Three-Dimensional Self Assembly of Semiconducting Colloidal Nanocrystals: From Fundamental Forces to Collective Optical Properties.

Self-assembly of colloidal nanoparticles into higher order superstructures is becoming an important topic in current research in nanoscience. More and more research efforts are being dedicated to the controlled processing of nanoparticle dispersions to yield complex architectures from these simple building blocks. This is due to the fact that collective effects can emerge from an assembly of organized nanoparticles. Semiconducting colloidal nanocrystals such as quantum dots are promising materials for a wide range of applications in optoelectronic photovoltaics. The fundamental interactions that dictate the self-assembly of semiconducting colloidal nanocrystals in apolar solvents are reviewed with a focus on 3D structures and basic shapes (spheres, rods, and platelets). Emergent collective properties and the effect of the self-assembly on the optical properties of the particles are also discussed.