Quantum Dots
Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus & Alexei I. Ekimov
About This Prize
The 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus, and Alexei I. Ekimov “for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots.” Ekimov first created size-dependent quantum effects in semiconductor nanocrystals embedded in glass in the early 1980s. Brus demonstrated these effects in colloidal nanoparticles in solution and developed the theoretical framework. Bawendi revolutionized quantum dot synthesis with the hot-injection method, producing nearly perfect nanocrystals with tunable optical properties now used in displays, solar cells, and medical imaging.
Alexei I. Ekimov
“Spatial Confinement of Electronic & Vibronic Excitations in Quantum Dots”
Louis E. Brus
“Chemical Quantum Dots”
Moungi G. Bawendi
“A Synthesis Born of Necessity Unlocks a Nano-World of Wonders”
Key Concepts
- • Quantum Confinement: When semiconductor nanocrystals are smaller than the exciton Bohr radius, their electronic properties become size-dependent
- • Size-Tunable Emission: Smaller quantum dots emit blue light, larger ones emit red — a direct consequence of quantum mechanics
- • Hot-Injection Synthesis: Bawendi's rapid injection of precursors into hot solvents produces monodisperse, highly luminescent nanocrystals
- • Applications: QLED displays, biological imaging, photovoltaics, quantum computing, and LED lighting