Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026

Nanofabrication of Gate-defined GaAs/AlGaAs Lateral Quantum Dots
Published on: November 2, 2013
Three-dimensional binary superlattices of magnetic nanocrystals and semiconductor quantum dots
F X Redl1, K-S Cho, C B Murray
1[1] IBM, T. J. Watson Research Center, Nanoscale Materials and Devices, 1101 Kitchawan Road, Route 134, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598, USA.
Abstract:
Recent advances in strategies for synthesizing nanoparticles--such as semiconductor quantum dots, magnets and noble-metal clusters--have enabled the precise control of composition, size, shape, crystal structure, and surface chemistry. The distinct properties of the resulting nanometre-scale building blocks can be harnessed in assemblies with new collective properties, which can be further engineered by controlling interparticle spacing and by material processing. Our study is motivated by the emerging concept of metamaterials-materials with properties arising from the controlled interaction of the different nanocrystals in an assembly. Previous multi-component nanocrystal assemblies have usually resulted in amorphous or short-range-ordered materials because of non-directional forces or insufficient mobility during assembly. Here we report the self-assembly of PbSe semiconductor quantum dots and Fe2O3 magnetic nanocrystals into precisely ordered three-dimensional superlattices. The use of specific size ratios directs the assembly of the magnetic and semiconducting nanoparticles into AB13 or AB2 superlattices with potentially tunable optical and magnetic properties. This synthesis concept could ultimately enable the fine-tuning of material responses to magnetic, electrical, optical and mechanical stimuli.
Related Concept Videos
Quantum Numbers
The Pauli Exclusion Principle
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability. Many...
Valence Bond Theory
Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human eye.
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Overview

