Preparation of Ii-Vi Quantum Dot Composites by Electrospray OMCVD

A novel technique combining electrospray and organometallic chemical vapor deposition (OMCVD) has been developed for synthesis of VI-II quantum dot composites. CdSe nanocrystallites dispersed in a mixture of pyridine and acetonitrile were electrosprayed into the gas-phase in the growth zone of an OMCVD reactor and then incorporated into a ZnSe matrix grown by OMCVD. Hydrogen selenide and diethylzinc were used to deposit the ZnSe matrix at temperatures of 150 - 240°C. The ZnSe/CdSe quantum dot composites were characterized by visible absorption spectroscopy, room temperature photoluminescence and Auger electron spectroscopy. The optical properties of the composites are determined by the size of the original CdSe nanocrystallites.