Emerging methods for fabricating functional structures by patterning and assembling engineered nanocrystals

Inorganic nanocrystals and nanoparticles have aroused increasing attention in the last years due to their original optoelectronic, thermodynamic, mechanical and catalytic properties, which are extremely attractive for fundamental understanding as well as for their huge potential in applications. The ability to strongly exploit the original potential of such nano-objects and access their properties relies on the ability to bridge the gap between the nanoscopic and mesoscopic scale. Indeed, to integrate nanoparticles in structures, materials and finally devices, their incorporation in processable systems, and their organization in morphologically controlled assembly and/or ordered arrays is crucial. The fabrication of 2/3 D patterned micro- and nanostructure is a promising strategy for integrating the nanoparticles in macroscopic entities in order to properly exploit their unprecedented functionality for biomedical, electronic, catalytic materials and devices. In this paper, different and complementary strategies able to engineer inorganic colloidal nanocrystals due to their organization in original functional materials and structures will be described.