title: Surface-engineered silicon nanocrystals.
abstract: Quantum confined silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) exhibit intriguing properties due to silicon's indirect bandgap and their highly reactive surfaces. In particular the interplay of quantum confinement with surface effects reveals a complex scenario, which can complicate the interpretation of Si-nc properties and prediction of their corresponding behaviour. At the same time, the complexity and interplay of the different mechanisms in Si-ncs offer great opportunities with characteristics that may not be achievable with other nano-systems. In this context, a variety of carefully surface-engineered Si-ncs are highly desirable both for improving our understanding of Si-nc photo-physics and for their successful integration in application devices. Here we firstly highlight a selection of theoretical efforts and experimental surface engineering approaches and secondly we focus on recent surface engineering results that have utilized novel plasma-liquid interactions.
authors: Nanotechnology & Integrated Bio-Engineering Centre-NIBEC, University of Ulster, UK. d.mariotti@ulster.ac.uk
authors: Davide
authors: D
authors: Mariotti
authors: Somak
authors: S
authors: Mitra
authors: Vladimir
authors: V
authors: Svrček
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D012825:Silicon