Chemistry and photophysics of thiol-stabilized II-VI semiconductor nanocrystals

The chemical and physical properties of thiol-stabilized semiconductor nanocrystals are reviewed. The materials prepared include cadmium and mercury chalcogenides with sizes ranging between 1.3 and about 8 nm. In this size regime, the optical properties of the particles are governed by the size-quantization effect. All nanocrystals synthesized belong to the cubic crystal structure. Some applications of this class of materials are outlined.