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Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots
Published on: October 23, 2014
Slow Auger Relaxation in HgTe Colloidal Quantum Dots
Christopher Melnychuk1, Philippe Guyot-Sionnest1
1James Franck Institute , The University of Chicago , 929 East 57th Street , Chicago , Illinois 60637 , United States.
Abstract:
The biexciton lifetimes in HgTe colloidal quantum dots are measured as a function of particle size. Samples produced by two synthetic methods, leading to partially aggregated or well-dispersed particles, exhibit markedly different dynamics. The relaxation characteristics of partially aggregated HgTe inhibit reliable determinations of the Auger lifetime. In well-dispersed HgTe quantum dots, the biexciton lifetime increases approximately linearly with particle volume, confirming trends observed in other systems. The extracted Auger coefficient is three orders of magnitude smaller than that for bulk HgCdTe materials with similar energy gaps. We discuss these findings in the context of understanding Auger relaxation in quantum-confined systems and their relevance to mid-infrared optoelectronic devices based on HgTe colloidal quantum dots.
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