Templated semiconductor particles and methods of making

A method of making semiconductor particles, the method comprising:

• a) providing a dendrimer comprising
• a core organic material;
• a first dendron bonded to the core organic material through a first attachment group that is capable of being chemically cleaved, the first dendron having at least two first crosslinkable groups;
• and
• a second dendron bonded to the core organic material through a second attachment group that is capable of being chemically cleaved, the second dendron having at least two second crosslinkable groups;
• b) forming a crosslinked dendrimer by reacting the first crosslinkable groups and the second crosslinkable groups;
• c) cleaving by a chemical reaction both the first attachment group and the second attachment group;
• d) removing the core organic material or a derivative thereof from the crosslinked dendrimer to form a cored dendrimer having interior end groups;
• e) forming a coordinative bond or an ionic bond between a metal-containing precursor and the interior end groups within a central region of the cored dendrimer;
• and
• f) precipitating the metal-containing precursor to form a composite particle comprising a semiconductor particle within the central region of the cored dendrimer.