Chemical Mechanisms of Semiconductor Nanocrystal Synthesis

Semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs) have been the subject of much interest for fundamental and applied studies. The synthesis of QDs has developed over the past 30 years such that production of monodisperse, photostable QDs with a near-exact size and shape are readily achievable. However, an understanding of the chemical reaction mechanism behind the synthesis of QDs has lagged the ability to synthesize high-quality nanoparticles. This review will discuss recent studies of QD synthetic mechanisms that have been proposed for metal-chalcogenide (ME) semiconductor QDs, particularly CdE and PbE. Although the focus here will be on the initial metal–chalcogenide bond formation, we will also discuss growth models for QDs as well as attempt to provide a future outlook for how understanding reaction mechanism can be leveraged to make improved QDs with easily tailored properties.