II₃V₂ (II: Zn, Cd; V: P, As) Semiconductors: From Bulk Solids to Colloidal Nanocrystals

Abstract II₃V₂ semiconductors have become increasingly popular for a variety of applications including solar light harvesting, near‐IR imaging, and low energy light detection. The bulk physical and electronic structure of these materials is highlighted, followed by an in‐depth survey on progress in synthesizing these semiconductors as colloidal nanocrystals. Interestingly, no universal synthetic approach has yet been developed to access all compounds within this family. A discussion on how the complex crystal structure of these materials translates to small domain sizes will highlight current challenges in the characterization of II₃V₂ nanocrystals. Finally, potential avenues for further research will be proposed as a way to advance this field towards greater utilization in light harvesting applications.