Synthesis of Photonic Crystals for Optical Wavelengths from Semiconductor Quantum Dots

Abstract

Quantum-dot solids and polycrystalline semiconductors that are patterned in three dimensions can be produced by the new route described here. Both materials have potential as photonic crystals. The method combines colloidal chemistry with two steps of hierarchical selfassembly: first, semiconductor nanocrystals are induced to self-assemble inside a self-organized silica template, then the template is removed, leaving a three-dimensionally patterned material consisting solely of densely packed nanocrystals. This issue's cover shows micrographs of such a material.