SYNTHESIS AND DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL LUMINESCENT INDIUM ARSENIDE-BASED QUANTUM DOTS FOR OPTOELECTRONICS AND BIOIMAGING

Abstract

This dissertation explores the synthesis, optimisations, and applications of three distinct indium arsenide-based quantum dots (QDs), namely large Stokes shift near-infrared (NIR)-emitting InAs/In(Zn)P/ZnSe/ZnS giant-shell QDs, highly efficient NIR-emitting In(Zn)As/In(Zn)P/GaP/ZnS QDs, and ultra-confined-visible-light-emitting In(Zn)As/ZnSe/ZnS QDs. InAs/In(Zn)P/ZnSe/ZnS QDs achieve minimum absorption-emission spectral overlaps, and thus are useful for luminescent solar concentrators. In(Zn)As/In(Zn)P/GaP/ZnS QDs emit at 850 nm, possess high quantum yield of 75%, and are implementable in light emitting diodes and bioimaging. The combination of In(Zn)As/In(Zn)P/GaP/ZnS QDs, laser scanning imaging, and artificial neural network allowed a high tissue penetration depth in tissue imaging with a good resolution beyond 10 mm. In(Zn)As/ZnSe/ZnS QDs emit in visible region from 538 nm to 640 nm, a feat that had yet to be achieved in the previously reported InAs QDs. In culmination, this dissertation presents an opportunity in the development of InAs-based QDs as viable, benign substitutes to cadmium- and lead-based QDs in optoelectronics and bioimaging.