Biphasic Meniscus Coating for Scalable and Material Efficient Quantum Dot Films

TL;DR

This paper introduces a biphasic dip-coating method for quantum dot films that significantly reduces material waste and cost, enabling scalable and environmentally friendly manufacturing of optoelectronic devices.

Contribution

The study presents a novel biphasic coating technique that drastically improves material efficiency and scalability in quantum dot film fabrication compared to traditional methods.

Findings

Reduces precursor volume by ~88% using an immiscible underlayer.

Maintains photodetector performance with up to 20-fold ink savings.

Achieves cost parity at much lower film thicknesses than conventional methods.

Abstract

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.