ALD protects luminescent quantum dots

Researchers from Saint Louis, USA, protects CdTe quantum dots from oxidation by using alumina shells synthesized by ALD. The recnte resutlts have been published in Chemical Communications (Chem. Commun., 2016, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/C6CC05090E)

ALD coated quantum dots (figure released by Royal Society of Chemistry, License Number: 3947440205944 , Chem. Commun., 2016, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/C6CC05090E)

Background:

Applications of luminescent quantum dots require the materials to be stable under a wide range of temperatures, photon fluxes and chemicfial environments. The researchers from St Lois demonstrate that Al₂O₃ shells synthesized by atomic layer deposition on films of CdTe quantum dots are effective to prevent chemical degradation for up to 17 hours under continuous illumination at 90 °C in ambient air. 

ALD was carried out in a custom hot wall reactor and more information can be found in the free to download supplementary information (here).