Quantum Size

Effects And Electron

Confinement
Size Dependence And
Quantum Effect
1. When the particles are in nanoscale of about 1 - 100 nm, the
material properties change significantly from those at large scale.
This is the size scale where the so called quantum effect rules the
behaviour and properties of particles.
2. Thus when the particle is in nanosacale, the properties such as,
melting point, fluorescence, electrical conductivity, chemical
reactivity, magnetic permeability etc change as a function of the
size of the particle.
Basically, there are two types of size dependent effects.
1. Increase in surface area to volume ratio of material . This effect can make
nanomaterials more chemically reactive and affect their strength, melting
point or electrical property.
2. Quantum effect which show discontinues behaviour due to completion of
shells in systems with delocalised electron. The quantum effect may affect
the optical, electrical and magnetic behaviour of materials.
Besides quantum Size effect, the nanomaterials behaviour is different due to
surface effects which dominate as nanocrystal size decrease.
Electron Confinement
(Quantum Confinement )
What is Quantum Confinement?
Quantum Confinement describes how the electronic and optical
properties change when the material size is at nanoscale.
Quantum Confinement effects describe electrons in terms of
energy levels, potential well, valence band, conduction band
and energy band gap.
However when the material size is decreased towards
nanoscale, the Confinement dimensions also naturally decrease.
In other words, the energy spectrum becomes discrete measured at quanta
rather than continues as in bulk material . This situation of discrete energy
levels is called quantum Confinement.
Nanoscale quantum Confinement can be 0D, 1D or 2D.
1. 0D Confinement is found in quantum dots.
2. 1D Confinement is found in nanowire.
3. 2D Confinement is found in quantum Wells.
Thank you