Rapid coating technique helps preserve optical properties of quantum dot nanorods

The team of materials researchers at North Carolina State University have fine-tuned the technique to coat quantum dot nanorods in a day, which is up to 21 times faster than previous methods. In addition to saving time, the advance means the quantum dots are less likely to degrade, thereby preserving their optical properties.

Quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductor materials with energy levels that differ from larger-scale versions of the same material. By controlling the size of the quantum dots, researchers can control the energy levels that give quantum dots novel optical properties. These characteristics make quantum dots promising for applications in optoelectronics and display technologies.

Quantum dots are, however, surrounded by ligands. These organic molecules are sensitive to heat and if they are damaged the optical properties of the quantum dots diminish.

"We wanted to coat the rod-shaped quantum dots with silica to preserve their chemical and optical properties," said Bryan Anderson, a former Ph.D. student at NC State who is lead author of a paper on the work. "However, coating quantum dot nanorods in a precise way poses challenges of its own."