Moungi Bawendi, Louis Brus, and Alexei Ekimov are the latest Nobel laureates in chemistry. Professor Todd Krauss<\/a> from the University of Rochester<\/a>\u2019s Department of Chemistry<\/a> and Institute of Optics<\/a> has met all three\u2014and even studied quantum dots with Brus as a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University from 1998 to 2000.<\/p>\n The laws of chemistry state that a material\u2019s properties are largely governed by its chemical composition. But when matter is squeezed into nano-dimensions, those properties are determined by a different set of rules known as quantum phenomena. In the 1980s, Brus and Ekimov independently created nanoparticles known as quantum dots that produced different colors by manipulating the size of the particle. Bawendi later refined the process for controlling the size and surface chemistry of quantum dots.<\/p>\n \u201cThe idea that you could change the color of the material simply by changing the particle\u2019s size was incomprehensible before that discovery,\u201d says Krauss. \u201cIt\u2019s like breaking a cookie in half and having each half taste different than the whole. Showing that size determines the fundamental properties of these materials was the type of groundbreaking discovery that Nobel Prizes are all about.\u201d<\/p>\n Krauss says the fruits of the Nobel laureates\u2019 labor can be seen most often today in high-end QLED monitors and TV screens that use quantum dots to produce vivid colors. But scientists believe quantum dots could soon lead to advances in drug discovery, solar cells, encrypted communication, and more.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the first 20 years, the field was really interested in understanding how to controllably grow the spherical particles, how to make them highly fluorescent, and understand how electrons in the quantum dot reacted to light,\u201d says Krauss. \u201cThe last 20 years have been more focused on what I would call the flora and fauna of nanoparticles. We\u2019re exploring different compositions, and geometries including rods, spheres, tripods, and moving on to new potential applications.\u201d<\/p>\n Krauss says he and other Rochester faculty, including fellow chemistry professor Kathryn Knowles<\/a> \u201908, continue to untangle some of the remaining mysteries of quantum dots. He is currently part of a national initiative, funded by the US Department of Energy, to advance quantum science and technology<\/a> and Knowles received a National Science Foundation CAREER award<\/a> to study the fundamental properties of semiconductors made of nanoscale materials. Meanwhile, in Hutchison Hall on the River Campus, Rochester biologists are partnering with chemistry faculty to incorporate quantum dots into the 3D printing of living material<\/a>.<\/p>\n Having spent time (quite a few years ago now) in Louis Brus’s lab, and seen firsthand his influence on the whole field, it is great to see #NobelPrize2023<\/a> go to not just a fantastic scientist but an even better person. https:\/\/t.co\/CnxfFDzfsy<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Krauss Group (@KraussLabUR) October 4, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n![\"Louise](\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/inline-louis-brus-todd-krauss-quantum-dots-630x446.jpg\")
Connecting the quantum dots<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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