Abstract
Colloidal nanoplatelets or magic-size clusters serve as model materials for binary nanoparticles (NPs), because the nearly absolute shape control simplifies interpretations. Nevertheless, in any ensembles of NPs, structural variations occur. Certain crystalline shapes support different facet orientations, causing facet-dependent properties. We have recently shown that in silicon NPs, facet-induced tuning of thermal properties can be achieved even without evident shape control. Thus, we generalized the influence of facet-specific phenomena to quasi-spherical NPs, where they were, up to now, unexpected. In this project, we will build on this work and establish silicon NPs as a model material for structural variability. We will apply a multi-scale approach using simulations and experiment to link structural features, such as faceting, fracture-like defects or unreacted ligand sites, to ensemble vibrational and photophysical properties. If successful, this project will provide a more concrete and generalized approach to facet-driven engineering in NPs.