Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals in the range 1-10 nm are promising building blocks for future nanodevices since they show strong quantum confinement effects even at room temperature [1,2]. Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals consist of an inorganic core, having the same crystal structure as the corresponding bulk semiconductor, surrounded by a shell of capping molecules. These cappping mo...

The creation and study of non-metallic nanomaterials that exhibit localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) interactions with light is a rapidly growing field of research. These doped nanocrystals, mainly self-doped semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) and extrinsically-doped metal oxide NCs, have extremely high concentrations of free charge carriers, which allows them to exhibit LSPR at near infr...

Here we report a biomimetic method to synthesize core-shell CdSe/ZnS semiconductor nanocrystals using a bi-functional peptide; the resulting nanocrystals had a defect free crystallinity and a clearly observed core-shell structure; the results are significant as this is the first report of core-shell semiconductor nanocrystal synthesis using a peptide template.

Exposed surfaces of organic-free colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals act as generic luminescent sensors for multiple analytes. S(2-) capped CdSe/CdSeS/CdS core/gradient-shell/shell nanocrystals are turn-on sensors for Cd(2+) ions (110 pM) in an aqueous medium with physiological pH 7.4. A similar organic-free semiconductor nanocrystal shows luminescence turn-off sensing for 2,4,6-trinitrophenol...

Semiconductor nanocrystals are called artificial atoms because of their atom-like discrete electronic structure resulting from quantum confinement. Artificial atoms can also be assembled into artificial molecules or solids, thus, extending the toolbox for material design. We address the interaction of artificial atoms with bulk semiconductor surfaces. These interfaces are model systems for unde...

colloidal quantum dots offer broad tuning of semiconductor band structure via the quantum size effect. in this paper, we present a detailed investigation on the influence of the thickness of colloidal lead sulfide (pbs) nanocrystals (active layer) to the photovoltaic performance of colloidal quantum dot solar cells. the pbs nanocrystals (qds) were synthesized in a non-coordinating solvent, 1-oc...

Colloidal quantum dots offer broad tuning of semiconductor band structure via the quantum size effect. In this paper, we present a detailed investigation on the influence of the thickness of colloidal lead sulfide (PbS) nanocrystals (active layer) to the photovoltaic performance of colloidal quantum dot solar cells. The PbS nanocrystals (QDs) were synthesized in a non-coordinating solvent, 1-oc...