Colloidal Quantum Dot Image Sensor Technology

Colloidal semiconductor nanoparticle technology, known as colloidal quantum dot (CQD) technology, very recently has been leveraged commercially for its ability to absorb a broad spectrum of wavelengths of light and convert that light into photocurrent. It took roughly 20 years of R&D to commercialize CQD image sensors, which are the first commercial products in the marketplace to use CQDs in electro-active devices in contrast to all of the other current products that use CQDs in photoluminescence mode. We are now entering into a new era of CQD-based products starting with photodetectors and very likely soon QD-LEDs and solar cells, and eventually lasers.

It has recently become clear that PbS CQD image sensors have a strong value-proposition in the infrared region of the spectrum versus InGaAs and SiGe image sensor technologies. The short-wave infrared (SWIR) region of the spectrum is between 1000nm and 2500nm and the PbS CQD system can be tuned, based on particle size, to absorb throughout this region with the added benefit of being able to also absorb the near infrared, visible, and UV regions of the spectrum at the same time. Pixel architecture versatility combined with low cost and broad spectral sensing capabilities create a great opportunity to use CQD image sensors for a diverse set of sensing needs in the industry now and into the future.