Nanocrystal self-assemblies: Fabrication and collective properties

In this feature article, the methods of obtaining various mesostructures made of nanocrystals are described. With silver and silver sulfide, the nanocrystals are able to self organize in 2D and 3D super lattices to form "supra" crystals. With cobalt and ferrites nanocrystals, it has been possible to make ribbons, dots, or labyrinths. These mesostructures present new physical properties differing from those of the isolated nanocrystal and from those of the bulk phase. Collective optical, magnetic, and transport properties are demonstrated. By applying a magnetic field during the deposition process of nanocrystals, the easy axes of the particles are oriented along the direction of the applied field, inducing again the collective magnetic properties.