Quantum control, semiconductor charge carriers

One of the most attractive features of colloidal semiconductor systems is the ability to control the mean particle size and size distribution by judicious choice of experimental conditions (such as reactant concentration, mixing regimen, reaction temperature, type of stabilizer, solvent composition, pH) during particle synthesis. Over the last decade and a half, innovative chemical [69], colloid chemical [69-72] and electrochemical [73-75] methods have been developed for the preparation of relatively monodispersed ultrasmall semiconductor particles. Such particles (typically <10 nm across [50, 59, 60]) are found to exhibit quantum effects when the particle radius becomes smaller than the Bohr radius of the first exciton state. Under this condition, the wave functions associated with photogenerated charge carriers within the particle (vide infra) are subject to extreme... 

Solar cells based on hot carrier extraction and CM rely on precise control of hot carrier relaxation were expected to be realized in nanostructured semiconductors e.g. QDs) because of enhanced carrier arrier interactions and discretized energy levels. As will be shown below, TRTS is capable of probing charge carrier dynamics at early times after photoexdtation, including intraband relaxation and CM in bulk materials and quantum dots. As such, TRTS represents a powerful technique for evaluating novel semiconductor systems that may be used in the design of more efficient solar cells. 

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