Keywords

semiconductors, quantum dots, lead sulfide, band gap, photoluminescence

Abstract

This presentation was given during the summer of 2016 as part of the BYU REU program funded by the NSF. Here I give a brief explanation of our quantum dot synthesis and then explain the mechanism of photoluminsecence used to measure indirect band gap energies of semiconductors. Our experimental setup is shown. Direct band gaps of lead sulfide quantum dots synthesized in ferritin are reported. The data show that the band gap can be tuned arbitrarily in a certain range by varying the concentrations of the reactants. We compare stability of quantum dots in ferritin to quantum dots synthesized without the protein's protection, and found that the quantum dots in ferritin show significantly less photocorrosion and greater band gap stability.