Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of CdSe-Ag₂Se and CdSe-Ag coaxial hetero-nanotube arrays

Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, P.R. China

^a e-mail: zhhao@whu.edu.cn

Received: 13 October 2011
Revised: 8 December 2011
Accepted: 9 February 2012
Published online: 29 March 2012

Abstract

We presented an easy-to-control non-galvanic method for synthesizing CdSe-Ag₂Seand CdSe-Ag coaxial hetero-nanotube arrays in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template, and investigated their optical properties. Cation exchange method was used to convert the CdSe nanotube arrays into the CdSe-Ag₂Se nanotube arrays. Compared with the CdSe nanotubes, the photoluminescence (PL) intensity of CdSe-Ag₂Se decreased and the PL lifetime prolonged, which was attributed to the redistribution of the exciton relaxation and recombination processes. In contrast, the CdSe-Ag hetero-nanotube arrays displayed a short PL lifetime, which was mainly due to the interaction and energy transfer between the CdSe and Ag. Our findings may have potential applications in design of the optoelectronic devices.