Aqueous Synthesis of Highly Luminescent Amorphous CdSe Quantum Dots at Low Temperature

Highly defect-related luminescent aqueous CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were successfully synthesized by using sulfanylsuccinic acid (SSA) as capping ligands at low temperature by water bath. The photoluminescence quantum yields (PL QYs) of as-prepared CdSe QDs could reach up to 30%. XRD and HRTEM characterization suggest an amorphous state.