Measurement of the luminescence decay times of PbS quantum dots in the near-IR spectral range

Methods for recording luminescence decay times of semiconductor PbS quantum dots (QDs) with optical transitions in the near-IR spectral range have been analyzed. A measuring complex for spectral and kinetic analysis in the near-IR range (0.8–2.0 μm) in the time interval from several tens of nanoseconds to several tens of microseconds is described. In this complex, a semiconductor picosecond laser is used as an excitation source; luminescence decay times are recorded by a fast InGaAs photodiode, a high-speed amplifier, and a high-frequency oscilloscope; and the measurement results are multiply averaged (up to a million times) by a program. The technical features of this method are discussed and compared with the characteristics of techniques based on photon counting or application of more powerful radiation sources, and the limitations on sensitivity are analyzed. The results of measuring the luminescence decay kinetics of PbS QDs 2.7–7.6 nm in size prepared in the form of solutions and incorporated into matrices are reported.