Research Theme 1:
Precision Synthesis
Research Theme 1: Precision Synthesis
Research Theme 1 (RT-1) includes the teams that are developing new chemical reactions to synthesize the building blocks that make up the next generation of optoelectronic devices.
Transforming optical technologies with colloidal quantum dots begins with synthesizing novel materials that have superior performance and can be easily handled and incorporated into devices and applications. Members of RT-1 are advancing the fundamental science underpinning colloidal semiconductors.
Combining multi-level theory and experimentation the team engaged in RT-1 are innovating techniques to control the precision synthesis of colloidal materials and their surfaces to produce quantum dots with advanced combinations of color purity (linewidth), stability, brightness, and processability from ensembles down to single dot precision.
RT-1’s collaboration with RT-2 revolves around the design of new materials that enable accurate and reliable placement of the new materials in device architectures. RT-1’s collaboration with RT-3 uses the feedback from device engineers to innovate on new materials that have properties desired in new device structures.
Find out more about the IMOD members participating in RT-1 research, and check out some of the recent RT-1 publications.
Recent RT-1 Publications

Narrow Blue Emission from Cadmium Phosphide Clusters Enhanced through Phosphinate Ligation
NANO LETTERS, 2025, 25, 23, 9410-9416
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c01891

Engineering spin coherence in core-shell diamond nanocrystals
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE USA, 2025, 122, 21, e2422542122
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2422542122

Exciton-phonon coupling and phonon-assisted exciton relaxation dynamics in In1-xGaxP quantum dots
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 2025, 16, 4424
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58800-8

Cs2AgSbI6 Nanocrystals: a New Air-Stable Iodide Double-Perovskite (Elpasolite) Semiconductor
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 2025, 147, 19, 16552-16559
https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c03942

Oleic acid rearrangement enables facile transfer of red-emitting quantum dots from hexane into water with enhanced fluorescence
NANOSCALE, 2025, 17, 20, 12894-12910
https://doi.org/10.1039/D5NR00246J

Dimensional Control in Phase-Pure Coevaporated Quasi-2D Ruddlesden–Popper Structures
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, 2025, 147, 19, 16119-16128
https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c18641