Semiconducting properties of thin films with embedded nanoparticles

International audience; We demonstrate here the possibility of designing semiconducting thin films with controlled electrochemical properties. The thin films are composed of (i) an insulating binder and (ii) a semiconductor nanopowder which enables the fine tuning of the semiconducting properties of the layers. Thus, p-and n-type silicon particles (obtained from a top-down technique), or metal-oxide ZnO, SnO(2) and NiO nanoparticles (synthesized using a bottom-up protocol) are successfully integrated into spin-coated or screen-printed thin films and used as semiconducting materials. The flat band potential (Vfb) of the films is then easily tuned from DV to -1.138 V. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.