Near-Infrared Emission of HgTe Nanoplatelets Tuned by Pb-Doping

Doping the semiconductor nanocrystals is one of the most effective ways to obtain unique materials suitable for high-performance next-generation optoelectronic devices. In this study, we demonstrate a novel nanomaterial for the near-infrared spectral region. To do this, we developed a partial cation exchange reaction on the HgTe nanoplatelets, substituting Hg cations with Pb cations. Under the optimized reaction conditions and Pb precursor ratio, a photoluminescence band shifts to ~1100 nm with a quantum yield of 22%. Based on steady-state and transient optical spectroscopies, we suggest a model of photoexcitation relaxation in the HgTe:Pb nanoplatelets. We also demonstrate that the thin films of doped nanoplatelets possess superior electric properties compared to their pristine counterparts. These findings show that Pb-doped HgTe nanoplatelets are new perspective material for application in both light-emitting and light-detection devices operating in the near-infrared spectral region.