Metal-semiconductor hybrid nanoparticles combine materials with different physical properties in one nanostructure. Charge separation processes and potentially increased conductivity in thin film devices make them promising candidates for advanced applications in photocatalysis or (opto) electronics. The work on hand deals with the preparation of CdSe nanoparticles that later act as seeds for the defined deposition of metals and with the electrical characterisation of monolayers of the resulting hybrid structures. In context with the shape control of the semiconductor component in a hot injection synthesis, the role of halogen compounds and the influence of their molecular structure are examined. Analytically as well as theoretically supported explanations for the formation of the evolving hexagonal pyramidal shape, which is especially favourable for metal deposition, are presented. The deposition of different metals onto the obtained semiconductor components is examined and unusual instabilities of an Au shell on CdSe hybrid nanoparticles are investigated. Furthermore, the impact of deposited Pt on the electrical transport of CdSe nanopyramids is demonstrated.

The vast technological potential of nanocrystalline materials, as well as current intense interest in the physics and chemistry of nanoscale phenomena, has led to explosive growth in research on semiconductor nanocrystals, also known as nanocrystal quantum dots, and metal nanoparticles. Semiconductor and Metal Nanocrystals addresses current topics impacting the field including synthesis and assembly of nanocrystals, theory and spectroscopy of interband and intraband optical transitions, single-nanocrystal optical and tunneling spectroscopies, electrical transport in nanocrystal assemblies, and physical and engineering aspects of nanocrystal-based devices. Written by experts who have contributed pioneering research, this reference comprises key advances in the field of semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots and metal nanoparticles over the past several years. Focusing specifically on nanocrystals generated through chemical techniques, Semiconductor and Metal Nanocrystals Merges investigative frontiers in physics, chemistry, and engineering Documents advances in nanocrystal synthesis and assembly Explores the theory of electronic excitations in nanoscale particles Presents comprehensive information on optical spectroscopy of interband and intraband optical transitions Reviews data on single-nanocrystal optical and tunneling spectroscopies Weighs controversies related to carrier relaxation dynamics in ultrasmall nanoparticles Discusses charge carrier transport in nanocrystal assemblies Provides examples of lasing and photovoltaic nanocrystal-based devices Semiconductor and Metal Nanocrystals is a must read for scientists, engineers, and upper-level undergraduate and graduate students interested in the physics and chemistry of nanoscale semiconductor and metal particles, as well as general nanoscale science. About the Editor: VICTOR I. KLIMOV is Team Leader, Softmatter Nanotechnology and Advanced Spectroscopy Team, Chemistry Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico. The recipient of the Los Alamos Fellows Prize (2000), he is a Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, leader of the Nanophotonics and Nanoelectronics Thrust of the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (U.S. Department of Energy), a member of the Los Alamos Board of Governors of the Institute for Complex Adaptive Matter, and a member of the Steering Committee for the Los Alamos Quantum Institute. He received the M.S. (1978), Ph.D. (1981), and Dr. Sci. (1993) degrees from Moscow State University, Russia.

This dissertation reports the development of synthetic methods concerning rationally-designed, hybrid, and multifunctional nanomaterials. These methods are based on a wet chemical, solution phase approach that utilizes the knowledge of synthetic organic and inorganic chemistry to generate building blocks in solution for the growth of nanocrystals and hybrid nanostructures. This work builds on the prior knowledge of shape-controlled synthesis of noble metal nanocrystals and expands into the challenging realm of the more reactive first row transition metals. Specifically, a microemulsion sol-gel method was developed to synthesize Au-SiO2 dimers as precursors for the synthesis of segmented heterostructures of noble metals that can be used for catalysis. This microemulsion sol-gel method was modified to synthesize an aqueous suspension of oxidation-resistant Cu-SiO2 core-shell nanoparticles that can be used for sensing and catalysis. A thermal decomposition approach was developed, wherein zero-valence metal precursor complexes in the presence of seed nanoparticles produced metal-metal oxide core-shell structures with well-controlled shell thickness. This method was demonstrated on AuCu3-Fe3O4, AuCu3-NiO, and AuCu3-MnO core-shell systems. Switching the core from AuCu3 alloy to pure Cu, this method could extend to Cu-Fe3O4 and Cu-MnO systems. Further etching the Cu core in these core-shell structures led to the formation of the hollow metal oxides which provides a versatile route to hollow nanostructures of metal oxides. This work develops the synthetic library of tools for the production of hybrid nanostructures with multiple functionalities.

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) have attracted substantial interest due to their chemical variability, structural diversity and favorable physical properties the past decade. This materials class encompasses other important families such as formates, azides, dicyanamides, cyanides and dicyanometallates. The book summarizes the chemical variability and structural diversity of all known hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites subclasses including halides, azides, formates, dicyanamides, cyanides and dicyanometallates. It also presents a comprehensive account of their intriguing physical properties, including photovoltaic, optoelectronic, dielectric, magnetic, ferroelectric, ferroelastic and multiferroic properties. Moreover, the current challenges and future opportunities in this exciting field are also been discussed. This timely book shows the readers a complete landscape of hybrid organic-inorganic pervoskites and associated multifuctionalities.