Zero-dimensional organic nanoparticles via copolymer directed self-assembly

Inspired by inorganic nanomaterials, low-dimensional organic nanostructures have emerged as a new field of nanomaterials with the presence of size-dependent physical properties. Here, we report a zero-dimensional organic nanoparticles formed by copolymer-directed self-assembly. The nanoparticles are thermally stable up to $\sim $200$^{o}$C. The nanoparticle morphologies are probed by TEM and SEM images. The quantum confinement effect is suggested by the appearance of strongly broadened Raman shift spectra. By proof-of-principle quantum chemical calculations, we suggested that both vibration-vibration and electron-vibration coupling at nanoscale can cause the Raman broadening. The present organic nanoparticles provides a new class of nanostructures to exploring size-dependent physical properties.