Enhanced Quantum Confined Stark Effect in a mesoporous hybrid multifunctional system

•Quantum Confined Stark Effect is reported in the hybrid of QD and SPION.•QCSE is caused by local electric filed induced due to charge dispersion at SiO2/solvent interface.•Enhanced QCSE due to mesoporous structure of the hybrid.

Quantum Confined Stark Effect in hybrid of CdTe quantum dot with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in both nonporous and mesoporous silica matrix has been realized. The observed QCSE is due to the local electric field induced by charge dispersion at SiO2/polar solvent interface. Enhanced Stark shift of 89.5 meV is observed in case of mesoporous hybrid structure and the corresponding local electric field has been evaluated as 4.38×104 V/cm. The enhancement is assumed to be caused by greater density of charge in the mesoporous hybrid. The conjugation of superparamagnetic nanoparticles in this tailored hybrid microstructure has not imparted any alteration to the Stark shift, but has added multifunctional attribute. The present study on the local electric field induced enhanced QCSE with wavelength modulation towards red end paves the way of developing magneto-fluorescent hybrid systems for biomedical imaging application.