Photoluminescence studies of semiconductor quantum dots and their application in bioimaging

Effects of ligands on the emission properties CdSe and InP QDs are studied and a concentration based increase in efficiency by the addition of ligands was identified. A ligand based charge transfer from quantum dots had been explained. Photo-induced Photoluminescence enhancement in CdSe and CdSe/ZnS QDs out of the reaction mixture was studied for the first time and the possibility of a new mechanism that do not involve the surface modification is determined. Targeting and internalization of III/V semiconductor quantum dot folic acid conjugate was successfully carried out using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Demonstration of two - photon microscopy with InP quantum dots has also been reported.