Surface Chemistry Exchange
of Alloyed Germanium Nanocrystals:
A Pathway Toward Conductive Group IV Nanocrystal Films
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Abstract
We present an expansion of the mixed-valence iodide reduction
method
for the synthesis of Ge nanocrystals (NCs) to incorporate low levels
(∼1 mol %) of groups III, IV, and V elements to yield main-group
element-alloyed Ge NCs (Ge<sub>1–<i>x</i></sub>E<sub><i>x</i></sub> NCs). Nearly every main-group element (E)
that surrounds Ge on the periodic table (Al, P, Ga, As, In, Sn, and
Sb) may be incorporated into Ge<sub>1–<i>x</i></sub>E<sub><i>x</i></sub> NCs with remarkably high E incorporation
into the product (>45% of E added to the reaction). Importantly,
surface
chemistry modification via ligand exchange allowed conductive films
of Ge<sub>1–<i>x</i></sub>E<sub><i>x</i></sub> NCs to be prepared, which exhibit conductivities over large
distances (25 μm) relevant to optoelectronic device development
of group IV NC thin films
