Improving Photoluminescence Emission Efficiency of Nanocluster-Based Materials by in Situ Doping Synthetic Strategy

Solid-state red phosphors of Mn2+-doped nanocrystals usually suffer from poor intensity. While the d–d emission of Mn2+ in yellow window has been extensively studied, shift toward lower energy remains challenging. Typically, intrinsic surface defects and self-purification of dopants are two obstacles for enhancing the intensity of red emission. Moreover, for red phosphors Mn2+ ions also need an appropriate host matrix and environment. Through an in situ doping strategy and optimization of the Mn2+ doping level, intense red-emitting Mn2+ dopant emission is reported here for MnCdInS@InS host. The doping strategy allows doping of Mn2+ at the core and/or surface sites of supertetrahedral “core–shell” nanocluster (Mn@MnCdInS@InS), leading to the red emission (at 643 nm) with over 40% quantum yield. Moreover, systematic control of doping level results in a series of crystalline Mn2+-doped materials with tunable photoluminescence quantum yield. In addition to the synthesis of an important class of red-emitting materials rarely obtained from Mn2+ doping, details of the physical chemistry associated with the doping process are probed with the new fundamental findings reported here.