Structure and optical properties of ZnxCd1-xS and Cu:ZnxCd1-xS templated on DNA molecules

One-dimensional ZnxCd1-xS and Cu: ZnxCd1-xS nanostructures were prepared using DNA as a template to promote growth along the molecular axis. The formation of homogeneously alloyed nanocrystals with cubic zinc blende-type structures was verified using x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. X-ray photoemission spectra revealed the presence of Cu(I) in the doped Cu: ZnxCd1-xS nanocrystals. The effectiveness of the DNA template to direct the semiconductor growth in one dimension was demonstrated by AFM and TEM. The nanostructures displayed a granular morphology comprising nanoparticles with an average diameter of 14 nm composed of assemblies of smaller crystallites of 2.0 nm in size. Rope-like assemblies with an average diameter of 48 nm and extending in length to several hundred micrometres were obtained by evaporation-induced self-assembly. UV-Vis absorption and emission spectra indicated that the optical bandgaps (2.89-4.00eV) and photoluminescence peaks (608-819 nm) of the DNA-templated nanocrystals could be precisely controlled by modifying the molar ratios of their Zn/Cd precursors. Doping with Cu(I) gave an increase in photoluminescence intensity and a composition-independent red-shift of 0.23 eV. The preparation of DNA-templated ZnxCd1-xS and Cu: ZnxCd1-xS provides a simple, low-temperature route to aqueous dispersions of inorganic materials with controlled optical gap.