Concerted single-nanowire absorption and emission spectroscopy: Explaining the origin of the size-dependent Stokes shift in single cadmium selenide nanowires

摘要

Concerted single-nanowire (NW) absorption and emission spectroscopies have been used to measure Stokes shifts in the optical response of individual CdSe NWs. Obtained spectra are free of inhomogeneous broadening inherent to ensemble measurements. They reveal apparent size-dependent NW Stokes shifts with magnitudes on the order of 30 meV. Given that an effective mass model previously used to explain CdSe NW excited state progressions predicts no sizable emission Stokes shift, we have investigated modifications to the theory to rationalize their existence. This has entailed better accounting for the effects of crystal field splitting on NW band edge states. What results are important changes to the spectroscopic assignment of NW band edge transitions that arise from the crossing of hole levels. Furthermore, these modifications simultaneously predict Stokes shifts with size-dependent magnitudes up to 20 meV. However, quantitative agreement with experiment is only achieved by accounting for the role of exciton trap states. Consequently, we conclude that CdSe NW Stokes shifts contain both intrinsic and extrinsic contributions-the latter arising from band edge exciton potential energy fluctuations. At a broader level, these concerted absorption and emission measurements have provided detailed insight into the electronic structure of CdSe NWs, beyond what could be obtained using either single-particle absorption or emission spectroscopies alone.