The hot injection method is performed in a few key steps: 1. Preparation of Precursor Solutions: Precursors are typically metal salts or organometallic compounds dissolved in a suitable solvent. 2. Heating the Surfactant Solution: A surfactant or ligand solution is heated to a high temperature, often in the presence of coordinating solvents like trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO). 3. Injection: The precursor solution is rapidly injected into the hot surfactant solution. 4. Nucleation and Growth: The rapid injection causes a sudden supersaturation, leading to nucleation. The temperature is then controlled to allow for the growth of the nanocrystals to the desired size.
