Nanocrystal doped matrixes

A polymeric layer in combination with an active device, wherein the polymeric layer encapsulates the active device, said active device having an effective refractive index, n1, said layer comprising:

• (a) a polymer;
• (b) semiconductor nanocrystals;
• (c) a ligand composition attached to the nanocrystals wherein the ligand composition is different from the polymer, wherein the nanocrystals with the ligand composition attached thereto are mechanically embedded within said polymer, the ligand composition comprising a body structure comprising an alkane chain of 4 carbons or between 6 and 22 carbons in length, a head group chemically coupled to the nanocrystals and to the body structure at a first position on the alkane chain and a tail group chemically coupled to the body structure at a second position on the alkane chain, wherein the tail group comprises one or more silicon groups or one or more terminal hydroxyl groups;
• and
• (d) an active device, wherein said polymeric layer having an inner boundary in contact with said active device and an outer boundary in contact with a medium having an effective refractive index, n2, wherein said polymeric layer has an effective refractive index less than or equal to n1 at said inner boundary and an effective refractive index greater than or equal to n2 at said outer boundary.

A polymeric layer in combination with an optical device, comprising:

• (a) a polymer;
• (b) semiconductor nanocrystals;
• (c) miscibility-enhancing ligands conjugated to a surface of the nanocrystals wherein the ligands are different from the polymer, wherein the nanocrystals with ligands conjugated thereto are mechanically embedded within said polymer and wherein said ligands comprise a body structure comprising an alkane chain of between 18 and 22 carbons in length, a head group chemically coupled to the nanocrystals and to the body structure at a first position on the alkane chain and a tail group chemically coupled to the body structure at a second position on the alkane chain, and
• (d) an optical device, wherein said polymeric layer encapsulates the optical device and scatters less than about 50% of incident light that enters said layer from said optical device.