Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a powerful technique for probing molecular compositions and structures non-invasively. However, traditional NIR spectrometers are often bulky and expensive, limiting their applications in portable or resource-constrained settings. A team of researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) has addressed this challenge by developing a miniaturized NIR computational spectrometer using PbS quantum dots (QDs). Their work, published in Nano Research, demonstrates how finely-tuned QDs can achieve a spectral resolution of 1.5 nm, a significant improvement over previous works.
Why is this study important? NIR spectroscopy has wide-ranging applications in fields such as medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and industrial quality control. However, the miniaturization of spectrometers without compromising performance has been a persistent challenge. This study demonstrates that PbS QDs, when synthesized with high monodispersity and precise absorption peaks, can significantly enhance the performance of QD NIR computational spectrometers. This breakthrough could enable the integration of QD NIR spectrometers into portable devices, such as smartphones and drones, expanding their utility in real-world applications.
What is the key message? The most important takeaway from this study is that the size distribution and absorption peak precision of PbS QDs are critical factors in achieving high spectral resolution and noise resistance in NIR computational spectrometers. By developing a novel synthetic method that produces QDs with narrow size distributions (below 4%) and precisely controlled absorption peaks (within 3 nm), the researchers have fabricated a spectrometer that outperforms existing designs in both resolution and reconstruction fidelity.
Next steps and potential applications: The researchers aim to further optimize the synthesis process for large-scale production and improve the long-term stability of QD inks. Potential applications of this technology include portable devices for medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and industrial quality control. For instance, the spectrometer has already been successfully applied to distinguish materials like ethanol and water and to measure the alcohol content of white wines with high accuracy.
This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFA0715502), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (62475084), and other funding agencies.
Link to the article:
https://doi.org/10.26599/NR.2025.94907351
About the Authors: Jianbing Zhang is a professor at the School of Integrated Circuits, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), specializing in optoelectronic materials, devices, and chips. His research focuses on the development of spectral sensing and imaging, quantum dot-based infrared detection and imaging, quantum dot-based displays.
About Nano Research
Nano Research is a peer-reviewed, open access, international and interdisciplinary research journal, sponsored by Tsinghua University and the Chinese Chemical Society, published by Tsinghua University Press on the platform SciOpen. It publishes original high-quality research and significant review articles on all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, ranging from basic aspects of the science of nanoscale materials to practical applications of such materials. After 18 years of development, it has become one of the most influential academic journals in the nano field. Nano Research has published more than 1,000 papers every year from 2022, with its cumulative count surpassing 7,000 articles. In 2024 InCites Journal Citation Reports, its 2024 IF is 9.0 (8.7, 5 years), and it continues to be the Q1 area among the four subject classifications. Nano Research Award, established by Nano Research together with TUP and Springer Nature in 2013, and Nano Research Young Innovators (NR45) Awards, established by Nano Research in 2018, have become international academic awards with global influence.
