Self-Assembled Organic-Inorganic Nanostructures

The current state and perspectives in natural and life sciences are strongly linked to the development of novel complex organic-inorganic materials at various levels of organization, including semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) and QD-based nanostructures with unique optical and physico-chemical properties. This book provides a comprehensive description of the morphology and main physico-chemical properties of self-assembled inorganic-dye nanostructures as well as some applications in the field of nanotechnology. It crosses disciplines to examine essential nanoassembly principles of QD interaction with organic molecules, excited state dynamics in nanoobjects, theoretical models, and methodologies. Based on ensemble and single-nanoobject detection, the book quantitatively shows (for the first time on a series of nanoassemblies) that surface-mediated processes (formation of trap states) dictate the probability of several of the most interesting and potentially useful photophysical phenomena (FRET- or non-FRET-induced quenching of QD photoluminescence) observed for colloidal QDs and QD-dye nanoassemblies. Further, nanostructures can be generated by nanolithography and thereafter selectively decorated with dye molecules. A similar approach applies to natural nanosized surface heterogeneities.

Christian von Borczyskowski is full professor at Technische Universität Chemnitz, Germany. He is one of the pioneers in the optical detection of single molecular spins. His research areas are optical spectroscopy and molecular physics, including microscopy of single molecules and quantum dots, and he is currently involved in single molecular probes in soft matter, nano-assemblies, and dynamics of quantum dots. He has published more than 250 refereed papers and five book chapters. Eduard Zenkevich is full professor of physics at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and full professor and director of the Research Laboratory of Applied Physics and Informatics, Belarusian National Technical University, Belarus. His research focuses on the structure/dynamics relationship of nanoscale self-assembled objects: multiporphyrin systems, pigment-protein complexes, and functional quantum dot-dye assemblies. Since 1993, he is visiting professor at Technische Universität Chemnitz and accredited expert of RUSNANO Corporation. He acts as a referee for various scientific programs and journals and has contributed more than 200 publications in refereed periodicals.

Structural and Energetic Dynamics in Quantum Dot-Dye Nanoassemblies. Interrelation of Assembly Formation and Ligand Depletion in Colloidal Quantum Dots. Fluorescence Quenching of Semiconductor Quantum Dots by Multiple Dye Molecules. Static and Dynamic Quenching of Quantum Dot Photoluminescence by Organic Semiconductors and Dye Molecules. Selected Applications of QDs and QD-Based Nanoassemblies. Nanolithography and Decoration of Generated Nanostructures by Dye Molecules. Identification of Heterogeneous Surface Properties via Fluorescent Probe Molecules. Selective Surface Binding of Dye Molecules on Hybrid Humidity Sensors.