General Synthesis Techniques of Non-oxide Semiconductors

Semiconductor nanoparticles have unique size-dependent photoelectrochemical properties. Demand for nanocrystalline semiconductors of uniform size and shape has stimulated research into different synthesis techniques some of which we consider here. 

Alivisatos and co-workers [60,61] have used (Me3Si)3E to prepare GaAs, InP, GaAs and InAs nanoparticles. 

Wells and co-workers [62] have obtained nanociystalline 111-V group semiconductor particles with sizes in the range of 4-35 nm by the reaction 

This reaction is similar to the one used by Alivisatos, except that (MesSOsE was replaced by (Na/K)3E. Precursors that already have a M-E (M = Ga, In E = N, P, As) bond can be pyrolyzed to produce ME at relatively low temperatures. The use of N,N,N, N -tetramethyl-/ -phenylenediamine (TMPD), in comparison to TOP and TOPO, as a capping/stabilizing agent for InP quantum dots has resulted in superior charge transfer properties [63]. 

Qian [64] first demonstrated a solvothermal synthetic method for the preparation of nanociystalline III-V semiconductor nanoparticles including InP, GaN, and InAs. As an example, for the GaN particles, prepared in an autoclave of elevated temperature with benzene as the solvent  

---