journal article·2026-04-07Open access

Confining Metastable Wurtzite HgTe for Infrared Optoelectronics

Kseniia A. Sergeeva, Arsenii S. Portniagin, Dario Mastrippolito, Clement Gureghian, Antoine Hage, Dries De Pesseroey, Marco Paye, Erwan Bossavit, Aleksandr A. Sergeev, Zhuo Li, Albin Colle, Céline Rivaux, Sandrine Ithurria, Peter Reiss, Gilles Patriarche, Xiaoyan Zhong, Jing Li, Stefan Klotz, Benoit Baptiste, Debora Pierucci, Francesco Capitani, Christophe Delerue, Andrey L. Rogach, Emmanuel Lhuillier

ACS Nano· Volume 20· Issue 13

Abstract

Mercury telluride (HgTe) nanocrystals are cornerstone materials for infrared optoelectronics, yet all previously reported forms of HgTe have crystallized in the zinc blende phase. Here, we develop a comprehensive cation exchange route to access metastable wurtzite (WZ) HgTe in both spherical and nanorod morphologies. Structural and spectroscopic characterizations show that WZ HgTe NCs retain the strong confinement tunability of their optical properties while introducing non-cubic lattice and distinct electronic topology. Ab initio modeling reveals that bulk WZ HgTe is a Dirac semimetal, whereas quantum confinement opens a direct gap that enables bright short-wave infrared emission. High-pressure studies demonstrate an irreversible WZ-to-zinc blende phase transition, consistent with its metastable nature, while the WZ phase remains stable at cryogenic temperatures. Electrically driven light-emitting diodes based on WZ HgTe nanorods exhibit superior electroluminescence beyond 2 μm, establishing a platform bridging topological semimetals and confined infrared emitters.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Topological Materials and Phenomena · 2D Materials and Applications · Quantum Dots Synthesis And Properties

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong S.A.R. 999077, P. R. China

Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, 4 place Jussieu, Paris 75005, France

Université Lille, CNRS, Univ. Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520- IEMN, Lille 59000, France

Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, Départementale 128, Saint-Aubin 91190, France

Department of Physics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong S.A.R. 999077, P. R. China

Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, IRIG, SyMMES

Laboratoire de Physique et d’Etude des Matériaux, ESPCI, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 10 rue Vauquelin, Paris 75005, France

Centre de Nanosciences et de Nanotechnologies, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, C2N, Palaiseau 92110, France

Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, Leti

Sorbonne Université, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie

Funding

Agence Nationale de la Recherche · European Research Council · Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee · Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province · Chinesisch-Deutsche Zentrum f?r Wissenschaftsf?rderung · Innovation and Technology Commission · Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Conseil R?gional, ?le-de-France · National Natural Science Foundation of China · Renatech

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