Growth mechanisms and application potentials of magic-size clusters of groups Ⅱ-Ⅵ semiconductors
Magic-size clusters(MSCs)have attracted much attention in recent years due to their atomically precise and specialized structures;and their unique electronic and optical properties.They play an important role in the for-mation and growth of semiconductor nanocrystals.An in-depth understanding of the precise chemical composition,atomic structures,and growth mechanisms of MSCs is essential for researchers to explore their properties from the molecular to the macroscopic level.This review details the formation and growth mechanisms of semiconductor MSCs and explores effective strategies to regulate the morphology of these clusters.At the same time,this paper also combs through the current research status of non-stoichiometric and stoichiometric MSCs.On this basis,the review summarizes the main technical tools currently used to characterize MSCs and discusses potential non-destructive detection techniques.Finally,the paper also outlines the applications of MSCs in various fields and looks forward to future research directions.