ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the theoretical methods for the description of the electronic structure and transport properties of colloidal nanocrystal quantum dots (NQD). It discusses the effect of dielectric confinement, polarization, and self-polarization due to large contrast and spatial variation of the dielectric constant in colloidal NQD. The chapter presents the basic theory of the electron transport through NQD networks. Semiconductor nanocrystals or quantum dots (QDs) are the subject of intensive research due to a number of novel properties, which make them attractive for both fundamental studies and technological applications. QDs are of particular interest for solar cell applications due to their ability to increase efficiency via the generation of multiexcitons from a single photon. The chapter discusses electrical transport properties of colloidal QD nanocrystal arrays and reviews the methodology for calculation of single-particle, (multi)excitonic states, and charge transport in colloidal QDs.
