Micro-Raman and micro-photoluminescence study of bio-conjugated core–shell CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals

The micro-Raman and micro-photoluminescence spectra of non-conjugated and conjugated with antibody against S6K2 commercial CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) were investigated under different excitation wavelengths and at different temperatures. In the photoluminescence (PL) spectra, the additional PL band shifted on 0.6–0.65 eV to higher energies from the CdSe/ZnS QD exciton PL band is revealed. The relative intensity of this band is found to be several times larger in bio-conjugated QDs, than in the non-conjugated ones. The characteristics of both PL bands (the PL intensity, spectral position and half-width of the PL band) vary similarly under continuous laser light irradiation, storage of the QD samples in the atmospheric ambience as well as during the temperature change. In the Raman spectra recorded under excitation resonant with the high-energy PL band, the additional Raman peaks at about 300 cm−1 and 600 cm−1, which are close to the frequency of LO and 2LO phonons of bulk CdS, are found. It is proposed that alloyed QDs with chemical composition close to CdS are responsible for the additional high-energy PL band. The possible reasons for the formation of the alloyed QDs are discussed.