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Charles Ngo

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Papers by Charles Ngo

Research paper thumbnail of Digenite Nanosheets Synthesized by Thermolysis of Layered Copper-Alkanethiolate Frameworks

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2016

Copper sulfide nanocrystals support localized surface plasmon resonances in the near infrared wav... more Copper sulfide nanocrystals support localized surface plasmon resonances in the near infrared wavelengths and have significant potential as active plasmonic nanomaterials due to the tunability of this optical response. While numerous strategies exist for synthesizing copper sulfide nanocrystals, few methods result in nanocrystals with both controlled morphological shapes and crystallinity. Here, we synthesize and characterize ultrathin (< 5 nm) Cu 9 S 5 nanosheets that are formed by solventless thermolysis, utilizing Cu alkanethiolates as singlesource precursors. Layered Cu alkanethiolate precursors adopt a highly ordered structure which can be further stabilized in the presence of Cland also serve to template the formation of nanosheets. We show that in the absence of Cl-, only isotropic and disk-like Cu 2-x S nanocrystals form. These findings offer further insight into the use of layered metal-organic single-source precursors as templates for anisotropic nanocrystal growth.

Research paper thumbnail of Shape Focusing During the Anisotropic Growth of CuS Triangular Nanoprisms

Chemistry of Materials, 2015

Nanocrystals composed of CuS that exhibit semimetallic behavior are capable of supporting localiz... more Nanocrystals composed of CuS that exhibit semimetallic behavior are capable of supporting localized surface plasmon resonances in the near-infrared wavelengths. A major challenge in utilizing these nanocrystals for plasmonic applications is the ability to accurately control their nanoscale morphology and chemical composition, both of which are known to affect plasmon wavelength and amplitude. Here, we investigate the important role of halide ions in controlling the solvothermal synthesis of colloidal CuS nanocrystals. When oleylamine is used as a stabilizing surfactant, we find that the addition of halide ions to the reaction mixture instigates nanocrystal shape focusing in a process similar to Ostwald ripening, from nanodisks to faceted triangular prisms. We demonstrate that this shape focusing is likely to occur from the competition between CuS surface binding interactions with oleylamine ligands and halide ions and is the strongest for I − ions. We also demonstrate that this shape focusing, in combination with seedmediated growth, can be used to generate colloidal dispersions of CuS nanoprisms with narrow size distributions.

Research paper thumbnail of Tunable and Directional Plasmonic Coupling within Semiconductor Nanodisk Assemblies

Nano Letters, 2014

Semiconductor nanocrystals are key materials for achieving localized surface plasmon resonance (L... more Semiconductor nanocrystals are key materials for achieving localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation in the extended spectral ranges beyond visible light, which are critical wavelengths for chemical sensing, infrared detection, and telecommunications. Unlike metal nanoparticles which are already widely exploited in plasmonics, little is known about the near-field behavior of semiconductor nanocrystals. Near-field interactions are expected to vary greatly with nanocrystal carrier density and mobility, in addition to properties such as nanocrystal size, shape, and composition. Here we demonstrate near-field coupling between anisotropic disk-shaped nanocrystals composed of Cu 2-x S, a degenerately-doped semiconductor whose electronic properties can be modulated by Cu content. Assembling colloidal nanocrystals into mono-and multilayer films generates dipole-dipole LSPR coupling between neighboring nanodisks. We investigate nanodisks of varying crystal phases (Cu 1.96 S, Cu 7.2 S 4 , and CuS) and

Research paper thumbnail of Digenite Nanosheets Synthesized by Thermolysis of Layered Copper-Alkanethiolate Frameworks

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2016

Copper sulfide nanocrystals support localized surface plasmon resonances in the near infrared wav... more Copper sulfide nanocrystals support localized surface plasmon resonances in the near infrared wavelengths and have significant potential as active plasmonic nanomaterials due to the tunability of this optical response. While numerous strategies exist for synthesizing copper sulfide nanocrystals, few methods result in nanocrystals with both controlled morphological shapes and crystallinity. Here, we synthesize and characterize ultrathin (< 5 nm) Cu 9 S 5 nanosheets that are formed by solventless thermolysis, utilizing Cu alkanethiolates as singlesource precursors. Layered Cu alkanethiolate precursors adopt a highly ordered structure which can be further stabilized in the presence of Cland also serve to template the formation of nanosheets. We show that in the absence of Cl-, only isotropic and disk-like Cu 2-x S nanocrystals form. These findings offer further insight into the use of layered metal-organic single-source precursors as templates for anisotropic nanocrystal growth.

Research paper thumbnail of Shape Focusing During the Anisotropic Growth of CuS Triangular Nanoprisms

Chemistry of Materials, 2015

Nanocrystals composed of CuS that exhibit semimetallic behavior are capable of supporting localiz... more Nanocrystals composed of CuS that exhibit semimetallic behavior are capable of supporting localized surface plasmon resonances in the near-infrared wavelengths. A major challenge in utilizing these nanocrystals for plasmonic applications is the ability to accurately control their nanoscale morphology and chemical composition, both of which are known to affect plasmon wavelength and amplitude. Here, we investigate the important role of halide ions in controlling the solvothermal synthesis of colloidal CuS nanocrystals. When oleylamine is used as a stabilizing surfactant, we find that the addition of halide ions to the reaction mixture instigates nanocrystal shape focusing in a process similar to Ostwald ripening, from nanodisks to faceted triangular prisms. We demonstrate that this shape focusing is likely to occur from the competition between CuS surface binding interactions with oleylamine ligands and halide ions and is the strongest for I − ions. We also demonstrate that this shape focusing, in combination with seedmediated growth, can be used to generate colloidal dispersions of CuS nanoprisms with narrow size distributions.

Research paper thumbnail of Tunable and Directional Plasmonic Coupling within Semiconductor Nanodisk Assemblies

Nano Letters, 2014

Semiconductor nanocrystals are key materials for achieving localized surface plasmon resonance (L... more Semiconductor nanocrystals are key materials for achieving localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation in the extended spectral ranges beyond visible light, which are critical wavelengths for chemical sensing, infrared detection, and telecommunications. Unlike metal nanoparticles which are already widely exploited in plasmonics, little is known about the near-field behavior of semiconductor nanocrystals. Near-field interactions are expected to vary greatly with nanocrystal carrier density and mobility, in addition to properties such as nanocrystal size, shape, and composition. Here we demonstrate near-field coupling between anisotropic disk-shaped nanocrystals composed of Cu 2-x S, a degenerately-doped semiconductor whose electronic properties can be modulated by Cu content. Assembling colloidal nanocrystals into mono-and multilayer films generates dipole-dipole LSPR coupling between neighboring nanodisks. We investigate nanodisks of varying crystal phases (Cu 1.96 S, Cu 7.2 S 4 , and CuS) and

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