MINATEC

Here’s something biologists will be happy about: researches from INAC, Leti, and INSERM have finally developed fluorescent semiconductor nanocrystals that retain the majority of their luminescence and remain stable for several months in water. Until now, nanocrystals in water deteriorated in less than a day and quickly lost 90% of their luminescence.
The researchers focused their efforts on hydrophilic ligands made from cysteine to counteract nanocrystals’ hydrophobic tendencies. They strengthened the cysteine-crystal bond by controlling pH levels, and added a reducing agent to inhibit the formation of dimers that reduce luminescence. The study targeted InP-ZnS core-shell nanocrystals, but the results also apply to CdSe, CuInS2, and other semiconductor materials.

Contact: peter.reiss@cea.fr