Preparation and characterization of CdS and PbS quantum dots in zeolite Y and their applications for nonlinear optical materials and solar cell

•We prepare regular arrays of ultra-small (<1 nm) ligand-free quantum dots in zeolites.•They are very stable when there are no protons in the pores.•They are stable in water and the cations surrounding the QDs can be ion-exchanged.•The intrazeolite PbS QDs show very high third-order nonlinear optical properties.•They can be applied as promising solar cell.

Zeolites have been utilized as hosts for ultra-small (<1 nm) ligand-free quantum dots (QDs) of uniform size. The nanocages of the zeolite have acted as nanomolds or nanotemplates for the generation of these QDs, organizing them into regular arrays, and stabilizing them for extended periods of time. This review summarizes the preparation and characterization of CdS and PbS QDs in zeolite Y, their properties and applications in the fields of 3rd-order nonlinear optical (3NLO) materials and QD array-based solar cells.

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