Colloidal Quantum Dots and Photosystem -I Composite

1. Colloidal Quantum Dots and Photosystem-I Composite Investigators: MitraDutta (ECE) and Michael Stroscio, ECE & BioE Primary Grant Support: ARO, AFOSR • Organic-inorganic hybrid structures enable integration of useful organic and inorganic characteristics for novel applications such as solar cell, chemical sensors, and fluorescent biotags. • Energy transfer in the composite of inorganic quantum dots (QDs) and photosystem I (PS-I) is not understood although it is very important and well studied for photosynthesis. QDs QDs+PS1 Glass Glass • Synthesis of the composite of inorganic CdSe QDs and organic PS-I • Experimental measurement of the energy transfer between QDs and PS-I • Investigation of structural, optical and transport properties by means of photoluminescence, time-resolved photoluminescence, absorption, capacitance-voltage and current-voltage measurements • Observed energy transfer from CdSe QDs to PS-I by optical and electrical measurements. • Photoluminescence data and absorption data show that the energy of excited carriers of CdSe QDs to PS-I by means of radiative emission, FRET, and electron/hole transfer between the inorganic-organic system. • I-V measurement data are sensitive to incident light in the composite CdSe QDs/PS-I material. • Further studies continue to identify each energy transfer method.