Colloidal hybrid nanostructures: a new type of functional materials.

One key goal of nanocrystal research is the development of experimental methods to selectively control the composition and shape of nanocrystals over a wide range of material combinations. The ability to selectively arrange nanosized domains of metallic, semiconducting, and magnetic materials into a single hybrid nanoparticle offers an intriguing route to engineer nanomaterials with multiple functionalities or the enhanced properties of one domain. In this Review, we focus on recent strategies used to create semiconductor-metal hybrid nanoparticles, present the emergent properties of these multicomponent materials, and discuss their potential applicability in different technologies.