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Interfacing Luminescent Quantum Dots with Functional Molecules for Optical Sensing Applications

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Abstract

Semiconductor quantum dots possess unique size-dependent electronic properties and are of high potential interest for the construction of functional nanodevices. Photoinduced electron- and energy-transfer processes between quantum dots and surface-bound molecular species open up attractive routes to implement chemical switching of luminescence, which is at the basis of luminescence sensing. In this article, we discuss the general principles underlying the rational design of this kind of multicomponent species. Successively, we illustrate a few prominent examples, taken from the recent literature, of luminescent chemosensors constructed by attaching molecular species to the surface of quantum dots.

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Notes

  1. Direct band gap semiconductors are those in which the minimum energy state in the conduction band and the maximum energy state in the valence band have the same momentum.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support from the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (PRIN 2010CX2TLM “InfoChem”), the Université Franco-Italienne (Vinci programme) and the University of Bologna is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Chimica “G. Ciamician”, Università di Bologna, via Selmi 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    Serena Silvi, Massimo Baroncini & Marcello La Rosa

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-alimentari, Università di Bologna, viale Fanin 44, 40129, Bologna, Italy

    Alberto Credi

Authors
  1. Serena Silvi
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  2. Massimo Baroncini
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  3. Marcello La Rosa
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  4. Alberto Credi
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Serena Silvi or Alberto Credi.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection “Photoactive Semiconductor Nanocrystal Quantum Dots”; edited by Alberto Credi.

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Silvi, S., Baroncini, M., La Rosa, M. et al. Interfacing Luminescent Quantum Dots with Functional Molecules for Optical Sensing Applications. Top Curr Chem (Z) 374, 65 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41061-016-0066-7

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