Publication date: 8th July 2026
Short-wave infrared (SWIR, 1000–2000 nm) light-emitting devices (LED) are of strong interest for applications in optical communications, biological imaging, and sensing [1]. Colloidal InAs-based quantum dots (CQDs) have emerged as a promising RoHS-compliant material system for SWIR optoelectronics, offering tunable emission and recent progress in both synthesis and device integration [2]. However, achieving simultaneously high efficiency, high radiance, and long-wavelength emission remains challenging due to non-radiative losses and suboptimal charge balance in device architectures. Previous InAs quantum dot light-emitting diodes have demonstrated SWIR emission [3], but efficiency and radiance at telecom wavelengths have remained limited.
Here, we report heavy-metal-free SWIR CQD-LEDs based on InAs/ZnSe core-shell CQDs integrated into optimized device architectures. An InAs CQD electron transport interlayer is used to suppress interfacial quenching and improve charge balance, while hole transport layer optimization via BCF-doped PTAA enhances charge injection and recombination rate. As a result, the devices achieve an external quantum efficiency up to 4.2%, a maximum radiance exceeding 10 W sr-1 m-2, and stable emission at 1525 nm. In addition, a long operational lifetime is obtained under ambient, non-encapsulated conditions.
Overall, this work demonstrates that combined emitter and device interface engineering enables efficient and bright heavy-metal-free SWIR CQD-LEDs operating in the telecom-relevant spectral range.
G.K. acknowledges financial support from the European Research Council (ERC) under Horizon 2020 (grant agreement No. 101002306), project PID2024-161119OB-I00 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, FEDER/UE, and NextGenerationEU (PRTR-C17.I1), as well as the Generalitat de Catalunya. Support from Fundació Privada Cellex, the CERCA program, and the “Severo Ochoa” Centre of Excellence (CEX2024-001490-S) is also acknowledged. M.D.F. acknowledges support from MCIU/AEI/FSE+[La ayuda JDC2024-053091-I]. R.B. and M.M.V. acknowledge funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under Marie Skłodowska-Curie grants Nos. 101151468 and 101081441, respectively. T.K. acknowledges support from the National Research Foundation of Korea (RS-2024-00413533).
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