Assemblies of thiol-capped nanocrystals as building blocks for use in nanotechnology

Abstract

Nowadays assembly approaches are recognized as being the main working tool of bottom up chemical nanotechnology. The assembly of strongly emitting semiconductor nanocrystals can be performed on flat, porous and spherical surfaces and thus are very important for thin-film technologies, doping of mesoporous materials, modification of pre-patterned substrates, the creation of microshells and cavities, etc. Self-assembly approaches or the use of removable templates make possible the formation of nanowires, nanosheets or nanoporous 3D ordered materials created solely from the assembled nanoparticles. Hierarchical assembling and assembling of nanocrystals with other organic or inorganic entities opens up the possibility to achieve composites with literally unlimited functionalities. The understanding and governing of charge and energy transfer processes between the components of the composites are the key points in their efficient utilization as building blocks in novel types of LEDs, photovoltaic and photonic devices and various optical sensors.