The optical transitions in ensembles of colloidal CdSe-based quantum dots (QDs) have been
systematically studied as a function of the net QDs' polarity/polarization and of the solvent's polarity. While
the general trend observed for all QD systems dispersed in different solvents is similar, the spectral shifts are
more pronounced in core QDs than in core/shell structures. Our results can be rationalized by taking account
of the electric field experienced by the QDs that results from their effective polarization in solvents of
different polarities (quantum confined Stark effect) as well as from the effect of the external dielectric
environment (solvatochromatic effect). ?? 2007 American Institute of Physics.
