Upconverting colloidal quantum dots bring ‘colour vision’ to the infrared

Physics World reports that researchers at the Beijing Institute of Technology have created a new type of upconverter that gives infrared light a visible color. The device uses mercury telluride quantum dots paired with an organic light-emitting diode that has red and cyan layers, so different infrared wavelengths produce different visible colors. As a proof of concept, the team built the upconverter into semi-transparent eyeglasses, allowing wearers to see infrared light while still seeing normally. The researchers say the technology could eventually be implanted in the retina to restore or enhance vision. The work appears in Science Advances.

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