Phase Separation Inside the CdTe-CdSe Type II Quantum Dots Revealed by Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction and Scattering

Using synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), we have studied the structures of the two CdSe/CdTe and CdTe/CdSe type II quantum dots (QDs), including the crystalline structure, particle shape and size, as well as phase separation of the two components. The X-ray results suggest that the spherical CdTe/CdSe QDs of the size ∼8 nm, synthesized in a two-step procedure with CdTe nanoparticles (4 nm) as nuclides, have the structure of a CdTe-rich core enclosed by a CdSe shell. On the other hand, the spherical CdSe/CdTe QDs of the size ∼9 nm, synthesized via a similar two-step procedure but with CdSe nanoparticles (∼3 nm) as nuclides, show mainly one-phase structure with a relatively uniform distribution of CdSe and CdTe. The phase separation of the two components CdSe and CdTe inside each of the two QDs, a decisive factor in the photovoltaic applications, is furthermore examined using anomalous SAXS (ASAXS) for a consistent conclusion. For comparison, single-phase nanoparticles CdSe and CdTe are also examined. The correlation between the synthesis procedures and the corresponding structures of the QDs is discussed. 1