(Hero image: Ill. Niklas Elmehed © Nobel Prize Outreach)

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023 has been conferred upon three distinguished scientists: Moungi Bawendi from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Louis Brus from Columbia University, and Alexei Ekimov from Nanocrystals Technology Inc. Their groundbreaking work on discovering and synthesizing quantum dots has earned them this prestigious honor.

Quantum dots, the smallest building blocks of nanotechnology, have proven revolutionary. Unlike conventional matter, their properties are not solely determined by the number of electrons an element possesses. Instead, when matter is reduced to nano-dimensions, quantum phenomena emerge, dictated by the size of the particles. These Nobel Laureates have successfully created particles so diminutive that quantum phenomena govern their characteristics. These aptly named quantum dots have assumed paramount significance in nanotechnology.

Quantum dots exhibit fascinating and unique properties, with their colors varying according to size. As Johan Åqvist, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, elucidates, “Quantum dots have many fascinating and unusual properties. Importantly, they have different colors depending on their size.”

The journey to harnessing these quantum phenomena was not straightforward. Early on, physicists theorized that size-dependent quantum effects could manifest in nanoparticles, but crafting structures at such minuscule scales was exceedingly challenging. In the early 1980s, Ekimov managed to induce size-dependent quantum effects in colored glass, revealing that the quantum effects within copper chloride nanoparticles influenced the color of the glass. Later, Brus achieved a groundbreaking milestone by demonstrating size-dependent quantum effects in particles suspended in a fluid.

Bawendi’s contributions were pivotal in revolutionizing the production of high-quality quantum dots in 1993. These impeccable quantum dots became essential for practical applications.

Today, quantum dots illuminate computer monitors, enhance LED lamp lighting and enable biochemists and doctors to map biological tissue. They have already made their mark in various sectors. However, their potential extends to flexible electronics, miniature sensors, thinner solar cells, and encrypted quantum communication, indicating that we have only scratched the surface of these remarkable nanoscale particles.

References

• The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. (2023, October 4). The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023. NobelPrize.Org; Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2023. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2023/press-release/