Create
Design Project Gallery
Lightwave Monitoring Via Quantum Dots
- Program: Mechanical Engineering
- Course: EN.530.404 MechE Senior Design
- Year: 2026
Project Description:
Quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductors whose emission wavelengths vary in response to external stimuli such as mechanical strain and temperature, making them promising candidates for multifunctional sensing systems. This work establishes a repeatable process for fabricating QD-embedded PDMS-based core–shell optical structures using the existing additive manufacturing technology. The final prototype shows a complete optical sensing system, where light from an LED source is coupled into the waveguide to excite the embedded quantum dots, and a sensor at the output measures wavelength variations in the transmitted light to evaluate the response to strain and temperature.
Project Photo:
The LUMEN26 team with quantum dot material displaying excitation from a UV source..
