Effects of Mn dopant locations on the electronic bandgap of PbS quantum dots

Dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) are typically made by doping semiconductors with magnetic transition metal elements. Compared to the well-understood bulk and thin film DMS, the understanding of the magnetic element doping effects in semiconducting quantum dots (QDs) is relatively poor. In part...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2017-12, Vol.111 (23)
Main Authors: Yost, Andrew J., Pimachev, Artem, Rimal, Gaurab, Tang, Jinke, Dahnovsky, Yuri, Chien, TeYu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied physics
CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS
Density functional theory
Dopants
Doping
Electron paramagnetic resonance
Lead sulfides
Magnetic semiconductors
Magnetic transitions
Quantum dots
Semiconductors
Thin films
X-ray diffraction
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Summary:Dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) are typically made by doping semiconductors with magnetic transition metal elements. Compared to the well-understood bulk and thin film DMS, the understanding of the magnetic element doping effects in semiconducting quantum dots (QDs) is relatively poor. In particular, the influence of the dopant locations is rarely explored. Here, we present a comprehensive study of the effects of Mn doping on the electronic density of states of PbS QDs. Based on the results observed by scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron paramagnetic resonance, and density functional theory calculations, it is found that the Mn doping causes a broadening of the electronic bandgap in the PbS QDs. The sp-d hybridization between the PbS host material and Mn dopants is argued to be responsible for the bandgap broadening. Moreover, the locations of the Mn dopants, i.e., on the surface or inside the QDs, have been found to play an important role in the strength of the sp-d hybridization, which manifests as different degrees of the bandgap change.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.5004463