Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers as Subwavelength Optical Waveguides Incorporating Quantum Dots

Fibers seen in a new light? Inorganic–organic heterostructured cylindrical waveguides are prepared by a one-step electrospinning approach, where the photoluminescence from semiconductor quantum dots embedded in a fiber acts as an internal light source. Subwavelength-sized nanofibers (see image) with a length of several micrometers act as waveguides. Integrating such structures with Si-based microelectronics to realize nanoscale optoelectronics is envisaged.