  We propose a new variety of silicon quantum dots containing fullerene-derived
hollows of nearly arbitrary symmetry. Conglomerate structures are designed by
connecting the quantum dots through two kinds of junctions. The quantum
confinement effect is investigated using semiempirical quantum-mechanical
method. It is shown that within each family of quantum dots, the band gap and
the stability are inversely proportional to the particle effective size.
Quantum dots inherit a wide variety of structural and symmetry properties from
their parent fullerenes. The conglomerates confine electrons like
quasi-molecules with a peculiar electronic structure related to the junctions.
Quantum dots and their conglomerates can host guest atoms in their hollows and
therefore present a new promising type of tunable photoluminescent
nanomaterials.
