Hydrazine-promoted sequential cation exchange: a novel synthesis method for doped ternary semiconductor nanocrystals with tunable emission.

Using ZnSe nanocrystals (NCs) as starting material, Ag-doped or Cu-doped ZnCdSe ternary NCs were prepared by hydrazine-promoted sequential cation exchange in aqueous media. The composition of the NCs can be flexibly controlled by varying the amount of intermediate Ag or Cu cation addition, thus changing the emission of the ternary NCs while preserving the NC size. According to Vegard's law, the as-prepared ternary NCs possess an alloyed structure. In addition, the ternary NCs obtained have a high quantum yield, strong stability and a broad optical tuning range.