Quantum Dots may be an energy efficient alternative to incandescent and fluorescent lights.

Small Times: News about MEMS, Nanotechnology and Microsystems: "By Candace Stuart Small Times Features Editor "

Oct. 9, 2003 - Quantum dots have been shining light on cell biology for years. Now scientists at Sandia National Laboratories want them to shine on us as an energy-efficient alternative to incandescent and fluorescent lights.

Lauren Rohwer and her colleagues in Albuquerque, N.M., developed encapsulated nanocrystals that can be integrated onto commercially available light-emitting diode (LED) chips to produce white light. Dubbed quantum dots, the nanocrystals absorb invisible light from the LED and emit it as white light.

“It’s the first demonstration, to our knowledge, of a real solid-state source that uses quantum dots,” said Rohwer, the lead investigator. “White is the biggest accomplishment.”