Colloidal nanorod heterostructures for photovoltaics and optoelectronics

Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) synthesized in versatile, easy-to-process solutions are opening up exciting prospects in multiple areas, especially in biomedical imaging, photovoltaics, solid-state lighting and displays. The success of most of these prospects relies on high-quality heterostructures that improve optical properties. In particular, the core/shell heterostructure with a type I straddling band offset has been indispensable but the applicability is often limited to those exploiting only photoluminescence. QDs and their heterostructures can also be made with anisotropic shapes that allow access to essentially an unlimited number of combinations of size, shape and composition. Structures that allow enhancement of optical properties and physical accessibility for carrier injection/extraction simultaneously can open up new and exciting prospects in photovoltaics and optoelectronics. This topical review focuses on nanorod-based colloidal semiconductor heterostructures. Two-component, type II staggered band offset nanorod heterostructures capable of efficiently separating photoinduced charges are first discussed. Double heterojunction nanorods that contain three different phases are then considered with respect to their novelty and potential as emissive materials in light-emitting diodes. We conclude with an outlook on the possibility of developing colloidal nanorods that contain epitaxial interfaces beyond the conventional semiconductor heterojunctions.