Probing internal continua and atomic ultrafast charge transfer within size-controlled nanoparticles by post-collision interaction in core-hole clock spectroscopy

• Johannes Lütgert,
• Erika Giangrisostomi,
• Nomi L. A. N. Sorgenfrei and
• Alexander Föhlisch

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 505–514, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.33

• -Liebknecht-Straße 24/25, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany 10.3762/bjnano.17.33 Abstract This study investigates size-controlled, quantum-confined CdSe/ZnS core–shell quantum dots using core-hole clock spectroscopy in combination with post-collision interaction (PCI) line shape analysis, providing insights into

• nanoparticles via a line-shape analysis revealing post-collision interaction (PCI) effects within the conduction band continuum. We investigate CdSe/ZnS core–shell nanoparticles with a constant CdSe core size of 3.5 nm and varying shell thicknesses of ZnS that allow for atomic layer control with narrow size

• measurement. While the atomic charge transfer times are obtained using the well-established core-hole clock approach, we generalized the theory of post-collision interaction from a vacuum continuum situation toward bound-state continua, thus creating a probe for the overall electron screening. Employing this