Review of the synthesis and properties of colloidal quantum dots: the evolving role of coordinating surface ligands

Abstract

This review highlights the developments in synthetic methods for colloidal quantum dots that have expanded the range of achievable sizes, shapes, materials, and surface chemistries over the past 30 years, and how these methods have enabled optimization of properties like photoluminescence quantum yield, monodisperse size distributions, and conductivity in the solid state.