Single-source molecular precursors for the deposition of zinc selenide quantum dots

TOPO (tri-n-octylphosphine oxide)-capped ZnSe (in the form of close to mono-dispersed nanoparticles) has been prepared by a single source route using ethyl(diethyldiselenocarbamato)zinc(ii) as a precursor. The nanoparticles obtained show quantum size effects in their optical spectra and exhibit near band-edge luminescence. A blue shift of 0.25eV in relation to the bulk material is observed. The selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns show the material to be hexagonal. The crystallinity of the material was also evident from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) which gave well defined images of nanosize particles with clear lattice fringes.