Fabrication and optical properties of polymeric waveguides containing nanocrystalline quantum dots

We report on the fabrication of polymer waveguides containing infrared-emitting nanocrystal quantum dots. Both PbSe and InAs nanocrystal quantum dots are incorporated into a fluorinated polymer by a surface functionalization method. The optical properties of the nanocrystal quantum dots are shown to be unaffected by the entire fabrication process. This method may provide a versatile platform for integration of nanocrystal quantum dots into planar photonic circuits.