Functional Si and CdSe Quantum Dots: Synthesis, Conjugate Formation, and Photoluminescence Quenching by Surface Interactions

Silicon quantum dots (QDs) were prepared with a corona of di-n-octyl phosphine oxides, by performing hydrosilylation chemistry on the surface of hydrogen-terminated Si QDs. These novel Si QDs proved well-suited to serve as "ligands" for other semiconductor QDs, such as CdSe, by interaction of the phosphine oxide corona with the CdSe surface. A pronounced photoluminescence quenching of CdSe quantum dots was observed upon introduction of the phosphine oxide functionalized Si QDs to a CdSe QD solution. Surface functionalization of the Si QDs proved critically important to observing these effects, as conventional (alkane-covered) Si QD samples gave no evidence of electronic interactions with TOPO-covered CdSe. In a comparative system, phosphine oxide terminated oligo(phenylene vinylene) molecules acting as CdSe QD ligands provide a similar fluorescence quenching, with exciton decay kinetics supporting the formation of an electronically interacting hybrid materials system.