Semiconductor quantum dot-doped sol–gel materials

This chapter describes the results obtained by the authors in the field of nanocomposite materials with an inorganic or organic-inorganic hybrid matrix obtained by the sol-gel method and doped with semiconductor quantum dots, with the aim to produce materials suitable for photonic applications. The general strategies used for the synthesis are first presented. The “in-situ” and “ex-situ” approaches are illustrated along with their advantages and drawbacks. The importance of the matrix is stressed, with a view to the possible interactions with the dopants during processing. The chemical routes for the synthesis of simple quantum dots and of more complex core-shell nanoparticles are then described. Finally, materials doped with both kinds of quantum dots, together with their properties and possible applications, are addressed.