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Copyright 2004 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2004 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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decomposition temperature (>200jC); this is advantageous for the formationof InP quantum dots because the rate of QD formation is controlled <strong>by</strong> therate of decomposition of the precursor. This slow process leads to InP QDswith a relatively narrow size distribution. After heating, the clear reactionmixture contains InP QDs, <strong>by</strong>products of the synthesis, products resultingfrom TOPO/TOP thermal decomposition, and untreated TOP and TOPO.Anhydrous methanol is then added to the reaction mixture to flocculate theInP nanocrystals. The flocculate is separated and completely redispersed in amixture of 9:1 hexane and 1-butanol containing 1% TOPO to produce anoptically clear colloidal solution. The process of dispersion in the mixture ofhexane and 1-butanol and flocculation with anhydrous methanol is repeatedseveral times to purify and isolate a pure powder of InP nanocrystals that arecapped with TOPO. Repetitive selective flocculation <strong>by</strong> methanol graduallystrips away the TOPO capping group; thus, TOPO (1%) is always included inthe solvent when the QDs are redissolved in order to maintain the TOPO capon the QDs. Fractionation of the QD particles into different sizes can beobtained <strong>by</strong> selective precipitation methods [4]; this technique can narrow thesize distribution of the initial colloid preparation to about 10%.The resulting InP QDs contain a capping layer of TOPO, which can bereadily exchanged for several other types of capping agent, such as thiols,furan, pyridines, amines, fatty acids, sulfonic acids, and polymers. Finally,they can be studied in the form of colloidal solutions or powders or dispersedin transparent polymers or organic glasses (for low-temperature studies);capped InP QDs recovered as powders can also be redissolved to formtransparent colloidal solutions.X-ray diffraction patterns of InP QD particles formed into a film <strong>by</strong>drying the colloids show diffraction peaks from the h111i, h220i, and h311iplanes of crystalline zinc-blende InP at 2u of 26.2 F 0.2j, 46.3 F 0.2j and 51.7F 0.2j, respectively [5]. The mean particle diameter can be estimated from thebroadening of the diffraction peaks using the De<strong>by</strong>e–Scherer formula. Thesediameters are in agreement with the values obtained from TEM and fromsmall-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) data [5,8]. In the absence of the TOPOstabilizer, the particles grow large and the sharp peaks of bulk InP areobtained.The shape and size distribution of the InP QDs can be determined <strong>by</strong>TEM [8]. TEM pictures of InP preparations with TOPO that were only heatedto 220jC for 3 d do not show the formation of either amorphous or crystallineInP. Upon heating to 240jC for 3 days, the formation of zinc-blende nanocrystallitesbecomes evident, but the product is primarily amorphous. However,when the preparation is heated at 270jC for 2 days, electron diffractionpatterns show the h111i, h220i, and h311i planes of zinc-blende InP [5,8]. TheInP QDs are generally prolate.<strong>Copyright</strong> <strong>2004</strong> <strong>by</strong> <strong>Marcel</strong> <strong>Dekker</strong>, <strong>Inc</strong>. <strong>All</strong> <strong>Rights</strong> <strong>Reserved</strong>.

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