PbTe colloidal nanocrystals: Synthesis, mechanism and infrared optical characteristics

Research highlights: → A rapid injection solution-phase synthesis route for the preparation of rock salt structure monodispers PbTe nanocrystals (NCs) in a non-coordinating solvent. → Effects of injecting amount of 1-octadecene are discussed. → PbTe NCs show large absorption tenability by employing time-based strategies. → PbTe NCs exhibit strong IR PL emission. - Abstract: We report a rapid injection solution-phase synthesis route for the preparation of rock salt structure monodispered PbTe nanocrystals (NCs) in a non-coordinating solvent. In order to obtain uniform and monodispersed PbTe NCs, we rapidly inject an amount of 1-octadecene (ODE) to decrease the reactant temperature abruptly and separate the NC nucleation and growth efficiently. PbTe NCs are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and optical characteristics. PbTe NCs show large absorption tunability (>400 nm) by employing time-based strategies because of the strong quantum confinement. PbTe NCs also exhibit strong PL emission. The uniformity and characteristics of these PbTe NCs make them the material for IR devices.