The present disclosure relates to a method that includes heating a mixture that includes a metal phenylphosphine-containing precursor that includes at least one of Mo(PPh.sub.3).sub.2(CO).sub.4, Pd(PPh.sub.3).sub.4, Ru(PPh.sub.3).sub.3Cl.sub.2, Ru(PPh.sub.3).sub.2(CO).sub.2Cl.sub.2, Co(PPh.sub.3)(CO).sub.2(NO), and/or Rh(PPh.sub.3).sub.2(CO)Cl, a surfactant, and a solvent. The heating is to a target temperature to form a heated mixture containing a metal phosphide nanoparticle that includes at least one of MoP, Ru.sub.2P, Co.sub.2P, Rh.sub.2P, and/or Pd.sub.3P, and the metal phosphide nanoparticle is not hollow.

Novel compounds with thermoelectric properties are presented. The novel compounds belong to the group of phosphides. They are characterized by excellent thermoelectric properties, in particularly in the temperature range of 400 C. to 700 C. Also a production method for the production of the compounds is presented, with which the thermoelectric substances can be prepared with high yield and quality.

A solid electrolyte material comprising Li, T, X and A wherein T is at least one of P, As, Si, Ge, Al, and B; X is BH.sub.4; A is S, Se, or N. The solid electrolyte material may include glass ceramic and/or mixed crystalline phases, and exhibits high ionic conductivity and compatibility with high voltage cathodes and lithium metal anodes.

A texture inducing structure for alloy films is provided. The texture inducing structure includes a substrate, a texture-inducing layer and a deposition layer. The texture-inducing layer is formed on the substrate. The texture-inducing layer has an intrinsically strong crystalline texture, a texture coefficient of the texture-inducing layer is greater than 2, and a thickness of the texture-inducing layer is ranged from 0.1 m to 6 m. The deposition layer is formed on the texture-inducing layer. A texture of the deposition layer is induced by the texture-inducing layer thereby changing the magnetic anisotropy and the magnetic strength of the deposition layer, a thickness of the deposition layer is ranged from 1 m60 m, and the thickness of the deposition layer is greater than that of the texture-inducing layer.

The present invention is in the field of nanostructure synthesis. The present invention is directed to methods for producing nanostructures, particularly Group III-V semiconductor nanostructures. The present invention is also directed to preparing Group III inorganic compounds that can be used as precursors for nanostructure synthesis.

Provided are compounds of the formula M.sup.A.sub.1-xM.sup.B.sub.xX.sup.A.sub.1-yX.sup.B.sub.yQ.sup.A.sub.1-zQ.sup.B.sub.z, wherein M.sup.A and M.sup.B are selected from Si, Ge, Sn, and Pb, X.sup.A and X.sup.B are selected from F, Cl, Br and I, Q.sup.A and Q.sup.B are selected from P, As, Sb and Bi, and x, y and z are 0 to 0.5, as well as doped variants thereof, useful as semiconducting materials. Due a double helix structure formed by the constituting atoms, the compounds are particularly suitable to provide nano-materials, in particular nanowires, for diverse applications.

An apparatus for manufacturing a quantum dot is provided, the apparatus including a first supplying part that provides a cationic precursor, a second supplying part that provides an anionic precursor, a mixing part connected to the first supplying part and the second supplying part, and a reaction part including a reaction tube configured to receive a liquid mixture of the cationic precursor and the anionic precursor from the mixing part and a first microwave generator configured to provide a microwave that is transmitted through the reaction tube. Therefore, the apparatus may produce a quantum dot of multi-element compounds.

Nowotny-Juza phases offer a wide range of potential applications including solar cell and thermoelectric device fabrication. The disclosure presents a solution phase synthesis of the Nowotny-Juza semiconductors LiZnP, LiCdP, and LiZnSb. These samples are phase pure, crystalline, and exhibit particle sizes of around 20 nm.

Quantum dot semiconductor nanoparticle compositions that incorporate ions such as zinc, aluminum, calcium, or magnesium into the quantum dot core have been found to be more stable to Ostwald ripening. A core-shell quantum dot may have a core of a semiconductor material that includes indium, magnesium, and phosphorus ions. Ions such as zinc, calcium, and/or aluminum may be included in addition to, or in place of, magnesium. The core may further include other ions, such as selenium, and/or sulfur. The core may be coated with one (or more) shells of semiconductor material. Example shell semiconductor materials include semiconductors containing zinc, sulfur, selenium, iron and/or oxygen ions.

The present disclosure relates to a sulfide-based solid electrolyte having a new composition and a new crystal structure.