Efficient fluorescence quenching of CdSe quantum dots on epitaxial GaAs nanostructures

Interaction of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) with epitaxially grown GaAs nanostructures has been studied using photoluminescence (PL) technique. Highly fluorescent CdSe QDs of size 3.9 nm were synthesized by colloidal method and coated over GaAs nanostructures grown on GaAs (111)B substrate by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) using self-assembled Ga droplets as catalyst. Effect of conditions like catalyst growth time and temperature on the growth of GaAs nanostructures has also been studied. Highly uniform tapered hexagonal nanostructures of height around 500 nm were obtained in nearly 100% yield at 420 °C using Ga droplets grown for 10 s. The fluorescence emission of the CdSe QDs on sample bearing the GaAs nanostructures was measured by steady state and time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) techniques and compared with the one obtained on bare substrate. Enhanced quenching of the fluorescence of QDs has been witnessed on the sample in which GaAs nanostructures were present. It has been attributed to more efficient defect-related non-radiative relaxation of excited QDs on the surface of six {110} side facets of the GaAs nanostructures that were not present in the bare substrate. The detailed analysis of the TRPL characteristics of the samples has suggested Förster-like resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based relaxation of CdSe QDs on GaAs nanostructures through shallow traps with significantly reduced average lifetime and the high quenching efficiency. Graphical Abstract