Recent Progress on Surface Chemistry of Silicon and Germanium Nanocrystals

Abstract

Colloidal silicon and germanium nanocrystals (Si/Ge NCs) have been of immense interest as fundamentally important semiconductor nanomaterials in the past decades due to their distinct covalent bonding characteristics, quantum-confined optoelectronic properties, high materials stability and biocompatibility. Significant advances in surface chemistry have enabled these NCs to serve as versatile material platforms where precisely engineered ligand environments control optical responses, charge transport behaviors, and device performance. This review systematically examines the evolution of surface functionalization strategies, encompassing both conventional passivation methods and innovative ligand architectures, for the property manipulation of Si/Ge NCs. The critical role of surface chemistry in enabling diverse applications, including optical devices, optoelectronic devices, and energy conversion/storage systems, is comprehensively discussed. Special attention is given to elucidating the fundamental relationships between surface chemical modifications, nanocrystal properties, and their resulting device performance.