Synthesis of Nonaggregating HgTe Colloidal Quantum Dots and the Emergence of Air-Stable n-Doping.

Nonaggregating HgTe colloidal quantum dots are synthesized without thiols as stabilizing ligands. The dots are spherical with a size tunability from 4.8 to 11.5 nm. When the results from optical and electrochemical measurement are combined, air-stable n-doping is observed in large sizes of HgTe quantum dots, which is attributed to the Hg-rich surface.