Exciton dynamics in semiconductor nanocrystals

Semiconductor Quantum Dots: An Emerging Candidate for CO2 Photoreduction

As one of the most critical approaches to resolve the energy crisis and environmental concerns, carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) photoreduction into value-added chemicals and solar fuels (for example, CO, HCOOH, CH₃ OH, CH₄ ) has attracted more and more attention. In nature, photosynthetic organisms effectively convert CO₂ and H₂ O to carbohydrates and oxygen (O₂ ) using sunlight, which has inspired the development of low-cost, stable, and effective artificial photocatalysts for CO₂ photoreduction. Due to their low cost, facile synthesis, excellent light harvesting, multiple exciton generation, feasible charge-carrier regulation, and abundant surface sites, semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have recently been identified as one of the most promising materials for establishing highly efficient artificial photosystems. Recent advances in CO₂ photoreduction using semiconductor QDs are highlighted. First, the unique photophysical and structural properties of semiconductor QDs, which enable their versatile applications in solar energy conversion, are analyzed. Recent applications of QDs in photocatalytic CO₂ reduction are then introduced in three categories: binary II-VI semiconductor QDs (e.g., CdSe, CdS, and ZnSe), ternary I-III-VI semiconductor QDs (e.g., CuInS₂ and CuAlS₂ ), and perovskite-type QDs (e.g., CsPbBr₃ , CH₃ NH₃ PbBr₃ , and Cs₂ AgBiBr₆ ). Finally, the challenges and prospects in solar CO₂ reduction with QDs in the future are discussed.

Recent Advances in MOF-based Nanocatalysts for Photo-Promoted CO2 Reduction Applications

The conversion of CO2 to valuable substances (methane, methanol, formic acid, etc.) by photocatalytic reduction has important significance for both the sustainable energy supply and clean environment technologies. This review systematically summarized recent progress in this field and pointed out the current challenges of photocatalytic CO2 reduction while using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-based materials. Firstly, we described the unique advantages of MOFs based materials for photocatalytic reduction of CO2 and its capacity to solve the existing problems. Subsequently, the latest research progress in photocatalytic CO2 reduction has been documented in detail. The catalytic reaction process, conversion efficiency, as well as the product selectivity of photocatalytic CO2 reduction while using MOFs based materials are thoroughly discussed. Specifically, in this review paper, we provide the catalytic mechanism of CO2 reduction with the aid of electronic structure investigations. Finally, the future development trend and prospect of photocatalytic CO2 reduction are anticipated.

Enhanced Generation of Non-Oxygen Dependent Free Radicals by Schottky-type Heterostructures of Au-Bi2S3 Nanoparticles via X-ray-Induced Catalytic Reaction for Radiosensitization

Despite the development of nanomaterials with high-Z elements for radiosensitizers, most of them suffer from their oxygen-dependent behavior in hypoxic tumor, nonideal selectivity to tumor, or inevasible damages to normal tissue, greatly limiting their further applications. Herein, we develop a Schottky-type heterostructure of Au-Bi₂S₃ with promising ability of reactive free radicals generation under X-ray irradiation for selectively enhancing radiotherapeutic efficacy by catalyzing intracellular H₂O₂ in tumor. On the one hand, like many other nanomaterials with rich high-Z elements, Au-Bi₂S₃ can deposit higher radiation dose within tumors in the form of high energy electrons. On the other hand, Au-Bi₂S₃ can remarkably improve the utilization of a large number of X-ray-induced low energy electrons during radiotherapy for nonoxygen dependent free radicals generation even in hypoxic condition. This feature of Schottky-type heterostructures Au-Bi₂S₃ attributes to the generated Schottky barrier between metal Au and semiconductor Bi₂S₃, which can trap the X-ray-generated electrons and transfer them to Au, resulting in efficient separation of the electron-hole pairs. Then, because of the matched potential between the conduction band of Bi₂S₃ and overexpressed H₂O₂ within tumor, the Au-Bi₂S₃ HNSCs can decompose the intracellular H₂O₂ into highly toxic ^•OH for selective radiosensitization in tumor. As a consequence, this kind of nanoparticle provides an idea to develop rational designed Schottky-type heterostructures as efficient radiosensitizers for enhanced radiotherapy of cancer.

Resonant Energy Transfer can Trigger Multiexciton Recombination in Dense Quantum Dot Ensembles

Core/shell quantum dots/quantum rods are nanocrystals with typical application scenarios as ensembles. Resonance energy transfer is a possible process between adjacent nanocrystals. Highly excited nanocrystals can also relax energy by multiexciton recombination, competing against the energy transfer. The two processes have different dependencies and can be convolved, resulting in collective properties different from the superposition of the individual nanocrystals. A platform to study the interplay of energy transfer and multiexciton recombination is presented. CdSe/CdS quantum dot/quantum rods encapsulated in amphiphilic micelles with an interparticle distance control by spacer ligands are used for time-resolved photoluminescence and transient absorption experiments. At exciton populations around one, the ensemble starts to be in a state where energy transfer can trigger multiexciton Auger recombination, altering the collective dynamics.

Detection of specific DNA sequences in Maize (Zea mays L.) based on phosphorescent quantum-dot exciton energy transfer

The complementary sequence of genetically-modified marker sequence cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (Ca MV 35S) DNA was trimmed and designed into sequences S1 and S2, which were separately modified onto the surfaces of room-temperature phosphorescent (RTP) quantum dots (QDs), forming QDs-S1 (P1) and QDs-S2 (P2), respectively.

Black/red phosphorus quantum dots for photocatalytic water splitting: from a type I heterostructure to a Z-scheme system

The junction between black and red phosphorus changes from a type I heterostructure for bulk materials to a Z-scheme system for quantum dots.

Synthesis of stable CdS nanocrystals using experimental design: optimization of the emission

This work investigates CdS nanocrystal synthesis by applying chemometric tools. Very good reproducibility of nanocrystals of CdS was obtained.

Photophysical and enhanced nonlinear optical response in asymmetric benzothiazole substituted phthalocyanine covalently linked to semiconductor quantum dots

The synthesis of asymmetric benzothiazole substituted phthalocyanines (complexes 3 to 5) and their covalent attachment to glutathione (GSH) functionalized quantum dots (QDs) are reported in this work. Additionally, their photophysical and nonlinear optical properties were investigated. A decrease in the fluorescence quantum yield with corresponding increase in the triplet quantum yield was observed when the complexes were covalently linked to glutathione (GSH) functionalized cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum dots. Reverse saturable absorption was found to be predominantly dominated by excited state absorption. The observed limiting threshold values range from 0.29-0.75 J/cm².

Spin-optotronic Properties of Organometal Halide Perovskites

Spin is an intrinsic quantum mechanical property of fundamental particles including the electron. The spin property is intimately related to electronic and optical properties of molecules and materials. The combination of spin (magnetic), electronic, and optical properties of materials, such as organometal halide perovskites (OMHP), has attracted increasing attention, which has led to a new field termed spin-optotronics based on all three key properties. This growing field has implications in emerging technological applications across disciplines, including photonics, electronics, spintronics, quantum computation, and information storage. This Perspective provides a brief introduction to this field from both experimental and computational aspects, with a focus on the effect of spin on charge carrier dynamics in OMHP, a class of materials with novel properties and promising applications in a number of fields. For instance, recent studies have demonstrated the use of ultrafast laser techniques in probing the fundamental charge carrier dynamics in relation to spin properties. Because of strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and broken inversion symmetry that result in Rashba and Dresselhaus effects, OMHP are considered ideal for manipulating spin states for spin-optotronics applications. In the meantime, on the basis of first-principles calculations and effective model Hamiltonians, the Rashba splitting in locally polarized domains can result in spin-forbidden recombination with significantly slow transition rate due to the mismatch of spin and momentum. We summarize the state-of-the-art first-principles methods and their current limitations for ultrafast charge and spin dynamics for realistic solid-state systems in general. To conclude, we note some promising future research and development directions for both experimental and theoretical ultrafast spin dynamics studies of OMHP.

Size-dependent activity and selectivity of carbon dioxide photocatalytic reduction over platinum nanoparticles

Platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) are one of the most efficient cocatalysts in photocatalysis, and their size determines the activity and the selectivity of the catalytic reaction. Nevertheless, an in-depth understanding of the platinum’s size effect in the carbon dioxide photocatalytic reduction is still lacking. Through analyses of the geometric features and electronic properties with variable-sized Pt NPs, here we show a prominent size effect of Pt NPs in both the activity and selectivity of carbon dioxide photocatalytic reduction. Decreasing the size of Pt NPs promotes the charge transfer efficiency, and thus enhances both the carbon dioxide photocatalytic reduction and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity, but leads to higher selectivity towards hydrogen over methane. Combining experimental results and theoretical calculations, in Pt NPs, the terrace sites are revealed as the active sites for methane generation; meanwhile, the low-coordinated sites are more favorable in the competing HER.

Light-driven carbon dioxide conversion into fuels provides a nature-inspired strategy to combat climate change, but how materials do so remains a challenge. Here, the authors prepare metal–semiconductor composites and find platinum-nanoparticle size controls fuel selectivity and activity.

Single Pt Atoms Confined into a Metal-Organic Framework for Efficient Photocatalysis

It is highly desirable yet remains challenging to improve the dispersion and usage of noble metal cocatalysts, beneficial to charge transfer in photocatalysis. Herein, for the first time, single Pt atoms are successfully confined into a metal-organic framework (MOF), in which electrons transfer from the MOF photosensitizer to the Pt acceptor for hydrogen production by water splitting under visible-light irradiation. Remarkably, the single Pt atoms exhibit a superb activity, giving a turnover frequency of 35 h^-1 , ≈30 times that of Pt nanoparticles stabilized by the same MOF. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy further unveils that the single Pt atoms confined into the MOF provide highly efficient electron transfer channels and density functional theory calculations indicate that the introduction of single Pt atoms into the MOF improves the hydrogen binding energy, thus greatly boosting the photocatalytic H₂ production activity.

Towards understanding the unusual photoluminescence intensity variation of ultrasmall colloidal PbS quantum dots with the formation of a thin CdS shell

In this study, we report anomalous size-dependent photoluminescence (PL) intensity variation of PbS quantum dots (QDs) with the formation of a thin CdS shell via a microwave-assisted cation exchange approach. Thin shell formation has been established as an effective strategy for increasing the PL of QDs. Nonetheless, herein we observed an unusual PL decrease in ultrasmall QDs upon shell formation. We attempted to understand this abnormal phenomenon from the perspective of trap density variation and the probability of electrons and holes reaching surface defects. To this end, the quantum yield (QY) and PL lifetime (on the ns-μs time scales) of pristine PbS QDs and PbS/CdS core/shell QDs were measured and the radiative and non-radiative recombination rates were derived and compared. Moreover, transient absorption (TA) analysis (on the fs-ns time scale) was performed to better understand exciton dynamics at early times that lead to and affect longer time dynamics and optical properties such as PL. These experimental results, in conjunction with theoretical calculations of electron and hole wave functions, provide a complete picture of the photophysics governing the core/shell system. A model was proposed to explain the size-dependent optical and dynamic properties observed.

Photo-induced resonance energy transfer and nonlinear optical response in ball-type phthalocyanine conjugated to semiconductor and graphene quantum dots

Ball-type zinc and gallium phthalocyanines were covalently linked to graphene and semiconductor quantum dots resulting in enhanced triplet parameters and nonlinear optical performance.

Impact of Element Doping on Photoexcited Electron Dynamics in CdS Nanocrystals

Element doping plays a key role in achieving desired properties of semiconductor nanocrystals. In the energy-state landscape the doping-induced localized impurity states (LIS) can bring on significant modification of photoelectrochemical effects. It is difficult to retrieve information regarding the doping-induced LIS. Here we report on such information gleaned on a prototypical system of CdS nanocrystals slightly doped with In³⁺, through joint observations from photoluminescence (PL) and ultrafast transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy. The nonradiative nature of the In-doping induced LIS is revealed by PL. The TA observations, with a set of control experiments, enable us to capture a picture of the photoexcited electron dynamics and unravel the photoexcited electron reservoir (PEER) effect associated with the In-doping induced band gap LIS. This work establishes a fundamental, mechanistic understanding of the significant impact of element doping on the photoexcited electron dynamics in this model system, offering useful inputs for relevant material design and applications.

Optics of exciton-plasmon nanomaterials

This review provides a brief introduction to the physics of coupled exciton-plasmon systems, the theoretical description and experimental manifestation of such phenomena, followed by an account of the state-of-the-art methodology for the numerical simulations of such phenomena and supplemented by a number of FORTRAN codes, by which the interested reader can introduce himself/herself to the practice of such simulations. Applications to CW light scattering as well as transient response and relaxation are described. Particular attention is given to so-called strong coupling limit, where the hybrid exciton-plasmon nature of the system response is strongly expressed. While traditional descriptions of such phenomena usually rely on analysis of the electromagnetic response of inhomogeneous dielectric environments that individually support plasmon and exciton excitations, here we explore also the consequences of a more detailed description of the molecular environment in terms of its quantum density matrix (applied in a mean field approximation level). Such a description makes it possible to account for characteristics that cannot be described by the dielectric response model: the effects of dephasing on the molecular response on one hand, and nonlinear response on the other. It also highlights the still missing important ingredients in the numerical approach, in particular its limitation to a classical description of the radiation field and its reliance on a mean field description of the many-body molecular system. We end our review with an outlook to the near future, where these limitations will be addressed and new novel applications of the numerical approach will be pursued.

Engineering Reaction Kinetics by Tailoring the Metal Tips of Metal-Semiconductor Nanodumbbells

Semiconductor-metal hybrid nanostructures are one of the best model catalysts for understanding photocatalytic hydrogen generation. To investigate the optimal structure of metal cocatalysts, metal-CdSe-metal nanodumbbells were synthesized with three distinct sets of metal tips, Pt-CdSe-Pt, Au-CdSe-Au, and Au-CdSe-Pt. Photoelectrochemical responses and transient absorption spectra showed that the competition between the charge recombination at the metal-CdSe interface and the water reduction on the metal surface is a detrimental factor for the apparent hydrogen evolution rate. For instance, a large recombination rate (k_rec) at the Pt-CdSe interface limits the quantum yield of hydrogen generation despite a superior water reduction rate (k_WR) on the Pt surface. To suppress the recombination process, Pt was selectively deposited onto the Au tips of Au-CdSe-Au nanodumbbells in which the k_rec was diminished at the Au-CdSe interface, and the large k_WR was maintained on the Pt surface. As a result, the optimal structure of the Pt-coated Au-CdSe-Au nanodumbbells reached a quantum yield of 4.84%. These findings successfully demonstrate that the rational design of a metal cocatalyst and metal-semiconductor interface can additionally enhance the catalytic performance of the photochemical hydrogen generation reactions.

Using carbon nanotubes-gold nanocomposites to quench energy from pinnate titanium dioxide nanorods array for signal-on photoelectrochemical aptasensing

On the basis of the absorption and emission spectra overlap, an enhanced resonance energy transfer caused by excition-plasmon resonance between carbon nanotubes-gold nanoparticles (CNTs-Au) and pinnate titanium dioxide nanorods array (P-TiO2 NA) was obtained. Three-dimensional single crystalline P-TiO2 were prepared successfully on fluorine-doped tin oxide conducting glass (FTO glass), and its optical absorption properties and photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties were investigated. With the synergy of CNTs-Au as energy acceptor, it resulted in the enhancement of energy transfer between excited P-TiO2 NA and CNTs-Au. Upon the novel sandwichlike structure formed via DNA hybridization, the exciton produced in P-TiO2 NA was annihilated and a damped photocurrent was obtained. With the use of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a model which bonded to its specific aptamer and destroyed the sandwichlike structure, the energy transfer efficiency was lowered, leading to PEC response augment. Thus a signal-on PEC aptasensor was constructed. Under the optimal conditions, the PEC aptasensor for CEA determination exhibited a linear range from 0.001 to 2.5ngmL(-1) with a detection limit of 0.39pgmL(-1) and was satisfactory for clinical sample detection. Furthermore, the proposed aptasensor shows satisfying performance, such as easy preparation, rapid detection and so on. Moreover, since different aptamer can specifically bind to different target molecules, the designed strategy has an expansive application for the construction of versatile PEC platforms.

Single-Atom Pt as Co-Catalyst for Enhanced Photocatalytic H2 Evolution

Isolated single-atom platinum (Pt) embedded in the sub-nanoporosity of 2D g-C3 N4 as a new form of co-catalyst is reported. The highly stable single-atom co-catalyst maximizes the atom efficiency and alters the surface trap states of g-C3 N4 , leading to significantly enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution activity, 8.6 times higher than that of Pt nanoparticles and up to 50 times that for bare g-C3 N4 .

CdSe/ZnS quantum dots as sensors for the local refractive index

We explore the potential of CdSe/ZnS colloidal quantum dots (QDs) as probes for their immediate dielectric environment, based on the influence of the local refractive index on the fluorescence dynamics of these nanoemitters. We first compare ensembles of quantum dots in homogeneous solutions with single quantum dots dispersed on various dielectric substrates, which allows us to test the viability of a conceptual framework based on a hard-sphere region-of-influence and the Bruggeman effective-medium approach. We find that all our measurements can be integrated into a coherent description, provided that the conceptualized point-dipole emitter is positioned at a distance from the substrate that corresponds to the geometry of the QD. Three theoretical models for the evolution of the fluorescence decay rate as a function of the local refractive index are compared, showing that the classical Lorentz approach (virtual cavity) is the most appropriate for describing the data. Finally, we use the observed sensitivity of the QDs to their environment to estimate the detection limit, expressed as the minimum number of traceable streptavidin molecules, of a potential QD-nanosensor based on fluorescence lifetime.

In2Te3 thin films: a promising nonlinear optical material with tunable nonlinear absorption response

A series of In₂Te₃ thin films with various thicknesses was prepared on fused quartz substrate using a radio-frequency magnetron sputtering method.

Molecular co-catalyst accelerating hole transfer for enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution

In artificial photocatalysis, sluggish kinetics of hole transfer and the resulting high-charge recombination rate have been the Achilles' heel of photocatalytic conversion efficiency. Here we demonstrate water-soluble molecules as co-catalysts to accelerate hole transfer for improved photocatalytic H₂ evolution activity. Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), by virtue of its reversible redox couple TFA·/TFA⁻, serves as a homogeneous co-catalyst that not only maximizes the contact areas between co-catalysts and reactants but also greatly promotes hole transfer. Thus K₄Nb₆O₁₇ nanosheet catalysts achieve drastically increased photocatalytic H₂ production rate in the presence of TFA, up to 32 times with respect to the blank experiment. The molecular co-catalyst represents a new, simple and highly effective approach to suppress recombination of photogenerated charges, and has provided fertile new ground for creating high-efficiency photosynthesis systems, avoiding use of noble-metal co-catalysts.

Enhancing the kinetics of hole transfer at photocatalytic surfaces serves to promote the overall efficiency closer to practically implementable levels. Here, the authors employ trifluoroacetic acid to achieve this goal and significantly improve the photocatalytic H₂ evolution activity of K₄Nb₆O₁₇.

Ultrafast Exciton Dynamics in InGaN/GaN and Rh/Cr2O3 Nanoparticle-Decorated InGaN/GaN Nanowires

Ultrafast exciton and charge-carrier dynamics in InGaN/GaN nanowires (NWs) with and without Rh/Cr2O3 nanoparticle (NP) decoration have been investigated using femtosecond transient absorption (TA) techniques with excitation at 415 nm and white-light probe (450-700 nm). By comparing the TA profiles between InGaN/GaN and InGaN/GaN-Rh/Cr2O3 NWs, an additional decay component on the medium time scale (∼50 ps) was identified with Rh/Cr2O3 decoration, which is attributed to interfacial charge transfer from InGaN/GaN NWs to Rh/Cr2O3 NPs, desired for light energy conversion applications. This is consistent with reduced photoluminescence (PL) of the NWs by the Rh/Cr2O3 NPs. A kinetic model was developed to explain the TA results and gain further insight into the exciton and charge-carrier dynamics.

Prospects of nanoscience with nanocrystals

Colloidal nanocrystals (NCs, i.e., crystalline nanoparticles) have become an important class of materials with great potential for applications ranging from medicine to electronic and optoelectronic devices. Today's strong research focus on NCs has been prompted by the tremendous progress in their synthesis. Impressively narrow size distributions of just a few percent, rational shape-engineering, compositional modulation, electronic doping, and tailored surface chemistries are now feasible for a broad range of inorganic compounds. The performance of inorganic NC-based photovoltaic and light-emitting devices has become competitive to other state-of-the-art materials. Semiconductor NCs hold unique promise for near- and mid-infrared technologies, where very few semiconductor materials are available. On a purely fundamental side, new insights into NC growth, chemical transformations, and self-organization can be gained from rapidly progressing in situ characterization and direct imaging techniques. New phenomena are constantly being discovered in the photophysics of NCs and in the electronic properties of NC solids. In this Nano Focus, we review the state of the art in research on colloidal NCs focusing on the most recent works published in the last 2 years.

ZnSe·0.5N2H4 hybrid nanostructures: a promising alternative photocatalyst for solar conversion

As the molecular precursor of ZnSe, ZnSe·0.5N2H4 inorganic-organic hybrids have received relatively less attention due to the feasibility of their further processing and decomposition into pure-phase ZnSe. Here we demonstrated that ZnSe·0.5N2H4 hybrid nanostructures, which were prepared using a facile hydrazine-assisted hydrothermal method, may practically harvest solar energy for photoconversion applications. By modulating the volume ratio of hydrazine hydrate to deionized water employed in the synthesis, the morphology of the grown ZnSe·0.5N2H4 can be varied, which included nanowires, nanobelts and nanoflakes. With the relatively long exciton lifetime and highly anisotropic structure, ZnSe·0.5N2H4 nanowires performed much better in the photodegradation of rhodamine B than the other two counterpart products. As compared to pure ZnSe nanoparticles and single-phase ZnSe nanowires obtained from further processing ZnSe·0.5N2H4, the ZnSe·0.5N2H4 hybrid nanowires exhibited superior photocatalytic performance under visible light illumination. The hybrid nanowires were further decorated with Au particles to endow them with structural and compositional diversities. Time-resolved photoluminescence spectra suggested that almost 40% of the photoexcited electrons in ZnSe·0.5N2H4 nanowires can be transported to the decorated Au, which enabled a fuller extent of participation of charge carriers in the photocatalytic process and thus conduced to a significant enhancement in the photocatalytic activity. The demonstrations from this work illustrate that ZnSe·0.5N2H4 hybrid nanostructures can serve as a versatile photocatalyst platform for advanced photocatalytic applications.

Hole Surface Trapping Dynamics Directly Monitored by Electron Spin Manipulation in CdS Nanocrystals

A new detection technique, pump-spin orientation-probe ultrafast spectroscopy, is developed to study the hole trapping dynamics in colloidal CdS nanocrystals. The hole surface trapping process spatially separates the electron-hole pairs excited by the pump pulse, leaves the core negatively charged, and thus enhances the electron spin signal generated by the orientation pulse. The spin enhancement transients as a function of the pump-orientation delay reveal a fast and a slow hole trapping process with respective time constants of sub-10 ps and sub-100 ps, orders of magnitude faster than that of carrier recombination. The power dependence of hole trapping dynamics elucidates the saturation process and relative number of traps, and suggests that there are three subpopulations of nanoparticles related to hole surface trapping, one with the fast trapping pathway only, another with the slow trapping pathway only, and the third with both pathways together.

Designable luminescence with quantum dot-silver plasmon coupler

We explore a strongly interacting QDs/Ag plasmonic coupling structure that enables multiple approaches to manipulate light emission from QDs. Group II-VI semiconductor QDs with unique surface states (SSs) impressively modify the plasmonic character of the contiguous Ag nanostructures whereby the localized plasmons (LPs) in the Ag nanostructures can effectively extract the non-radiative SSs of the QDs to radiatively emit via SS-LP resonance. The SS-LP coupling is demonstrated to be readily tunable through surface-state engineering both during QD synthesis and in the post-synthesis stage. The combination of surface-state engineering and band-tailoring engineering allows us to precisely control the luminescence color of the QDs and enables the realization of white-light emission with single-size QDs. Being a versatile metal, the Ag in our optical device functions in multiple ways: as a support for the LPs, for optical reflection, and for electrical conduction. Two application examples of the QDs/Ag plasmon coupler for optical devices are given, an Ag microcavity + plasmon-coupling structure and a new QD light-emitting diode. The new QDs/Ag plasmon coupler opens exciting possibilities in developing novel light sources and biomarker detectors.

Localization in space and time in disordered-lattice open quantum dynamics

We study a two-dimensional tight-binding lattice for excitons with on-site disorder, coupled to a thermal environment at infinite temperature. The disorder acts to localize an exciton spatially, while the environment generates dynamics which enable exploration of the lattice. Although the steady state of the system is trivially uniform, we observe a rich dynamics and uncover a dynamical phase transition in the space of temporal trajectories. This transition is identified as a localization in the dynamics generated by the bath. We explore spatial features in the dynamics and employ a generalization of the inverse participation ratio to deduce an ergodic timescale for the lattice.

Using graphene-based plasmonic nanocomposites to quench energy from quantum dots for signal-on photoelectrochemical aptasensing

On the basis of the absorption and emission spectra overlap, an enhanced resonance energy transfer caused by excition-plasmon resonance between reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) and CdTe quantum dots (QDs) was obtained. With the synergy of AuNPs and RGO as a planelike energy acceptor, it resulted in the enhancement of energy transfer between excited CdTe QDs and RGO-AuNPs nanocomposites. Upon the novel sandwichlike structure formed via DNA hybridization, the exciton produced in CdTe QDs was annihilated. A damped photocurrent was obtained, which was acted as the background signal for the development of a universal photoelectrochemical (PEC) platform. With the use of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a model which bonded to its specific aptamer and destroyed the sandwichlike structure, the energy transfer efficiency was lowered, leading to PEC response augment. Thus a signal-on PEC aptasensor was constructed. Under 470 nm irradiation at -0.05 V, the PEC aptasensor for CEA determination exhibited a linear range from 0.001 to 2.0 ng mL(-1) with a detection limit of 0.47 pg mL(-1) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 and was satisfactory for clinical sample detection. Since different aptamers can specifically bind to different target molecules, the designed strategy has an expansive application for the construction of versatile PEC platforms.

Exciton energy transfer-based fluorescent sensing through aptamer-programmed self-assembly of quantum dots

A novel exciton energy transfer-based ultrasensitive fluorescent sensing strategy for the detection of biological small molecules and protein has been established through split aptamer-programmed self-assembly of quantum dots (QDs). The signal is produced from exciton energy transfer of the self-assembled QDs. The recognition is accomplished using an aptamer sensor scaffold designed with two split fragment sequences, which specifically bind to the model analytes. The extent of particle assembly, induced by the analyte-triggered self-assembly of QDs, leads to an exciton energy transfer effect between interparticles, giving a readily detectable fluorescent quenching and red shift of the emission peak, which enables us to quantitate the target in dual signal modes. The application of the technique is well demonstrated using two representative split aptamer-based model systems for the detection of adenosine and thrombin. The sensitivity of this exciton energy transfer-based fluorescent sensing is much better than that of plasmonic coupling-based colorimetric methods. Limit of detections (LODs) down to 12 nM and 15 pM can be achieved for adenosine and thrombin, respectively. The sensing strategy is proposed as a general platform for robust and specific aptamer-target analysis which could be further developed to monitor a wide range of target analytes. The concept and methodology developed in this work shows a good promise in the study of molecular binding events in the biological and medical applications.