Active nanowaveguides in polymer doped with CdSe–ZnS core–shell quantum dots

Abstract

We report a strategy for the fabrication of active nanowaveguides (nanoWGs) in polymer doped with CdSe–ZnS core–shell quantum dots (QDs). The nanoWGs, with an absorption coefficient of 247 cm⁻¹ and a self-absorption coefficient of 77 cm⁻¹, were fabricated by a direct drawing method. The characterization indicates that the nanoWGs, in which the QDs act as nanoemitters under an optical pump, exhibit high photoluminescence efficiency and high photobleaching resistance. The QD-doped polymer nanoWGs would be a promising active waveguide for miniaturized nanophotonic integration.