in quantum dot (QD) solutions and films are evaluated to be E 1 = 2.37, E 2 = 4.10 and E 3 = 4.68 eV. Temperature shifts of the E 1 and E 2 levels are found to result from interaction with effective phonons of 59 and 37 meV energies, respectively. Herewith the 370 meV half-width of the first exciton absorption peak remains constant due to the dominance of inhomogeneous broadening effects caused by QD parameters distribution. Measured PL spectra have a complex structure and can be described in 6.5–296 K range by two independent Gaussian components associated with exciton and defect-related states. In addition, Stokes shift of 320 meV is observed to decrease at T > 200 K. PL thermal quenching analysis in frame of Mott mechanism points to presence of non-radiative relaxation channel with an activation energy of 74 meV.