Colloidal Atomic Layer Deposition (c-ALD) using Self-Limiting Reactions at Nanocrystal Surface Coupled to Phase Transfer between Polar and Nonpolar Media

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is widely used for gas-phase deposition of high-quality dielectric, semiconducting, or metallic films on various substrates. In this contribution we propose the concept of colloidal ALD (c-ALD) for synthesis of colloidal nanostructures. During the c-ALD process, either nanoparticles or molecular precursors are sequentially transferred between polar and nonpolar phases to prevent accumulation of unreacted precursors and byproducts in the reaction mixture. We show that binding of inorganic ligands (e.g., S^2–) to the nanocrystal surface can be used as a half-reaction in c-ALD process. The utility of this approach has been demonstrated by growing CdS layers on colloidal CdSe nanocrystals, nanoplatelets, and CdS nanorods. The CdS/CdSe/CdS nanoplatelets represent a new example of colloidal nanoheterostructures with mixed confinement regimes for electrons and holes. In these materials holes are confined to a thin (∼1.8 nm) two-dimensional CdSe quantum well, while the electron confinement can be gradually relaxed in all three dimensions by growing epitaxial CdS layers on both sides of the quantum well. The relaxation of the electron confinement energy caused a shift of the emission band from 510 to 665 nm with unusually small inhomogeneous broadening of the emission spectra

Colloidal CdSe Quantum Rings

Semiconductor quantum rings are of great fundamental interest because their non-trivial topology creates novel physical properties. At the same time, toroidal topology is difficult to achieve for colloidal nanocrystals and epitaxially grown semiconductor nanostructures. In this work, we introduce the synthesis of luminescent colloidal CdSe nanorings and nanostructures with double and triple toroidal topology. The nanorings form during controlled etching and rearrangement of two-dimensional nanoplatelets. We discuss a possible mechanism of the transformation of nanoplatelets into nanorings and potential utility of colloidal nanorings for magneto-optical (e.g., Aharonov–Bohm effect) and other applications

Many-Body Effects in Nanocrystal Superlattices: Departure from Sphere Packing Explains Stability of Binary Phases

This work analyzes the role of hydrocarbon ligands in the self-assembly of nanocrystal (NC) superlattices. Typical NCs, composed of an inorganic core of radius <i>R</i> and a layer of capping ligands with length <i>L</i>, can be described as soft spheres with softness parameter <i>L</i>/<i>R</i>. Using particle tracking measurements of transmission electron microscopy images, we find that close-packed NCs, like their hard-sphere counterparts, fill space at approximately 74% density independent of softness. We uncover deformability of the ligand capping layer that leads to variable effective NC size in response to the coordination environment. This effect plays an important role in the packing of particles in binary nanocrystal superlattices (BNSLs). Measurements on BNSLs composed of NCs of varying softness in several coordination geometries indicate that NCs deform to produce dense BNSLs that would otherwise be low-density arrangements if the particles remained spherical. Consequently, rationalizing the mixing of two NC species during BNSL self-assembly need not employ complex energetic interactions. We summarize our analysis in a set of packing rules. These findings contribute to a general understanding of entropic effects during crystallization of deformable objects (e.g., nanoparticles, micelles, globular proteins) that can adapt their shape to the local coordination environment

Self-Assembly of Tetrahedral CdSe Nanocrystals: Effective “Patchiness” via Anisotropic Steric Interaction

Controlling the spontaneous organization of nanoscale objects remains a fundamental challenge of materials design. Here we present the first characterization of self-assembled superlattices (SLs) comprised of tetrahedral nanocrystal (NCs). We observe self-assembly of CdSe nanotetrahedra into an open structure (estimated space-filling fraction φ ≈ 0.59) which has not been anticipated by many recent theoretical studies and simulations of tetrahedron packings. This finding highlights a gap in the understanding of the hierarchy of energy scales acting on colloidal NCs during self-assembly. We propose a strong dependence of ligand–ligand interaction potential on NC surface curvature. This effect favors spatial proximity of vertices in the dense colloidal crystal and may be considered an emergent “patchiness” acting through chemically identical ligand molecules

Role of Precursor Reactivity in Crystallization of Solution-Processed Semiconductors: The Case of Cu₂ZnSnS₄

We study the formation of Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) films from various liquid-phase precursors. Our experimental data point to the significant role that reactivities of precursor components play in the quality of the final material. Although reactive molecular precursors favor formation of CZTS under milder conditions, the formation of large crystalline domains requires using less reactive nanostructured precursors. We explain this effect using kinetics of nucleation and growth. We have also demonstrated a strategy to effectively enhance grain growth of CZTS using solid-state phase transition as the driving force for nanocrystal sintering. We hope this contribution will provide a useful guide toward the rational design of liquid-phase precursors for inorganic semiconductors for electronic and optoelectronic applications

III–V Nanocrystals Capped with Molecular Metal Chalcogenide Ligands: High Electron Mobility and Ambipolar Photoresponse

In this work, we synthesized InP and InAs nanocrystals (NCs) capped with different inorganic ligands, including various molecular metal chalcogenide complexes (MCCs) and chalcogenide ions. We found that MCCs and chalcogenide ions can quantitatively displace organic ligands from the surface of III–V NCs and serve as the inorganic capping groups for III–V NC surfaces. These inorganic ligands stabilize colloidal solutions of InP and InAs NCs in polar solvents and greatly facilitate charge transport between individual NCs. Charge transport studies revealed high electron mobility in the films of MCC-capped InP and InAs NCs. For example, we found that bridging InAs NCs with Cu₇S₄^– MCC ligands can lead to very high electron mobility exceeding 15 cm²/(V s). In addition, we observed unprecedented ambipolar (positive/negative) photoresponse of MCC-capped InAs NC solids that changed sign depending on the ligand chemistry, illumination wavelength, and doping of the NC solid. For example, the sign of photoconductance of InAs NCs capped with Cu₇S₄^– or Sn₂S₆^4– ions converted from positive at 0.80 and 0.95 eV to negative at 1.27 and 1.91 eV. We propose an explanation of this unusually complex photoconductivity of InAs NC solids

Structural Defects in Periodic and Quasicrystalline Binary Nanocrystal Superlattices

Binary nanocrystal superlattices (BNSLs) emerge as an important class of man-made materials where components and functionalities can be added, tuned, or combined in a predictable manner. These amazingly complex structures spontaneously self-assemble from colloidal solutions containing binary mixtures of functional (semiconducting, magnetic, plasmonic, etc.) nanocrystals. Further developments of the BNSL-based materials require a deep understanding and control over BNSL formation and structural perfection. Like any solid, BNSL can contain different kinds of structural defects. It is well-known that defects can have a tremendous effect on the material’s behavior. Defect engineering is used to modify and improve many of the mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of conventional solids. In this work, we provide the first systematic analysis of structural defects in various BNSL structures. We used BNSLs as a platform for studying structural defects in both periodic (crystalline) and aperiodic (quasicrystalline) lattices, as well as for direct imaging of the interfaces between crystalline and quasicrystalline domains. Such direct observation of local imperfections in complex multicomponent lattices provides a unique insight into the fundamental aspects of crystal formation

Violet-to-Blue Gain and Lasing from Colloidal CdS Nanoplatelets: Low-Threshold Stimulated Emission Despite Low Photoluminescence Quantum Yield

Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and lasing from solution-processed materials are demonstrated in the challenging violet-to-blue (430–490 nm) spectral region for colloidal nanoplatelets of CdS and newly synthesized core/shell CdS/ZnS nanoplatelets. Despite modest band-edge photoluminescence quantum yields of 2% or less for single excitons, which we show results from hole trapping, the samples exhibit low ASE thresholds. Furthermore, four-monolayer CdS samples show ASE at shorter wavelengths than any reported film of colloidal quantum-confined material. This work underlines that low quantum yields for single excitons do not necessarily lead to a poor gain medium. The low ASE thresholds originate from negligible dispersion in thickness, large absorption cross sections of 2.8 × 10^–14 cm^–2, and rather slow (150 to 300 ps) biexciton recombination. We show that under higher-fluence excitation, ASE can kinetically outcompete hole trapping. Using nanoplatelets as the gain medium, lasing is observed in a linear optical cavity. This work confirms the fundamental advantages of colloidal quantum well structures as gain media, even in the absence of high photoluminescence efficiency

Orbitals, Occupation Numbers, and Band Structure of Short One-Dimensional Cadmium Telluride Polymers

Recent work found that soldering CdTe quantum dots together with a molecular CdTe polymer yielded field-effect transistors with much greater electron mobility than quantum dots alone. We present a computational study of the CdTe polymer using the active-space variational two-electron reduced density matrix (2-RDM) method. While analogous complete active-space self-consistent field (CASSCF) methods scale exponentially with the number of active orbitals, the active-space variational 2-RDM method exhibits polynomial scaling. A CASSCF calculation using the (48o,64e) active space studied in this paper requires 10²⁴ determinants and is therefore intractable, while the variational 2-RDM method in the same active space requires only 2.1 × 10⁷ variables. Natural orbitals, natural-orbital occupations, charge gaps, and Mulliken charges are reported as a function of polymer length. The polymer, we find, is strongly correlated, despite possessing a simple sp³-hybridized bonding scheme. Calculations reveal the formation of a nearly saturated valence band as the polymer grows and a charge gap that decreases sharply with polymer length

Colloidal Nanocrystals with Inorganic Halide, Pseudohalide, and Halometallate Ligands

We investigate simple halides and pseudohalides as an important class of inorganic ligands for nanocrystals (NCs) in solution phase ligand exchange. These short, robust, and easy to model ligands bind to the NC surface and provide electrostatic stabilization of NC dispersions in <i>N</i>-methylformamide. The replacement of organic ligands on NCs with compact halide and pseudohalide ligands greatly facilitates electronic communication between NCs. For example, a high electron mobility of μ ≈ 12 cm² V^–1 s^–1 has been observed in thin films made of I^–-capped CdSe NCs. We also studied charge transport properties of thin films based on the pseudohalide N₃^–-capped InAs NCs, suggesting the possibility of obtaining “all III–V” NC solids. In addition, we extend the surface chemistry of halometallates (<i>e.g.,</i> CH₃NH₃PbI₃), which can stabilize colloidal solutions of lead chalcogenide NCs. These halide, pseudohalide, and halometallate ligands enrich the current family of inorganic ligands and can open up more opportunities for applications of NCs in the fields of electronics, optoelectronics, and thermoelectrics