Solution Synthesis of Germanium Nanocrystals Demonstrating Quantum Confinement

HRTEM image of a single Ge nanocrystal. The image has been rotationally filtered to improve clarity. The lattice fringes imaged are for Ge 〈111〉, with a d spacing of 3.27 Å. Reaction between the Zintl salt NaGe and GeCl4 is shown to produce Ge nanocrystals. The reaction proceeds readily in refluxing diglyme at ambient pressure. The nanocrystals produced may be surface-terminated by reaction with RLi or RMgBr and demonstrate quantum confinement.