Colloidally prepared CdHgTe and HgTe quantum dots with strong near-infrared luminescence

Several series of CdHgTe composite nanocrystals were prepared using thiol-capped CdTe nanocrystal precursors to which subsequent layers of HgTe and CdTe were added. The position of the 'excitonic' photoluminescence peak measured at room temperature was red-shifted to the near infrared to give emission wavelengths ranging from 800 to 1100 nm depending on the quantum dot composition with quantum efficiency (QE) significantly increased over the pure CdTe material (QE up to around 40%). Thiol-capped HgTe nanocrystals synthesized in aqueous solution show a broad photoluminescence with a QE of ∼50%. It has been shown using D₂O as a solvent that by varying the synthesis conditions it is possible to tune the luminescence of HgTe quantum dots to the desired wavelength in the range of 900-2000 nm. HgTe nanocrystals passivated at the surface with a thick CdS layer have been shown to be much more robust towards heating and "aging" of the optical properties.