Photobase-Triggered Formation of 3D Epitaxially Fused Quantum Dot Superlattices with High Uniformity and Low Bulk Defect Densities.

Highly ordered epitaxially fused colloidal quantum dot (QD) superlattices (epi-SLs) promise to combine the size-tunable photophysics of QDs with the efficient charge transport of bulk semiconductors. However, current epi-SL fabrication methods are crude and result in structurally and chemically inhomogeneous samples with high concentrations of extended defects that localize carriers and prevent the emergence of electronic mini-bands. Needed fabrication improvements are hampered by inadequate understanding of the ligand chemistry that causes epi-SL conversion from the unfused parent SL.