(151a) Hierarchical Doping of Colloidal Nanocrystals for Achieving Light-Driven Catalysis and Information Science

Colloidal semiconducting nanocrystals (NCs) have emerged as a promising platform for catalysis, optoelectronics, and information science, owing to their unique size-dependent optical properties and high scalability. A key advantage of colloidal NCs is their ability to interact with components across multiple length scales—from atomic-sized dopants and molecules to microscale NC assemblies—enabling enhanced frequency selectivity. To fully harness their potential for building a cleaner and smarter future, a streamlined process from NC synthesis to large-scale assembly is essential to integrate these materials into next-generation technologies.

In response to this need, I will present a tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) NC-based assembly that functions as a tunable infrared metasurface. The resonance frequency of ITO NCs can be precisely tuned by adjusting the tin concentration during synthesis. Using a scalable method to assemble NC monolayers, we confine electric fields within nanoscale gaps. Furthermore, integrating NC assemblies into macroscale photonic structures amplifies electric field confinement and allows for dynamic control over the frequency and intensity of light–matter interactions, offering a high degree of design flexibility. I will discuss the application of this hierarchical structure, which consists of doped nanocrystals (NCs), their assemblies, and photonic architectures, in enabling molecular sensing, controlling chemical reactivity, and supporting nonlinear optical applications. In addition, the potential applications of this platform will be discussed in the context of photocatalysis and information science.