Biphasic Meniscus Coating for Scalable and Material Efficient Quantum Dot Films

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Paul, Shlok Joseph, Li, Letian, Li, Zheng, Kim, Andrew, Klopfestein, Mia, Lee, Stephanie S., Sahu, Ayaskanta
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Paul, Shlok Joseph
Li, Letian
Li, Zheng
Kim, Andrew
Klopfestein, Mia
Lee, Stephanie S.
Sahu, Ayaskanta
author_facet Paul, Shlok Joseph
Li, Letian
Li, Zheng
Kim, Andrew
Klopfestein, Mia
Lee, Stephanie S.
Sahu, Ayaskanta
contents Colloidal quantum dots (cQDs) have emerged as a cornerstone of next-generation optoelectronics, offering unparalleled spectral tunability and solution-processability. However, the transition from laboratory-scale devices to sustainable industrial manufacturing is fundamentally hindered by spin-coating workflows, which are intrinsically wasteful and restricted to planar geometries. These limitations are particularly acute for high-performance cQDs containing regulated elements such as lead, cadmium, or mercury, where poor material utilization exacerbates both environmental burden and cost. Here we report a biphasic dip-coating strategy that redefines the material efficiency of nanocrystal film fabrication. By utilizing an immiscible underlayer to displace ~88% of the active reservoir volume, we demonstrate a deposition geometry that decouples material consumption from total precursor volume. Infrared PbS photodetectors fabricated via this approach maintain their performance against spin-coated benchmarks while reducing ink consumption by up to 20-fold. Our technoeconomic analysis reveals that this biphasic architecture achieves cost parity at film thicknesses an order of magnitude lower than conventional monophasic dip-coating. Our results establish a low-waste framework for solution-processed materials, providing a viable pathway for the resource-efficient manufacturing of optoelectronic devices.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_15149
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Biphasic Meniscus Coating for Scalable and Material Efficient Quantum Dot Films
Paul, Shlok Joseph
Li, Letian
Li, Zheng
Kim, Andrew
Klopfestein, Mia
Lee, Stephanie S.
Sahu, Ayaskanta
Materials Science
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Colloidal quantum dots (cQDs) have emerged as a cornerstone of next-generation optoelectronics, offering unparalleled spectral tunability and solution-processability. However, the transition from laboratory-scale devices to sustainable industrial manufacturing is fundamentally hindered by spin-coating workflows, which are intrinsically wasteful and restricted to planar geometries. These limitations are particularly acute for high-performance cQDs containing regulated elements such as lead, cadmium, or mercury, where poor material utilization exacerbates both environmental burden and cost. Here we report a biphasic dip-coating strategy that redefines the material efficiency of nanocrystal film fabrication. By utilizing an immiscible underlayer to displace ~88% of the active reservoir volume, we demonstrate a deposition geometry that decouples material consumption from total precursor volume. Infrared PbS photodetectors fabricated via this approach maintain their performance against spin-coated benchmarks while reducing ink consumption by up to 20-fold. Our technoeconomic analysis reveals that this biphasic architecture achieves cost parity at film thicknesses an order of magnitude lower than conventional monophasic dip-coating. Our results establish a low-waste framework for solution-processed materials, providing a viable pathway for the resource-efficient manufacturing of optoelectronic devices.
title Biphasic Meniscus Coating for Scalable and Material Efficient Quantum Dot Films
topic Materials Science
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.15149