Temperature dependence of excitonic emission in [(CH3)2NH2]3[BiI6] organic–inorganic natural self assembled bimodal quantum dots

Abstract This paper reports on the optical properties of organic – inorganic natural self assembled bimodal quantum dots (dimetylammonium) hexa-iodobismuthate [(CH 3 ) 2 NH 2 ] 3 [BiI 6 ]. The crystal structure consists of isolated BiI 6 octahedra, as inorganic ions, surrounded by dimethylamine cations. At room temperature, we investigate the optical properties by: UV/Vis absorption, ellipsometry, diffuse reflectance and photoluminescence. A broad Gaussian-shape luminescence band with a large stokes shift is observed in the red spectral range at 2.15 eV, due to radiative recombination of confined excitons in BiI quantum dots, suggesting that excitons are self trapped. The temperature-dependence of the PL emission is investigated. The observed S-shaped emission behavior is explained by thermal escape occurring at lower temperatures for high-energy dots and carriers being recaptured by dots emitting on the low-energy side of the distribution. A rate equation model, showing agreement with the experimental results, is used to investigate the thermal redistribution of the charge carriers. Exciton binding energies of 149.125 and 295.086 meV were determined from the modified Arrhenius analysis.