Optical properties of high–quantum–yield colloidal HgTe quantum dots for short-wave infrared (SWIR) applications

HgTe colloidal quantum dots represent an emerging class of nanomaterials with tunable optical properties in the short-wave infrared region, making them suitable for applications in imaging, optoelectronics, and sensing. In this thesis, the optical behavior of HgTe QDs was investigated through the experimental determination of their molar extinction coefficient, a parameter that relates the measured absorbance to the absolute number of nanocrystals in solution. To obtain a reliable quantification, a combined approach was employed, integrating UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry elemental analysis. This methodology enabled a direct correlation between structural properties, elemental composition, and optical response. In parallel, preliminary studies on non-radiative energy transfer were carried out using CdTe QDs coupled with J-aggregates as a model donor–acceptor system, enabling an initial evaluation of hybrid configurations involving semiconductor nanocrystals and molecular dyes. The results provide a solid basis for future investigations aimed at extending energy-transfer processes to HgTe QDs and support their potential use in short-wave infrared active hybrid materials for advanced optical and optoelectronic applications.