Formation of QD-porphyrin molecule complexes in aqueous solutions

The spectral and luminescent manifestations of the electrostatic formation of quantum dot (QD)-porphyrin complexes are studied. The QD luminescence in these complexes is found to be efficiently quenched. The luminescence of molecules complexed with QDs is also partially quenched. The luminescence excitation spectra of porphyrin molecules associated with QDs exhibit a contribution of the QD absorption spectrum, which indicates that energy is transferred from QDs to porphyrin. The efficiency of the nonradiative resonant energy transfer from a QD to a porphyrin molecule is estimated. The observed experimental data agree well with a proposed model of formation of complexes of the QD-organic molecule type.