A New Approach to Hybrid Polymer–Metal and Polymer–Semiconductor Particles

Metal and semiconductor nanoparticle-coated polymer particles (see Figure, scale bar = 100 nm) of submicrometer size have been synthesized. The growth of high-quality colloid crystalline arrays is enabled by a strong attachment of the nanoparticles to the latex, high charge, and a smooth surface to the microspheres. Good control over the diameter of the nanoparticles determines their confined electronic states and consequently their spectral properties.