A comprehensive review on the synthesis methods and applications of silicon quantum dots (SiQDs)

Abstract

Since the discovery of SiQDs, they have attracted extensive attention from researchers due to their good biocompatibility, unique optical properties, low cost and good stability. Doping or surface modification has enabled SiQDs to achieve faster, cheaper, and more reliable applications in areas such as detection, photocatalysis, and bioimaging. Despite extensive research, there is still a need to overcome the problems of large-scale industrialized production and to improve the performance in terms of quantum yield and stability. This paper reviews five methods of synthesizing SiQDs and their current applications in four fields, as well as future research directions, highlighting the potential of SiQDs in advancing nanotechnology and its commercial viability.