Monodispersed cation-disordered cubic AgInS2 nanocrystals with enhanced fluorescence.

Monodispersed metastable cubic AgInS₂ nanocrystals with an average size of around 2.5 nm are obtained via a solution-phase reaction. In contrast with the usual chalcopyrite and orthorhombic phase, Ag⁺ and In³⁺ cations in metastable cubic AgInS₂ are randomly coordinated by four S^2- anions. A phase transition from cation-disordered cubic to orthorhombic AgInS₂ occurs with the increased reaction temperature or elongated reaction time. The photoluminescence quantum yield of cation-disordered cubic AgInS₂ nanocrystals could reach 10% at room temperature, which is much higher than that of orthorhombic AgInS₂ nanocrystals obtained via a similar approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]