Excited-state spectroscopy of InP quantum dots

We have measured low-temperature size-selective photoluminescence excitation spectra of high-quality InP quantum dots prepared by collodial chemistry. A set of samples with mean emission energies in the range from 1.9 to 2.2 eV was investigated. All samples have a size distribution of about 10%, resulting in an inhomogeneously broadened photoluminescence lineshape. Due to the finite size distribution, spectra were collected at different detection wavelengths to reveal the energies of the excited excitonic states. The size dependence of the quantization energies of InP nanoparticles was determined by measuring photoluminescence excitation at different detection energies within one sample. Up to eight excited-state transitions in a set of seven samples were observed, as the estimated quantum dot size was scanned from 1.8 to 4.0 nm. A comparison of the observed peaks with a six-band $\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{p}$ calculation is given. In contrast to the successful interpretation in the case of CdSe, no agreement between the calculated and the observed excited-state energies is achieved.