Abstract
This article provides a new series of semiconducting quantum dots based on the doping of gallium arsenide with protactinium rare earth element. The Ga1-xPaxAs QDs were prepared using organometallic pyrolysis approach. The effect of protactinium rare earth element on the phase of the GaAs crystal lattice was emphasized. It was found that the GaAs cubic lattice is expanded and its size was increased. The synthetic recipe disclosed the formation of uniform nanocrystals with average size in the range 2.5 nm to 8.1 nm as Pa atoms increased. The optical properties of the Ga1-xPaxAs QDs inspected a redshift of the absorption spectrum and reduction of the bandgaps from 2.4 eV to 1.81 eV. The Ga1-xPaxAs QDs exhibited multicolors in the wavelength range 560 nm to 690 nm. The emerged light photons spectrum from these Ga1-xPaxAs QDs was very sharp and intense. The Pa-dopant suppressed the defects of the GaAs QDs and increased the quantum yield to 73 %. These marvel behaviors may enable the developed Ga1-xPaxAs QDs to be used for the manufacture of highly luminescent QLEDs.