Solution-phase synthesis of germanium nanoclusters using sulfur

Sulfur is used to promote the formation of germanium nanocrystals from the robust organometallic precursor, triphenylgermanium chloride, at elevated temperatures (300 °C) in the surfactant/solvent hexadecylamine. Transmission electron microscopy shows that 8 nm germanium nanocrystals are produced that self-assemble into uniform-sized 60 nm germanium nanoclusters after purification. Electron diffraction studies show that the germanium nanoclusters have a diamond germanium crystal structure and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy shows that the nanoclusters are primarily composed of pure germanium.