Plasma synthesis of group IV quantum dots for luminescence and photovoltaic applications

Kortshagen, Uwe; Anthony, Rebeccah; Gresback, Ryan; Holman, Zachary; Ligman, Rebekah; Liu, Chin-Yi; Mangolini, Lorenzo; Campbell, Stephen A.

doi:10.1351/pac200880091901

Pure Appl. Chem., 2008, Vol. 80, No. 9, pp. 1901-1908

http://dx.doi.org/10.1351/pac200880091901

Plasma synthesis of group IV quantum dots for luminescence and photovoltaic applications

Uwe Kortshagen¹, Rebeccah Anthony¹, Ryan Gresback¹, Zachary Holman¹, Rebekah Ligman², Chin-Yi Liu¹, Lorenzo Mangolini¹ and Stephen A. Campbell²

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1100 Mechanical Engineering, 111 Church Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
² Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, EECS Building, 200 Union Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA

Abstract: The unique ability of nonthermal plasmas to form high-quality nanocrystals (NCs) of covalently bonded semiconductors, including the group IV elements silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge), has been extensively demonstrated over the past few years. Recently, plasma processing was also extended to the surface functionalization of NCs, imparting further functionalities to plasma-produced NCs such as solution-processability or the passivation of electronic surface states. This paper focuses on the synthesis and surface functionalization of Si- and Ge-NCs, and on their application in luminescent and photovoltaic devices.