The synthesis and application of doped semiconductor nanocrystals

Abstract

During the past decade, an abundance of semiconductor nanocrystals, also named quantum dots (QDs), have been developed attributed to their unique physical and chemical properties, with size-tunable light emission, high photostability, and multiple fluorescence colors. Recently, the synthesis of doped semiconductor nanocrystals has become an active subject in the field of materials chemistry. The introduction of impurity atoms into the synthetic process to alter the properties of semiconductor materials in desirable and a controllable way to help resolve challenges in applications from bioimaging to solar cells. Different types of doped semiconductor nanocrystals have been designed and prepared from various synthetic routes that usually exhibited some unique features. In this paper, several advances in doped semiconductor nanocrystals are summarized, including synthetic method, physical and chemical properties and analytical application.