Fundamental processes in semiconductor nanocrystals
This issue provides a series of studies on the factors that govern the optical and electronic properties of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals.
Open-circuit voltage improvement in tantalum-doped TiO2 nanocrystals
Enhanced electron concentration is responsible for the open-circuit voltage improvement due to the upward shift of the Fermi level.
From semiconductor nanocrystals to artificial solids with dimensionality below two
Atomistic calculations predict that two-dimensional materials formed by the attachment of semiconductor nanocrystals exhibit exotic band structures.
Probing surface states in PbS nanocrystal films using pentacene field effect transistors: controlling carrier concentration and charge transport in pentacene
We used a bilayer field effect transistor (FET) consisting of a thin PbS nanocrystals (NCs) film interfaced with vacuum-deposited pentacene to probe trap states in NCs.
Multiple exciton generation in cluster-free alloy CdxHg1−xTe colloidal quantum dots synthesized in water
Efficient generation of infrared exciton pairs from single short wavelength photons with quantum yield 199% is observed in CdxHg1−xTe QDs.
The influence of continuous vs. pulsed laser excitation on single quantum dot photophysics
Important similarities and differences between pulsed and continuous excitation on the fluorescence dynamics of single quantum dots were discovered.
Paper
Nanocrystalline silicon: lattice dynamics and enhanced thermoelectric properties
Effects of nanostructuration on bulk nanocrystalline doped silicon: increase in the Debye level resulting in a significant reduction in the speed of sound and significantly decreased lattice thermal conductivity.
Extension of the diffusion controlled electron transfer theory for intermittent fluorescence of quantum dots: inclusion of biexcitons and the difference of “on” and “off” time distributions
The power law quantum dot blinking, dependence of the exponential tail and the power on light intensity is explained.
Paper
Influence of nanoparticle shape on charge transport and recombination in polymer/nanocrystal solar cells
Nanoparticle shape is a key factor determining the performance of hybrid solar cells, influencing both charge transport and recombination.
About this collection
Semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), known for their tuneable electronic band structure, have been at the centre of significant interest over the past two decades, owing to their potential application in various opto-electronic devices and biological platforms. NCs prepared via wet-chemical colloidal procedures are of particular current interest, due to the cheap synthesis and scalable preparation of thin films. Despite intense research in the past decades, several basic fundamental issues remain.
The themed issue guest edited by Efrat Lifshitz (Technion, Israel) and Laurens Siebbeles (TU Delft, The Netherlands) aims to bring together a collection of contributed papers that will cover current interest in a wide variety of topics associated with semiconductor crystals. The issue will also get significant promotion at the NanoGe meeting "Fundamental Processes in semiconductor nanocrystals" to be held from 8 –10 September 2014 in Oxford, UK.