title: Polarity-driven polytypic branching in cu-based quaternary chalcogenide nanostructures.
abstract: An appropriate way of realizing property nanoengineering in complex quaternary chalcogenide nanocrystals is presented for Cu2CdxSnSey(CCTSe) polypods. The pivotal role of the polarity in determining morphology, growth, and the polytypic branching mechanism is demonstrated. Polarity is considered to be responsible for the formation of an initial seed that takes the form of a tetrahedron with four cation-polar facets. Size and shape confinement of the intermediate pentatetrahedral seed is also attributed to polarity, as their external facets are anion-polar. The final polypod extensions also branch out as a result of a cation-polarity-driven mechanism. Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy is used to identify stannite cation ordering, while ab initio studies are used to show the influence of cation ordering/distortion, stoichiometry, and polytypic structural change on the electronic band structure.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), Campus de la UAB, Bellaterra 08193, Spain.
authors.forename: Reza R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Zamani
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ibáñez
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luysberg
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: García-Castelló
authors.forename: Lothar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Houben
authors.forename: Joan Daniel
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Prades
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grillo
authors.forename: Rafal E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Dunin-Borkowski
authors.forename: Joan Ramón
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Morante
authors.forename: Andreu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cabot
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arbiol