Preparation of copper-doped CdSe nanocrystals

Sols of stabilized copper-doped CdSe nanocrystals in a nonpolar high-boiling solvent have been synthesized using cadmium oleate, copper stearate, and trioctylphosphine selenide as starting reagents. The average size of the nanocrystals is 2.8–2.9 nm, with a 10% variance, as evaluated from their absorption spectra. The samples show excitonic luminescence and bright near-IR (700–900 nm) luminescence with a lifetime on the order of 0.5–1 μs. The luminescence spectroscopy data are consistent with the assumption that the copper distribution over the nanocrystals follows Poisson’s law. The average copper content of the samples is 0.1–2 atoms per nanocrystal.