Single-nanocrystal photon correlation : a versatile tool for elucidating basic physics and characterizing applications-relevant properties

Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, 2015.

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Beyler, Andrew Paul
Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry.
Format: Thesis
Language:eng
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/101452
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author Beyler, Andrew Paul
author2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry.
author_facet Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry.
Beyler, Andrew Paul
author_sort Beyler, Andrew Paul
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description Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, 2015.
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spelling mit-1721.1/1014522019-04-10T14:43:40Z Single-nanocrystal photon correlation : a versatile tool for elucidating basic physics and characterizing applications-relevant properties Versatile tool for elucidating basic physics and characterizing applications-relevant properties Beyler, Andrew Paul Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry. Chemistry. Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, 2015. This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-327). Single-molecule spectroscopy has been a critical tool for the development and understanding of semiconductor nanocrystals because of their inherent heterogeneity size-dependent properties. In the past two decades, researchers have developed a diverse toolbox of single-nanocrystal techniques and analyses that is capable of elucidating the complex physics of nanocrystal fluorescence and characterizing many of the subtle but important optical properties of nanocrystal samples. This effort has been enabled by the flexible and modular structure of the single-molecule microscope, which offers a multitude of opportunities for shaping the information gained from single-nanocrystal experiments and provides a convenient and powerful framework for creativity in experimental design. In this thesis, we present two investigations that illustrate the full range and versatility of single-nanocrystal spectroscopy and, in particular, of photon correlation analysis. In Part I, we use single-nanocrystal spectroscopy as a tool for elucidating basic physics by investigating the rapid spectral diffusion of individual nanocrystals at low temperature. We develop a technique capable of measuring spectral dynamics over eight orders of magnitude in time ranging form microseconds to hundreds of seconds, and show that we can extract previously unavailable information about the spectral diffusion mechanism. In Part II, we use single-nanocrystal spectroscopy as a tool for characterizing optical properties by devising an experiment to measure the average biexciton quantum yield of nanocrystal samples. This experiment allows us to measure the biexcitonic properties of underdeveloped materials and can serve as a quick and reliable characterization technique to aid in synthetic optimization. Finally, in Part III, we look to the future by highlighting several modifications of existing experiments that could reveal new and exciting insight into nanocrystals. by Andrew Paul Beyler. Ph. D. 2016-03-03T20:29:27Z 2016-03-03T20:29:27Z 2015 2015 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/101452 940564338 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 327 pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Chemistry.
Beyler, Andrew Paul
Single-nanocrystal photon correlation : a versatile tool for elucidating basic physics and characterizing applications-relevant properties
title Single-nanocrystal photon correlation : a versatile tool for elucidating basic physics and characterizing applications-relevant properties
title_full Single-nanocrystal photon correlation : a versatile tool for elucidating basic physics and characterizing applications-relevant properties
title_fullStr Single-nanocrystal photon correlation : a versatile tool for elucidating basic physics and characterizing applications-relevant properties
title_full_unstemmed Single-nanocrystal photon correlation : a versatile tool for elucidating basic physics and characterizing applications-relevant properties
title_short Single-nanocrystal photon correlation : a versatile tool for elucidating basic physics and characterizing applications-relevant properties
title_sort single nanocrystal photon correlation a versatile tool for elucidating basic physics and characterizing applications relevant properties
topic Chemistry.
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/101452
work_keys_str_mv AT beylerandrewpaul singlenanocrystalphotoncorrelationaversatiletoolforelucidatingbasicphysicsandcharacterizingapplicationsrelevantproperties
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