Photoexcitations in embedded semiconducting nanoparticles

We will discuss technical challenges involved in describing photo-excitation processes from first principles, in realistic materials [1], and we will present some results obtained using density functional and many body perturbation theory for semiconducting nanoparticles embedded in complex solid matrices, and for nanoparticles [2] with unusual core structures [3]. These are systems with promising properties for solar energy conversion. \\[4pt] [1] Yuan Ping, Dario Rocca, and Giulia Galli, \textit{Chem. Soc. Rev. }\textbf{42}, 2437 (2013).\\[0pt] [2] Stefan Wippermann, M\'{a}rton V\"{o}r\"{o}s, Dario Rocca, Adam Gali, Gergely Zimanyi and Giulia Galli \textit{Phys. Rev. Lett. }\textbf{110}, 046804 (2013).\\[0pt] [3] Stefan Wippermann, Marton Voros, Adam Gali, Francois Gygi,Gergely T. Zimanyi, and Giulia Galli 2013 (submitted for publication).