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. 2022 Aug 30;12(17):3006.
doi: 10.3390/nano12173006.

Nanostructured PbS-Doped Inorganic Film Synthesized by Sol-Gel Route

Adrian Ionut Nicoara  1 , Mihai Eftimie  1 , Mihail Elisa  2 , Ileana Cristina Vasiliu  2 , Cristina Bartha  3 , Monica Enculescu  3 , Mihaela Filipescu  4 , César Elosúa Aguado  5   6 , Diego Lopez  5 , Bogdan Alexandru Sava  1   4 , Mihai Oane  4
Affiliations

Nanostructured PbS-Doped Inorganic Film Synthesized by Sol-Gel Route

Adrian Ionut Nicoara et al. Nanomaterials (Basel). .

Abstract

IV-VI semiconductor quantum dots embedded into an inorganic matrix represent nanostructured composite materials with potential application in temperature sensor systems. This study explores the optical, structural, and morphological properties of a novel PbS quantum dots (QDs)-doped inorganic thin film belonging to the Al2O3-SiO2-P2O5 system. The film was synthesized by the sol-gel method, spin coating technique, starting from a precursor solution deposited on a glass substrate in a multilayer process, followed by drying of each deposited layer. Crystalline PbS QDs embedded in the inorganic vitreous host matrix formed a nanocomposite material. Specific investigations such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical absorbance in the ultraviolet (UV)-visible (Vis)-near infrared (NIR) domain, NIR luminescence, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to obtain a comprehensive characterization of the deposited film. The dimensions of the PbS nanocrystallite phase were corroborated by XRD, SEM-EDX, and AFM results. The luminescence band from 1400 nm follows the luminescence peak of the precursor solution and that of the dopant solution. The emission of the PbS-doped film in the NIR domain is a premise for potential application in temperature sensing systems.

Keywords: alumino-silico-phosphate glass; composite material; lead sulfide; optical properties; quantum confinement; quantum dots; sol-gel method.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of the data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
XRD pattern of PbS-doped film.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Optical absorption of PbS-doped and un-doped film, and glass substrate; (b) graphical determination of the optical band gap value.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) variation of (α/λ)0.5 with 1/λ; (b) Urbach plot for PbS-doped glass.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Optical emission of PbS-doped film, precursor solution and glass substrate, collected by 800 nm excitation.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Raman spectrum of PbS-doped film, collected by 514 nm excitation.
Figure 6
Figure 6
SEM image in a cross section of PbS-doped film, deposited on a glass substrate.
Figure 7
Figure 7
SEM image of the PbS-doped film surface.
Figure 8
Figure 8
EDX elemental composition of the Pb-doped film deposited on glass substrate.
Figure 9
Figure 9
AFM images of the surface layer of the PbS-doped film, scanned on different areas: (a) 40 μm × 40 μm and (b) 2 μm × 2 μm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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