Notre Dame researchers find transition point in semiconductor nanomaterials | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › Notre Dame researchers find transition point in semiconductor nanomaterials Notre Dame researchers find transition point in semiconductor nanomaterials Published: August 31, 2016 Author: Gene Stowe Boldizsar Janko, left, Rusha Chatterjee and Masaru Kuno stand in the Kuno lab at Notre Dame Collaborative research at the University of Notre Dame has demonstrated that electronic interactions play a significant role in the dimensional crossover of semiconductor nanomaterials. The laboratory of Masaru Kuno, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and the condensed matter theory group of Boldizsár Jankó, professor of physics, have now shown that a critical length scale marks the transition between a zero-dimensional, quantum dot and a one-dimensional nanowire. The findings, “Dimensional crossover in semiconductor nanostructures,” were published in Nature Communications. Matthew P. McDonald and Rusha Chatterjee of Kuno’s laboratory and Jixin Si of Jankó’s group are also authors of the publication. A quantum dot structure possesses the same physical dimensions in every direction while a quantum wire exhibits one dimension longer than the others. This means that quantum dots and nanowires made of the same material exhibit different optical and electrical responses at the nanoscale since these properties are exquisitely size- and shape-dependent. Understanding the size- and shape-dependent evolution of nanomaterial properties has therefore been a central focus of nanoscience over the last two decades. However, it has never been definitively established how a quantum dot evolves into a nanowire as its aspect ratio is made progressively larger. Do quantum properties evolve gradually or do they suddenly transition? Kuno’s laboratory discovered that a critical length exists where a quantum dot becomes nanowire-like. The researchers achieved this breakthrough by conducting the first direct, single particle absorption measurements on individual semiconductor nanorods, an intermediate species between quantum dots and nanowires. Single particle rather than ensemble measurements were used to avoid the effects of sample inhomogeneities. Furthermore, an absorption approach rather than an often-used emission approach was employed to circumvent existing limitations of modern emission-based single particle microscopy — namely, its restriction to the observation of highly fluorescent specimens. The discovery marks a significant advance in our understanding of the size- and shape-dependent quantum mechanical response of semiconductor nanostructures. “All of the introductory-level solid state or semiconductor textbooks need to revise what they say about dimensional crossover,” Jankó said. “This is another example where interactions makes things completely different.” Beyond this, Kuno suggests that the single particle absorption approach advanced in the study “has practical, real-world applications, maybe 40 years down the road.” Examples include the generic and label-free ultrasensitive detection of chemical and biomolecular species of paramount interest within the spheres of homeland security as well public health. Kuno’s group performed the experiments that led to the discovery while Jankó’s group provided theoretical support. Posted In: Research Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related October 05, 2022 Astrophysicists find evidence for the presence of the first stars October 04, 2022 NIH awards $4 million grant to psychologists researching suicide prevention September 29, 2022 Notre Dame, Ukrainian Catholic University launch three new research grants September 27, 2022 Notre Dame, Trinity College Dublin engineers join to advance novel treatment for cystic fibrosis September 22, 2022 Climate-prepared countries are losing ground, latest ND-GAIN index shows For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn