Quantitative compositional profiling of conjugated quantum dots with single atomic layer depth resolution via time-of-flight medium-energy ion scattering spectroscopy.

We report the quantitative compositional profiling of 3-5 nm CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) conjugated with a perfluorooctanethiol (PFOT) layer using the newly developed time-of-flight (TOF) medium-energy ion scattering (MEIS) spectroscopy with single atomic layer resolution. The collection efficiency of TOF-MEIS is 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of conventional MEIS, enabling the analysis of nanostructured materials with minimized ion beam damage and without ion neutralization problems. The spectra were analyzed using PowerMEIS ion scattering simulation software to allow a wide acceptance angle. Thus, the composition and core-shell structure of the CdSe cores and ZnS shells were determined with a 3% composition uncertainty and a 0.2-nm depth resolution. The number of conjugated PFOT molecules per QD was also quantified. The size and composition of the QDs were consistent with those obtained from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. We suggest TOF-MEIS as a nanoanalysis technique to successfully elucidate the core-shell and conjugated layer structures of QDs, which is critical for the practical application of QDs in various nano- and biotechnologies.

New approach for structural characterization of planar sets of nanoparticles embedded into a solid matrix.

In this work we demonstrate that Medium Energy Ion Scattering (MEIS) measurements in combination with Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) or Grazing Incidence Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (GISAXS) can provide a complete characterization of nanoparticle (NP) systems embedded into dielectric films. This includes the determination of the nanoparticle characteristics (location, size distribution and number concentration) as well as the depth distribution and concentration of the NP atomic components dispersed in the matrix. Our studies are performed considering a model case system consisting of planar arrangements of Au NPs (size range from 1 to 10 nm) containing three distinct Au concentrations embedded in a SiO2 film.

Structural control of gold nanoparticles self-assemblies by layer-by-layer process.

This work presents a novel way to introduce gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in a multilayer polymer produced by the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembling technique. The technique chosen shows that, depending on the pH used, different morphological structures can be obtained from monolayer or bilayer Au NPs. The MEIS and RBS techniques allowed for the modelling of the interface polymer-NPs, as well as the understanding of the interaction of LbL system, when adjusting the pH in weak polyelectrolytes. The process reveals that the optical properties of multilayer systems could be fine-tuned by controlling the addition of metallic nanoparticles, which could also modify specific polarization responses.