Preparation of functional group 14 nanomaterials via thermolysis of sol-gel derived precursors

半导体纳米晶体（NC）是具有尺寸依赖性的光学、电子和化学性质的独特材料。 原型CdSe NC的化学和物理性质已得到很好的发展和很大程度上的理解。 因此，这些材料在许多应用中显示出作为活性系统的前景。尽管具有良好的特性，但已知从这些材料中浸出的有毒镉离子对其融入消费品构成了巨大的障碍。作为回应，有一个推动“无镉量子点”的研究计划。第14组国家信息通报（例如，Si、Ge、SiGe、SiC等）是有吸引力的替代品，部分原因是它们的可调光学和化学性质、稳定性和生物惰性性质。pSivida公司已经拥有FDA批准的基于Si-NC的药物输送系统，IBM已经将Si-NC纳入非易失性存储设备，加拿大在替代照明中使用Si-NC作为活性材料方面进行了大量投资。 有人建议，基于“纳米硅”的器件在2016年可能会带来高达21亿美元的收入-这忽略了其他14组NC的承诺，这些NC应该表现出改进的器件指标。

Semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) are unique materials that exhibit size dependent optical, electronic, and chemical properties. The chemistry and photophysics of prototypical CdSe NCs are well developed and largely understood. Consequently, these materials show promise as active systems in many applications. Despite favourable properties, toxic Cd ions, known to leach from these materials, pose a tremendous barrier to their integration into consumer products. In response, there is a push for "Cadmium-Free Quantum Dot" research programs. Group 14 NCs (e.g., Si, Ge, SiGe, SiC, etc.) are attractive alternatives in part because of their tunable optical and chemical properties, stability and bioinert nature. Already, pSivida Corporation has FDA approved Si-NC based drug delivery systems, IBM has incorporated Si-NCs into non-volatile memory devices, and there is significant Canadian investment in employing Si-NCs as active materials in alternative lighting. It has been suggested that devices based upon "nanosilicon" could lead to revenues as high as $2.1 billion US in 2016 - this neglects the promise of other Group 14 NCs that should exhibit improved device metrics.