An easy process was developed to fabricate TiO₂ nanowires sensitized with CdS and CdTeS quantum dots (QDs). CdS and CdTeS nanoparticles were grown in situ by a colloidal method. No pretreatment of the TiO₂ nanowires was required prior to nanoparticle generation. Functionalization of CdS and CdTeS QDs was not needed to anchor these nanoparticles to TiO₂ surface. The resulting nanostructure assembly and composition was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electronic structure of TiO₂ nanowires was preserved as indicated by Raman spectroscopy. The sensitization of the TiO₂ nanowires by the QDs was confirmed by photocurrent measurements. This study allows the generation of strongly anchored CdS and CdTeS QDs on TiO₂ nanowires surface without the introduction of a linker molecule which presence decreases the electron injection efficiency.

Date Published: 22 September 2010
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 7750, Photonics North 2010, 77502Z (22 September 2010); doi: 10.1117/12.873084

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7750:
Photonics North 2010
Henry P. Schriemer; Rafael N. Kleiman, Editor(s)