Biotemplated Semiconductor Nanocrystals

This review describes work in the area of biotemplated nanostructures, exclusively focusing on semiconductor-based materials. Semiconductor nanocrystals are of particular interest for biomolecule-assisted synthesis because their optical, electrical, and optoelectronic properties are strongly controlled by their size, crystal structure, and surface composition. Exquisite control of each of these parameters is required for their use as biological imaging labels and components in a variety of device architectures for photovoltaics and image sensors. Hence, controlling their morphological properties during synthesis using biological templates may present a means to tailor their behavior toward a desired application focus. Particular emphasis is placed in this chapter on nucleic acids-assisted semiconductor nanocrystals, as it is this type of biotemplated reaction that has been explored most in depth to date.