Synthesis of monodisperse InSb colloidal quantum dots by monomer concentration control for short-wave infrared photodetectors

Abstract InSb colloidal quantum dots combine a low bulk bandgap (0.17 eV) with a large exciton Bohr radius, enabling access to short-wave infrared wavelength within the quantum confinement regime, alongside strong covalent bonding, complementary metal-oxide semiconductor compatibility, and restriction of hazardous substances compliance. However, prior one-pot and hot-injection approaches yield broad size distributions and weak excitonic absorption, while continuous-injection methods improve spectral features but are restricted to small dot sizes (<1.2 μm excitonic peaks). Here, we introduce a monomer-concentration-controlled approach that produces narrow-size-dispersed InSb quantum dots tunable from 950 to 1900 nm with the sharpest excitonic absorption peaks reported to date. Their monodisperse nature allowed the emergence of heavy hole-light hole splitting evident in their optical absorption spectra. Leveraging these high-quality nanocrystals, we demonstrate short-wave infrared photodetectors achieving external quantum efficiencies of 22% at 1500 nm and 19% at 1580 nm, extending the spectral reach of III-V colloidal quantum dot photodetectors at this wavelength range.