Tuning the luminescence properties of colloidal I-III-VI semiconductor nanocrystals for optoelectronics and biotechnology applications

In the past 5 years, colloidal I-III-VI nanocrystals such as CuInS ₂, CuInSe ₂, and AgInS ₂ have been intensively investigated for the potential to replace commonly available colloidal nanocrystals containing toxic elements in light-emitting and solar-harvesting applications. Many researchers from different disciplines are working on developing new synthetic protocols, performing spectroscopic studies to understand the luminescence mechanisms, and exploring various applications. To achieve enhanced performance, it is very desirable to obtain high-quality materials with tunable luminescence properties. In this Perspective, we highlight the current progress on tuning the luminescence properties of I-III-VI nanocrystals, especially focusing on the advances in the synthesis, spectroscopic properties, as well as the primary applications in light-emitting devices and bioimaging techniques. Finally, we outline the challenges concerning luminescent I-III-VI NCs and list a few important research tasks in this field.