Sol-gel precursors for group 14 nanocrystals.

The synthesis of Group 14 nanocrystals with controlled size dispersity and composition is an area of considerable interest due to their size-dependent optical and electronic properties, thought to enable their use in a wide range of applications such as fluorophores for biological imaging and photovoltaics. In this review, the use of sol-gel derived polymers as precursors for oxide-embedded Group 14 nanocrystals is presented. This versatile approach can yield tangible quantities of both oxide-embedded and freestanding materials with controllable size, narrow size distributions, and tailorable composition.