Using coordination chemistry to develop new routes to semiconductor and other materials

Recent results from our laboratory on the synthesis of single-source precursor (SSP) molecules and their use for the making nanomaterials by different techniques are presented. The precursors include dichalcogenoimidophosphinatc, dialkylchalcogenophosphates, ionic dialkyldiselenophosphinate salts and dithiocarbamates. Solution phase thermal decomposition, chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and interfacial deposition techniques have been used to obtain nanocrystals and thin films of semiconducting material. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.