On the spectral emission of MBBA embedded CdTe quantum dots

• We investigated the emissive properties of CdTe QDs emitting at different wavelengths in toluene and MBBA • In toluene, the emission peak showed only slight modifications compared to the technical sheet specifications. • In MBBA, the emission peak of all CdTe QDs shifted towards the blue end and became less narrow. • This behavior may result from the dense packing of QDs within the observed QD clusters. Liquid crystals are essential in many diverse applications such as displays, sensors, or advanced composites given their highly versatile optical properties, which are augmented by fluidity. Previous research demonstrated that integrating quantum dots (QDs) into liquid crystals significantly improves their electro-optical properties, enabling the development of highly efficient tunable devices. In this study, we investigate, for the first time, to our knowledge, the emission spectra of COOH functionalized CdTe-QDs in N-(4 - Methoxybenzylidene)-4 - butylaniline (MBBA), a nematic liquid crystal, which is relevant for potential applications in electro-optical devices. We observed a shift of the QD maximum emission spectra towards lower wavelengths in the nematic phase of MBBA, accompanied by a significant broadening, that we demonstrate with spectrally-resolved Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy measurements.