Controlling the electronic structure of nanocrystal assemblies by variation of the particle-particle interaction

Abstract

The change in the electronic structure of germanium nanocrystals is investigated as their concentration is increased from noninteracting, individual particles to assembled arrays of particles. The electronic structure of the individual nanoclusters shows clear effects due to quantum confinement which are lost in the concentrated assemblies of bare particles. When the surface of the individual particles is passivated, they retain their quantum confinement properties also upon assembly. These effects are interpreted in terms of a particle-particle interaction model. © 2004 American Institute of Physics.