From the Melt to the Infrared - Advancing all-III-V Quantum Dot Light Sources

Objective

Short-wave infrared (1100-2500nm) colloidal quantum dot (CQD) emitters remain limited by strong Auger losses and the absence of sustainable, RoHS-compliant material systems. III–V semiconductors offer a promising solution by combining RoHS-compliance and superior thermal stability with the potential for tailored confinement in core–shell architectures. Yet, all-III–V core–shell CQDs have not been realized due to major synthetic challenges. FLARE will address this gap by combining molten-salt and organic-solvent routes to demonstrate graded type-I core–shell CQDs with suppressed Auger losses, emitting in the 1200–1700 nm range. Their technological potential will be validated in proof-of-concept SWIR light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Expected results include new synthetic routes to all-III–V core–shell CQDs, a library of InAs-based heterostructures with systematic variation of core size, shell thickness and composition, quantitative structure–property relationships linking confinement and strain to exciton and biexciton dynamics, and SWIR CQD LEDs with enhanced power outputs. Together, these advances will position III–V CQDs as a sustainable platform for SWIR photonics, bridging the gap to state-of-the-art visible-CQDs while avoiding toxic heavy metals.