High-quality violet- to red-emitting ZnSe/CdSe core/shell nanocrystals

The high-quality ZnSe/CdSe core/shell nanocrystals have been prepared by the deposition of stable and inexpensive cationic and anionic precursors in a diluted crude ZnSe nanocrystals reaction solution. The synthesis was performed in one vessel and thus easily scaled up. The emission colors were tuned continuously from violet to red via a simple variation of the shell thickness of the core/shell nanocrystals. It was found that with the addition of Se/Cd precursors, the originally colorless solution tuned slightly yellow, then dark yellow, and finally deep red.