32 Facts About Quantum dots

Quantum dots are semiconductor particles a few nanometres in size, having optical and electronic properties that differ from those of larger particles as a result of quantum mechanics.

Quantum dots are sometimes referred to as artificial atoms, emphasizing their singularity, having bound, discrete electronic states, like naturally occurring atoms or molecules.

Quantum dots have properties intermediate between bulk semiconductors and discrete atoms or molecules.

Potential applications of quantum dots include single-electron transistors, solar cells, LEDs, lasers, single-photon sources, second-harmonic generation, quantum computing, cell biology research, microscopy, and medical imaging.

Typical Quantum dots are made of binary compounds such as lead sulfide, lead selenide, cadmium selenide, cadmium sulfide, cadmium telluride, indium arsenide, and indium phosphide.

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Commercial viability, a range of restricted, heavy-metal-free quantum dots has been developed showing bright emissions in the visible and near-infrared region of the spectrum and have similar optical properties to those of CdSe quantum dots.

Some quantum dots pose risks to human health and the environment under certain conditions.

Larger Quantum dots have more closely spaced energy levels in which the electron–hole pair can be trapped.

Quantum dots are particularly promising for optical applications due to their high extinction coefficient and ultrafast optical nonlinearities with potential applications for developing all-optical systems.

Quantum dots have been suggested as implementations of qubits for quantum information processing, and as active elements for thermoelectrics.

For instance, larger quantum dots have a greater spectrum-shift toward red compared to smaller dots and exhibit less pronounced quantum properties.

The new generations of quantum dots have far-reaching potential for the study of intracellular processes at the single-molecule level, high-resolution cellular imaging, long-term in vivo observation of cell trafficking, tumor targeting, and diagnostics.

For single-particle tracking, the irregular blinking of quantum dots is a minor drawback.

However, there have been groups which have developed quantum dots which are essentially nonblinking and demonstrated their utility in single molecule tracking experiments.

Quantum dots can have antibacterial properties similar to nanoparticles and can kill bacteria in a dose-dependent manner.

One mechanism by which quantum dots can kill bacteria is through impairing the functions of antioxidative system in the cells and down regulating the antioxidative genes.

Quantum dots have been shown to be effective against both gram- positive and gram-negative bacteria.

Semiconductor quantum dots have been employed for in vitro imaging of pre-labeled cells.

Hydrogel encapsulation of quantum dots allows for quantum dots to be introduced into a stable aqueous solution, reducing the possibility of cadmium leakage.

Via cell squeezing, quantum dots can be efficiently delivered without inducing aggregation, trapping material in endosomes, or significant loss of cell viability.

Tunable absorption spectrum and high extinction coefficients of quantum dots make them attractive for light harvesting technologies such as photovoltaics.

Graphene quantum dots have been blended with organic electronic materials to improve efficiency and lower cost in photovoltaic devices and organic light emitting diodes in compared to graphene sheets.

Several methods are proposed for using quantum dots to improve existing light-emitting diode design, including quantum dot light-emitting diode displays, and quantum dot white-light-emitting diode displays.

Quantum dots are valued for displays because they emit light in very specific gaussian distributions.

The converting part of the emitted light is converted into pure green and red light by the corresponding color quantum dots placed in front of the blue LED or using a quantum dot infused diffuser sheet in the backlight optical stack.

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The first commercial application of quantum dots was the Sony XBR X900A series of flat panel televisions released in 2013.

Generally, the photocatalytic activity of the dots is related to the particle size and its degree of quantum confinement.

Also, quantum dots made of metal chalcogenides are chemically unstable under oxidizing conditions and undergo photo corrosion reactions.

Quantum dots are theoretically described as a point-like, or zero dimensional entity.

Quantum mechanical models and simulations of quantum dots often involve the interaction of electrons with a pseudopotential or random matrix.

Classical models of electrostatic properties of electrons in quantum dots are similar in nature to the Thomson problem of optimally distributing electrons on a unit sphere.

Classical electrostatic treatment of electrons confined to spherical quantum dots is similar to their treatment in the Thomson, or plum pudding model, of the atom.