International Journal of Applied Engineering Research ISSN 0973-4562 Volume 14, Number 2 (2019) pp.

491-494
© Research India Publications. http://www.ripublication.com

Semiconductor Nanoparticles Theory and Applications

Manas Kumar Sahu

Department of Physics of Sound,
Indira Kala Sangit Vishwavidyalaya Khairagarh (C.G.) India.

Abstract dishes, fiber networks, traffic signals, car taillights, and air
bags. The aim of this review is to overview and highlights the
When the size of semiconductor materials is reduced, their
applications of semiconductor nanoparticles and synthetic
physical and chemical properties change drastically, resulting
methods. Most semiconducting materials, such as the II-VI or
in properties due to their large surface area or quantum size
III-VI compound semiconductors show quantum confinement
effect. Currently, semiconductor nanomaterials are still in the
behavior in the 1-20 nm size range. Herein we describe and
research stage, but they are promising for applications in
discuss the current use of semiconductor nanoparticles and
many fields, light-emitting nano devices, laser technology,
their applications.
waveguide,. Further development of nanotechnology will
certainly lead to significant breakthroughs in the Size reduction affects most of the physical properties
semiconductor industry. This paper deals with the some of the (structural, magnetic, optical, dielectric, thermal, etc.) due to
current initiatives and critical issues in the improvement of surface effects and quantum size effects. Owing to the
semiconductors based on nanoparticles the efficiency of low extremely small dimensions, these materials exhibit
dimensional system increases with decreasing size R of the properties, which are fundamentally different from, and often
semiconductor nanoparticles. It has been found that the superior to those of their conventional counterpart. In recent
size-dependence of the luminescence efficiency  past, there has been considerable interest in the study of size
1 effect in semiconductors of reduced dimension (in nanometer
 scale) due to their applications in optoelectronic devices,
(1  R 2 ) single electron devices, resonant tunneling devices, memory
Keywords: Semiconductors, Nanoparticles, Light Emitting devices, magnetic sensors, catalysis, etc. [1-5 ] Optical
nano Devices and Luminescence efficiency. spectroscopy being the non-contact method, has proved to be
the most suitable technique to monitor the size-evolution of
the electronic structure.

INTRODUCTION
Recently there has been substantial interest in the preparation, SEMICONDUCTOR NANOPARTICLES AND CLASSIFICATIONS
characterization and application of semiconductor OF SEMICONDUCTOR NANOSTRUCTURES
nanoparticles that play a major role in several new Semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) are made from a variety of
technologies. When the size of semiconductor materials is different compounds. They are referred to as II-VI, III-V or
reduced to nanoscale, their physical and chemical properties IV-VI semiconductor nanocrystals, based on the periodic table
change drastically, resulting in unique properties due to their groups into which these elements are formed. For example,
large surface area or quantum size effect. The conductivity of silicon and germanium are group IV, GaN, GaP, GaAs, InP
the semiconductor and its optical properties (absorption and InAs are III-V, while those of ZnO, ZnS, CdS, CdSe and
coefficient and refractive index) can be altered. CdTe are II-VI semiconductors.
Semiconductor nanomaterials and devices are still in the
research stage, but they are promising for applications in In nanocrystalline materials, the electrons are confined to
many fields, such as solar cells, nanoscale electronic devices, regions having one, two or three dimensions (Fig. 1) when the
light-emitting diodes, laser technology, waveguide, chemical relative dimension is comparable with the de Broglie
and biosensors, packaging films, superabsorbents, wavelength. For a semiconductor like CdSe, the de Broglie
components of armor, parts of automobiles, and catalysts. wavelength of free electron is around 10 nm. The
Further development of nanotechnology will certainly lead to nanostructures of semiconductor crystals having the z
significant breakthroughs in the semiconductor industry many direction below this critical value (thin film, layer structure,
kinds of diodes including the light-emitting diode, the silicon quantum well) are defined as 2D nanostructures. When the
controlled rectifier, and digital and analog integrated circuits. dimension both in the x and z direction is below this critical
Some of the semiconductor nanomaterials such as Si, Si-Ge, value (linear chain structure, quantum wire) the
GaAs, AlGaAs, InP, InGaAs, GaN, AlGaN, SiC, ZnS, ZnSe, nanostructures are defined as 1D and when the y direction is
AlInGaP, CdSe, CdS, and HgCdTe etc., exhibit excellent also below this threshold (cluster, colloid, nanocrystal,
application in computers, palm pilots, laptops, cell phones, quantum dot) it is referred to as 0D. Classifications of
pagers, CD players, TV remotes, mobile terminals, satellite Semiconductor Nanostructures.

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 International Journal of Applied Engineering Research ISSN 0973-4562 Volume 14, Number 2 (2019) pp. 491-494
© Research India Publications. http://www.ripublication.com

Figure 1. Schematic drawing to show the concept of system dimensionality: (a) bulk semiconductors (3D); (b) thin film, layer
structure, quantum well (2D); (c) linear chain structure, quantum wire (1D); (d) cluster, colloid, nanocrystal, quantum dot (0D).
In the bottom, the corresponding density of states[Δ(E)] versus energy (E) diagram (for ideal cases)

Quantum Confinement Effects materials with strong photoluminescence, nonlinear optical

materials, and some important low molecular weight
The quantum confinement effects in low dimensional
pharmaceutical materials, etc. First, is the design and
semiconductor systems were studied two decades ago. In the
synthesis of organic compounds with intended functions.
last decade, comprehensive, well written reviews appeared
Second, is to controllably prepare the corresponding
which concentrated on the quantum confinement effects of
nanomaterials through various pathways, followed by
various semiconductors with the emphasis on the optical
structure characterization and theoretical
properties, including absorption and luminescence[6-7].
calculation/simulation, to analyze the relationship between the
Obviously, the confinement of an electron and hole in
lattice structure and nanostructure. Third, by investigating the
nanocrystals significantly depends on the material properties,
differences between organic nanomaterials and bulk or
namely, on the Bohr radius aB. These effects take place in
molecular state materials in their optical, electronic, catalytic,
bigger nanocrystals and depend on the material properties,
chemical and sensor-related properties, try to discover the
namely, on the Bohr radius a B = 2.34 nm and aB of about 10
advantages of organic nanomaterials, construct the
nm, which would have Cd related compounds such as CdTe,
nanodevices and explore their practical applications. Organic
CdZnTe and CdTeSe. One of the most important
optoelectronics has developed into a new interdisciplinary
consequences of the spatial confinement effect is an increase
research field, involving organic chemistry, physics,
in the energy of the band -to-band excitation peaks (blue
electronic engineering and materials science. Organic
shift), as the radius R of a microcrystalline semiconductor is
optoelectronic devices, such as organic electroluminescent
reduced in relation with the Bohr radius. Theoretically, the
devices (OLED), organic photovoltaic (OPV) and organic thin
regimes of quantum confinement differ in their main electron-
film transistors (OTFT), have attracted significant attention in
hole interaction energy, i.e., the Coulomb term and the
academics and industries, due to their great application
confinement energy of the electron and hole and kinetic
potential in flat-panel and flexible display, solid-state lighting,
energy.
information transport and storage, new generation energy,
photocatalyst and so on. Owing to the advantages of solid-
state, self-emission, full color capability and flexibility,
Organic Optoelectronic Materials and Devices OLED has been recognized as one of the most promising flat-
Much research has been focused on a series of highly panel display technology and has just become into
functional organic molecules, such as organic optoelectronic commercial.

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© Research India Publications. http://www.ripublication.com

THEORY OF SEMICONDUCTOR NANOPARTICLES with ethyl magnesium chloride to form diethylmanganese in a

tetrahydrofuran solvent and added to the reaction. The
In bulk crystalline ZnS:Mn, the partially spin-forbidden
separation of the particles is maintained by coating with the
4 6
Mn2+ T1  A1 transition has a lifetime of 1.8 ms at surfactant methacrylic acid. In the coated ZnS:Mn particle
room temperature. In ZnS:Mn of 3nm size there are two system a gradual but significant increase is observed in the
lifetimes 1=3.7ns,2=20.5nsIn ZnS : Cuem=480nm, 1=2.9ns, luminescent intensity of Mn2+ emission when exposed to
exciting 300nm UV light (UV curing) and the
2=20.5ns, , two different recombination centers may be
photoluminescent efficiency of 27-33Å ZnS:Mn
involved in nanoparticles firstly the recombination centers
nanocrystalline powder is about 18% at room temperature.
lying on surface and secondly the recombination centers lying
inside the bulk.
To interpret these observation it is suggested that the
hybridization of s-p electron state of host with the d-electron
state of Mn2+, is caused to a significant extent by the spatial
overlap of these states owing to the confinement.
The luminescence efficiency  may be expressed as:

r
 ...(1)
 r   nr
r and  nr are radiative and non-radiative rates,
respectively.
The radiative recombination takes place at the surface. Thus,
α nr should depend on the number of surface atoms per units
Fig. 2 Variation of luminescence quantum efficiency of ZnS:
volume and it may be expressed as: Mn2+ nanocrystals as a function of the radius. The solid line
represents the equation 1/(1+R2).
4R 2 1
 nr  
4
R 3 R …..(2)
3 Application of Semiconductor Nanomaterials
r should depend on the number of Mn2+ at Zn2+ sites. Semiconductor nanomaterials have interesting physical and
In case of a single Mn2+ ion within a nanocrystal may chemical properties and useful functionalities, when compared
expressed as: with their conventional bulk counterparts and molecular
materials. Narrow and intensive emission spectra, continuous
absorption bands, high chemical and photobleaching stability,
r  R -3
….(3) processability, and surface functionality are among the most
attractive properties of these materials. The development of
Thus from Eqs (1), (2) & (3) we get:
“nanochemistry” is reflected in an immense number of
C1 publications on the synthesis of semiconductor
R3 1 nanoparticles[8]. For instance, the spatial quantum
  confinement effect results in significant change in optical
C1 C 2 C2 2
 (1  R ) properties of semiconductor nanomaterials. The very high
R3 R C1 dispersity (high surface-to-volume ratio), with both physical
1 and chemical properties of the semiconductor has a major
 ….(4) influence on their optical and surface properties. As a result,
(1  R 2 ) semiconductor nanomaterials have been the focus of research
where   C 2
for about 20 years and have attracted significant interest in
research and applications in diverse disciplines such as solid-
C1
state physics, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, colloid
Fig. (2) shows the size dependence of the luminescence chemistry, materials science, and recently biological sciences,
efficiency of ZnS:Mn nanoparticles. It is seen that the medical sciences, engineering, and interdisciplinary fields.
dependence of  or R of Eq (4). To performs this Among the unique properties of nanomaterials, the movement
experimental [4] precipitated, nanocrystalline Zns powder by of electrons and holes in semiconductor nanomaterials is
reacting diethylzinc with hydrogen sulfide in toluene to form primarily governed by the well-known quantum confinement,
ZnS.Bulk ZnS is usually doped by thermal diffusion at high and the transport properties related to phonons and photons
temperatures [>1100C] but since nanocrystallits sinter at are largely affected by the size and geometry of the
extremely low temperatures, they must be doped during materials[9-12]. The specific surface area and surface-to-
precipiation. To dope the ZnS: Manganese chloride is reacted volume ratio increase drastically as the size of the material

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© Research India Publications. http://www.ripublication.com

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